The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-06
SARDOU'S NEW PLAY.
The Author Reads His Comedy of
French Revolutionary Days.
New York Herald.


The dramatic event of the past few weeks
in Paris was the reading of M. Victoren
Sardou's new play, entitled Pamela, Deal
er in Fancy Goods" The author read 1t
himself at the Vaudeville. and the first
public performance will be given in a week
or two. 1t is a dramatic comedy full of
adventures, and among the characters rep
resented are such notable personages as
the Dauphn Qouis XVID, Barras, the
Prince de Carency, Nine. Tallien, Josephine
de Beauharnais and many other women of
that time who were celebrated either for
their beauty or their wit. The scene is
laid in Paris during the last days of the
period of fifteen -MayJune. 1895. The
convention was then in it's last throes, and
Barras was coming to the front;
The play is based on conspiracy when
was formed at that time to carry the Dau-
phin off from the temple Pamela, the
heroine is a historical character. She was
a famous shopkeeper OF that period, her
NOW Rue Richelieu), on the left side as
one goes to the Theater Francois, and
few steps from the passage which leads to
the Rue de Montpensier. The sign over the
shop was a tricolored rainbow. Like the
other women of her class at that epoch,
Pamela was an alluring and very clever
little woman, who liked nothing better than
TO hold in her hands the threads OF some
difficult intrigue. Her part VIII be played
by Nine. Rejane. who is delighted with the
role.
Barras. as may readily be imagined plays
an important part in the comedy. Indeed,
the piece was inspired by page in his
memoirs. As Barrass sincerity, however,
has often been called in question, M. Sardou
has taken good care not to use anything
from this page which he could not verify.
The first act oTens in the apartment which
Barras occupied in the Palais Royal. Barras
says of this apartment, which he hired from
Mile. Montausier a woman of considerable
reputation in the theatrical world OF that
time: Having known Mile MOntausier III
prison ! was fortunately able to secure her
liberty. and as a result she showed I'M
bounded gratitude whenever she saw me.
One day with the best grace in the world
knew | liked, since ii was my own and not
hers (she was born at Bayonne), she Of
fered me an apartment near her own. She
had one very suitable for u bachelor, and II
was indeed bachelors life that ! then led
ut Paris FOR my wife, who had remained
faithful to her southern home, had never set
foot in the metropolis, and consequently no
one supposed that ! was married So far
as my freedom was concerned, then, ] was
a bachelor, but from an economical stand
point the case quite different, for |
really kept open house and never thought
of the expense. True. ! was not always in
a position to entertain as ] desired, but !
was always delighted to give welcome to
patriots.
Among those who visited Barras was
young Bonaparte, and If we are TO believe
the versatile memoir writer the future En-
peror at one time thought seriously of mar
rving Mile. Montauser. In NJ Sardous
play BOnaparte does not actually appear
but frequent references are made 70 him.
and altogether he plays no mean part.
The play consists Of five acts and seven
tableaux. Its Importance and length may
he imagined from the fact that 1t took the
author two full hours to read 1t.