The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-01
CHRISTIAN THEATER.
NOVEL PLAYHOUSE TO BE ESTABLISH
ED IN PARIS.
Only Plays Of Strictly Moral and Re-
ngious Tendency Will De Performed In
tt Has Caused q Lively Discussion
Among the Leading Paris Newspapers.

ngious Tendency Will lie Performed In
tt Has Caused a Lively Discussion
Among the Leading Paris Newspapers.
"What will happen next?" is the
0uestion which the theatrical managers
and the theater going public of Paris
are asking just now. And no wonder,
for verify some strange sights have been
seen On the French stage Of late. Psy-
Geological plays are no longer novelty,
and M. Sardou has shown how the the
ater can be made an effective instru-
ment in the wcrk of popularizing the
doctrines of spiritualism. Now, how
ever, the theater is to undergo still
greater metamorphosis, or rather one
theater is to he used for a purpose which
is strikingly novel and which smacks of
the old days when mystery and miracle
plays were in fashion.
AChristian theater is to be establish
ed in Paris. This Ia the news of the
week in the French theatrical world. 1t
will be erected in the Faubourg Pois-
soniere and will be known as the Thea
ter Corneille, this name being chosen
because Corneille was not only a great
slramatist, but also devout Christian,
ss can be seen from the many pious ut
terances in his plays as well in 1.-The
Gid" as in "Polyeucte.
The theater will be directed by Mime.
Nancy -Vernet and will have as patrons
the following well known persons: Ur-
balm Gohier, editor of LIE Soleil; De la
Tourrasse, editor of La France Nouvelle;
De Merolles, president of the Society Of
Christian Publicists; Albert Monniot,
secretary of the Libre Parole newspaper;
Nemous Godre, editor of La Verite |;
Edmond Turquet formerly undersecre-
tary Of state, and Charles Vincent, edi-
tor Of La Gazette de France.
The theater will open with Rostron' 3
play entitled "St. Genest," and this
will be followed by several new plays,
all Of a strictly moral and religious tend
ency. Carefully selected plays will also
be performed from the works of Cor
nellie, Racine and Alfred de Vigny.
The news that this novel theater is to
be established has given rise to lively
discussion in the French press. Thus La
Libre Parole says, 1.-THE Catholics Of
France will at last have theater in
which they will run no risk of hearing
their faith insulted or of seeing the pro.
fessors and ministers Of that faith turn
ed into ridicule.
h Gaulois looks at the matter from Q
practical point and simply asks, will
this new theater succeed?" Then, in re-
ply, it makes some suggestions. "The
people" it says, may flock to see a
play ON spiritualism, but that is no
proof Of their willingness to support q
Christian theater. Still they might like
to see such religious plays as their fore
fathers delighted in, especially plays
based on the picturesque traditions of
religion. Again, the Passion of Ober-
ammergau would be quite as successful
in Paris as it is in Bavaria. M. Boucher
played for some time in mystery Of
this kind in small Partisan theater
and drew immense crowds"
But then lie Gaulois naturally points
out that if plays of this kind once be-
como thoroughly popular any manager
would be glad to produce them, and
consequently there would be no logical
reason for the existence Of an exclusive
ly Christian theater. If one can see a
Christian play at sSy theater, why &c
out Of ones way in order to see q sim.
liar play at Christian theater?
''And we have today" says lie Gau
lois in conclusion, "a theater in which
we can see the most sublime and touch
ing sights of Christian art. This theatel
is the church. There the people can sc,
the King of kings and the court O.
heaven, with all its pomps and all it
ceremony. Golden copes, silken gar
ments, flowers, marbles and lights arr
there to gladden. the eyes and soothe th'
heart, and while the incense floats to
ward the many colored windows, q
which are pictured images of the hol,
family and of the saints, the ears ar,
charmed by sounds Of music, whose sol,
aim is to fill the soul with the highes
conceptions Of love and duty"
Time alone can tell whether thi
Christian theatcr will be "a success q
not. That the utmost will be done {,
make ii n success is certain New Yorl
Herald