Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-22
FRENCH COMEDIES.
THE IMPRESSION THAT PREVAILS
IN REGARD TO THEM.
Ole OF LAST WEEK AN EXCEPTION.

Norrow-Berte Cootc and Darkest
Russia to FoIIow-The Offering at
the Biiou This Week.
How refreshing it was 10 witness the
comedy, because She Loved Him So"
and TO know that here was piece.
1 adapted from the French. which was pure
and wholesome i'm its tone. and without
| an offensive line in its dialogue. Not
| that every play is bad which has the
! stamp of France upon IT. but certainly
most OF those imported to this country
/ have a flavor which makes them TOO ricn
/ to be digested by the average American
/ theatre-gOer.
AS soon as a comedy is said 10 have
/ its origin I'm France we entertain doubts
/ as to the whOlesomcness of the compost
/ ton We have visions OF gay Parisians
/ and cOnjure up scenes in which bald
/ headed men, pretty women with saucy
smiles. and champagne bottles figure con-
/ spicuously. When "a play IS said to be
| "Frenchy" some such picture as TINS
! passes i'm the minds eye, and We think
] we have pretty good idea Of the piece
merely from that one word Of descrip-
/ ton.
| This estimation Of the comedies that
! have seen service i'm the Paris theatres
prevails 10 such an extent That when tho
| manager has an article SO branded he
must take extraordinary pains 10 onset
! the bad impr ssion. and TO let the pubic
! know that his goods are III for his Ameri-
can customer Sometimes the play may
| be said 10 have been fumsated-that II,
! when the adapter has. with pen ana INK
! DESTROYED its Objectionable features. Then
| "a
! uarfectlv pure and uuadultcrated article.
/ and fit for American consumption with
! out UNDERGOING any cleansing process.
! In the past two weeks We have been
served with two French dishes as much
unlike each other as they possibly could
/ have been. The first OF these was so
richly seasoned that those who sat be-
! fore il talked long afterward of its quail
/ ties. II was too highly spiced to BE- very
palatable. The second OF these French
I products. however. WAS 50 dehciously
| Favored that it took the taste OF the
/ Garlic out Of the mouth and Whetted
! our appetite for the substantial FOODS TO
which we had been accustomed. After
"Tbe Turtle" William Gilette's comedy
was like the ice water which follows the
alcohol the day after a mans spree.
| Because She Loved Him So" was an
| OD1eCL -lt-sDn 10 all s'Al4o Ai4t'i ~
ules II showed hOW much trouble may
be caused by woman's jealousy. A mans
jealousy may Doe equally as disquisting TO
The happiness Of a household. but In this
! instance il was . clear case Of the woman
heing in fault The character Of Gertrude
West was not overdra wn. for IN her
nearly every one recognized some woman
of their acquaintance
And the cause OF her jealous rage was
certainly not a new one. IL was a plucky
man who would Willingly face his WIG
with two golden hairs upon his shoulder
when the locks OF his partner In lie are
let black. The miidest hammered ana
most trusting woman in the world would
Immediately wish TO know, "N mere ora
Won get those two blonde hairsT' Ana II
The unfortunate man was unable TO give u
satisfactory explanation, then for some
time home would not be a happy place
for him. The suspicious of woman are
naturally aroused under such clrcum-
stances. and TO her there is only one
cause which can account for the presence
of those hairs. which are Of the wrong
color. Some other woman's head mas Deeh
resting on his shoulder
NO arrive at such a conclusion is ex-
ceediney unfair, for a mar OF TWO may
,,ot ON q mans coat without his neces-
head rom which they came. / have found
a. lonr hair sometimes golden, some
zines black on my own coat several
times when / knew that l had not peeh
nearer than three feet 10 woman.
There are many ways IN when those
hairs could have gotten where they had
no business. 10 might have happened III
a crowded street-car And yet. II hau
unfortunately been I'm Oliver Vests place
evsrvt hing would have been to pay. HAP
nilv / am al liberty 20 get i Whole heau
fuu OF hairs on my coat ana heeu ~
myself no worry other IMAM DIuSl'i"s
them off at such time as suits my cow
nionco Oliver West was perfectly Ilsh1
ator no told his wife that when she
came home with some plaster on her
dress he didn't accuse her Of having peeh
with brick-mason.
Madam Janauschek will appear at the
! Academy tomorrow night IN her new
! version Of "Meg Merrles,' the famous
heroine of Sir Walter SCOTS immortal
romance OF Guy Mannering." The
character Of "Meg" was originally made
prominent by the celebrated Cushman:
II was afterwards played i'm its original
sbone nv Janauschek. but the play, al
though one Of the most successful OF It's
dav was crude. much too long, ana II
did not follow the story as accurately
as n should. But Janauschek's new YER
sion by Mr.. Paul Kester has been rene
died in all these matters. Meg Is now,
&C che should be. the dominant figure Of
the play. The story is well followed
and the piece has been shortened TO hVe
acts. An the old music mas oeeh re-
tanned. and many new ana tuheiui mum
bers have been added. ,,o,...,.
The character of Meg IS difficult
one in its exactions upon the resources
~ tho actress who essays II. TO say
that Janauschek completely meets every
Indictment Of this trying role is only
70 award her her due. Janauschek mas
soared no expense to make the produc-
- oomnlete IN its every detail. She
mas surrounded herself with large ana
,nrsuallv efficient company OF WELL
known people. The costumes, appoint
ments. etc. are all new. and made espe-
oially for this play
Rert Coote is known here By his pro
10.