New-York tribune., 1894-01-02

NJ COOrrUy AND NINE. HADIXG


feet company in 1891 and met with but little favor.
Its fortunes in Paris have been cOpiousy discussed
ard need not be travcrsed in detail upon the
present occasion "Thermidor" as its name might
suggest, carries political tag Its implied cen
of revolutionary leaders source OF irTi-
tation to Republican enthusiasts ana II provoked
tuinult which impelled the French Government
In the interests Of order. to suppress the play! In
its transition from a French 60 an American stage
N. Sardous pocmicai drama has lost its sting
The nnammaiory elements in its com
position were fated 10 evaporate in the clear
atmosphere OF American -ympathL"s. which
sylnpathios respond readily enough to the
pressure OF its suspense and rathos. but are unIe
pared - demand the cXcoriauon or NJ Hhf-
dou when he happens 10 paint RobcspeI:e as
little less admirable than Lafayette himself
"Thermidor' for the purposes Of NJ Coquehn'
Nine. Iading and the company which they have
brought with them from France. reduces Itself TO
tissue OF romantic situations. These situations be-
speak interest in that they involve l"H
of lovers In the hazcrds of thrilling and iascin-
ating period. and mplicate also. In LabusS'ere'
q curious type OF the uneasy. confrving citizen
produced by the reign Of terror. I.abussicre. ihe
leading male character Of III" play, enacted by
NJ. Coqueln, is the CHIEF Of department charged
by the convention with he tn1ulaii0n an" Vefl-
cal superntendence Of all dcnurciatons and SEN
encos found by the Government lie uses ms
opportunities to manipulate the papers In his
is invoked by Martial Iluson. soldier and old com
rade inrersonatel by VI. No,ny. 10 save the life
OF Fabiennc LccoulcvX, Eifl Dctrothcd 10 MN
Nine Hadirg plays Fabienne. In the thrd
act there IS n dramatic siru-glc between La
bussiere ana Iagon in when TIE latter asks
his friend 10 substitute for th" Warrant
against Fabienne one issued AGAINST another
woman of the same name. and .n this way 10 gain
time for the liberation Of the soll'rs nisl''S'.
Lahussiere vaciates. and Nnaly yields TO the N'f-
ing of Hugon. bat although thr arrest oi l-'"'S-
pierre is intimatel at the termination OF TINS "c
anl there * hope that ;hc rc,ha''lng "i tnt 'hi""
may further facilitate the rcscHe the sentence is
eventually carried ont. and in the fourth ac hN-""
is shot while cndeavorins TO interfere Wi'h I'-
bienne's progress in the march Of the condemned
The events with which "rhermIdor' Is coh''rh''
are romantic in the sentiments AID crises they com
prehend. and they given the setting "t ia'ls ~
1924 place and time having the spectacular ch'I-
acter calculated TO touch the Imagination anu 81"
the blood. II is I'm the essence OF romantic ai' IT,
be expansive. atmospheric. vibrating VIII" '"s
color and light OF poetic fancy Tne horizons o'
such art are large and they are fraught with mys-
terry In mood romantic ar; IS dNusive. personal
and pervaded by the Significance Of personal at
tributes. The tendency OF VI. Sardou Is away from
these considerations and toward ptiiessly curt
form Of dramatic narrative. II Is especially SO ''
"rhcrrnidor" The story is romantic. The point
given it is not nor is the treatment Of f. from the
first scene to the last That point depends largely
unon the political element 10 which We have al
luded and that treatment keeps the play tense WIN
the electric excitement OF the time ana Is IN q great
measure through !rs savage realism. Trosac. Tho
last epitnct may be spared NJ toqurhn ana Nine
Hadlug but the distinction needs TO be made never
,hccss that the ensemble which they aui their c'l-
leagues present is not an ensemble OF temper o'
spiritual significance IL ~ an cn-"n'"o OF "i'"''''
II movement. OF The play and interplay ~ 'ire.ni-
stance. More imaginative artists would nave SUI
.in.atcd the raw mater!a. given ine" by a. S.'
dou. Yet such an ensemble as VI. plu'l'h az, a"''
;hat implies some Of the prime conditions u dri-
matte erect cOmpacincss, IoSc, c'ciity ana cunu-
lative force. neTinlHoI a. 81 - "'-'.. M -,
with rapidity and dircctn"Ss and a. played ~ ~"
n rchcn iba bsHer@ II any proiGndy in H.; aff j
any beauty striking imagIn2;ion ~ s cnAr"'i,r-
tellectual processes on which It y based its per-
feet adaptahillty 10 TIE ar "i NJ Oolu'lN i- hl,
frankly rrpuliatcs what Is commonly covered by
In his pcrformamoe Of Ia,u-serc h. cxprcsscs
srccinc;.y his point Of Nl," labnSsierc is the
graf depths and all thro ~ tie play interest n HIN
springs less his inherent qualities, from tho
elemental human nature ~ nis behavior ana char,
| events into which he is drawn hy his kindly dsIo-
sition lie has nothing ~ common with characier'
| ntrinsicaily fascaat!ne Ike iIerEnn or Hny Bias
Like al of 5arions nelles. he Is nDi cause, but
an effect To cone ~, MN ia tnls pasuc sp'lt ls
for N. COqucln To- ay.sh upon him all -" resources
| Of his flexible and deNshiiul iaculiy Of represent
tion. ana 1t WAS Ia inis silrit Wi' D" Iltt h!t '
| W n the apIlguse a.. an audience that was apprecis
| W.
| Spontaneous emotional and Imaginative II is an
Intelligent unity Of observation oi sympathy mat T.
Coquen. in spite % his repuguance 10 the romantic
| IDEAL has the expansive. dinugivc quality which
has been indicated as one CHARACTERISTIC 81 l2manilc
art. His MAscarille IN I.es Irtcieuscs lt.dicIi
capacity for exhaling, as IT were. the very spirit
Of character, which IS assoclatci AZ ruie with
,ocb l I%3rII SarIon hmsf cxhits but also Icise
,,fff 1ft. Ir
and for nervous, exact impeTsonati'n VI. 'oID'4ili
| indomitabe self -posscsson which are tho essential
ingredients Of his style. He has style II is The
sIyle that springs moi 30 much from personal ilo-
enOrtless and absolute that what really shares the
cal You feel in ,hc apprehension II ". Coquclln'
swift loquncty In the first act ~ hS Srimiy hu-
iino'gh in the secoml. and Of his rornr.ng debate
between duty ana friendship In the scene
hcnsion of All these exciting and brilliantly
executed momsnts The same sen.atohs as are IN
| Your nerves are kcpl strung 10 . t'r.inc pitch IN
the episodes Of irac n9r npa nc@F I tne
II your heart-beats neither accelerated nor
sackened II is because throughout his periormnnc.
detachment. which IS visible through The many
the time, but with ccnsuminaie OblccuNity glide.
his sureness OF touch are extraordinary. Ne has
facial mobility quckness ana cio1ucncr oi t,slur"'
nm ana down the gamut of dry. sardonic.
catolinc ana passionate intonaion Labussltrc s re-
aIired 10 employ His impersouatiOn r. finished in
dotal and symmetrical whole. What it lacks
In FIRE and breadth II males W ni nervous cn'if,
| and In dclicacy Of handling. Labussifrc with AL
his goodness Of heart. is not ioyahe lie lack ten
1ernees grace ana imagination. He b.. on the other
hand sl,ggest:vc and Interesting figure. and NJ
Coql,elin makes hin all Of this He held the aiien
tlon Of his audience las, nigh ana hod II unhroken
The nari Of FaLiounc brings Nine Iiading upon
Tho stage only a few tacs, but IN her hri"f appear
! anceg She touches tho extremes OF hnppin"Hs ana
! despair. Nine. Hadiug IS q woman Of sumpiu9u-
| IeautV ,uLurn haired. and with eyes heavy liII j.
IKE a mythical creature of Rogsctt She plays fab
| rnnc i'm u vein Of sOfness ana timdiiy, then llit
thc chnrctcr to the apex Of passion. ana IN 'hc laa
act raises 1t sphere Of religious cxaitation
! In which she becomes majestic ana l"cply I'm
prcssvc "Thcrmi1or' Is a play for W. 'pq1rlin
raj her than for her In respect 70 domination Of th
several scenes and Il win b. more interesting e.
zee her again as Ciorindc. one Of h"r great plris
or in "L'Etrangerc" In Sardou's play. however