New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-10
THE PARIS THEATRES.
PLAYA FARCE AND A REPErI-
TON OF "FROU-FROU."

Theatre. where he has reigned for over sr,,
years. with new and interesting impersonat,o,
that Of Chicot. the Jester o, King Henri I'M !,
the cape and sword meIodrama Of La Dame 4.
Monsoreau." written by Alexandra Dumas A
serial novel in 1915. rewritten as a play h,
Dumas and Aukuste Maquet for the Ambirr
Theatre. where It was produced with marked
success in 1860. and now revived" at the Port,
St. Martin for the Worlds Exhibition season
Of 1890 1900
la Dame de Monsoreau' presents a VIVA
picture OF the Court Of the last of the valois
with It's lntrigues. crimes, bigotry and supersu.
ton, here and there frightened by flashes of
chivalry and heroism. which Dumas evoked
with his magic wand. Whether accurate or not
La Dame de Monsoreau" has supplied nine.
tenths Of the population Of France with their
notions of French history during the latter half
of the sixteenth century. The fearless honesty
of the Kings Jester energies from the aroma Of
musk incense and blood that characterized the
misera BILE termination of the dynasty Of valois
end II was in this captivating role Of Chicu
that MeIingue. the popular comedian to whom
Dumas intrusted the representations OF DAr.
tagnan, Henri de Navarro and Monte Cristo
achieved his last triumph before his retirement
from the stage in 1873. La Dame de Monso.
reau" was the last of the pseudo historical pay
that. together with the melodramas Of Adolphe
d'Ennery monopolized the Boulevard theatres
for over thirty years 1t is the good old-fash-
toned stage show of honest love making. am
buscades, Opponents, conspiracies and duels
that used to delight the youthful days Of our
grandfathers and grandmothers. 1t Is like read.
ing La Fontaine's fables after having closed one
Of Bourgeois Donnay's novels The quaint
sentimental phrases and dialogue and the re-
markable rapidity of the action form refresh.
ing contrast to the character painting and elab-
crate psychology Of the modern Partisan
comedy
1t would be out Of place here TO recount the
vicsstudes Of the beautiful Diane de Merfdor,
the romantic adventures OF the superb De
Busy. the intrigues Of the Kings brother the
Due d'Anjou, or the magnificent exploits Of
Chicot the Jester. 1t is sufficient to say that ~
Coquen has hit a popular vein In undertak.
ing the impersonation of the inimitable Chicot
who bears strong family likeness TO Don
Cesar de Bazan to Triboulet and to Cyrano
de Bergerac.
NJ. Coquelin's conception OF Chicot essentially
differs from that of Mengue. who first played
the role and who threw into 1t such exuberance.
NJ Coquelin presents a Chcot who is at once
honest genial alert. sarcastic. pathetic and
so modulated as not to conceal the delicate
shades Of sensibility that Dumas portrayed IN
this complex character Chicot is by no means
NJ. Coquelin's finest part but he has rendered
an excellent service to the memory and reputa.
ton of Dumas by revealing nobler and mora
human Chicot than has been attained by any Of
NJ. CoQuens predecessors. One Of the gems Of
the play Is broadly comic scene at the Corns
de
Gorenfot meet at tete-a-tete dinner, during
which the Kings jester persuades the jovial
priest to baptize the roast carp to satisfy
the conscientious scruples arising from the fact
that 1t is a Friday Of penance and fasting NJ
Coquelin's son, Jean Coquelin, as the Rabelais-
ian friar, supports his father with talent and
discrimination. The text Of Dumas is so abridged
that without reading the novel II is difficult TO
appreciate the play; but after having done this
one finds the same enjoyment In seeing the
melodrama that may be obtained from gancing
over the illustrations of book when one ID ia
mar with its contents.
La Dame de Monsoreau" Is well staged and
Americans keenly appreciate the bits Of six
teenth century Paris that are reproduced with
archaeological accuracy in the Mason des Tour
nelles and in the Abbaye Of Sainte Gene
We've. For fashionable audiences the romantic
cape and sword drama seems TO have had It's
day; but the Sunday and holiday public still
takes lively interest in La Dame de Mon
soreau" and the exploits of the royal Jester de- e
scribed by Brantome as "a good Frenchman, Q
mighty buffoon and right valiant fellow"
The bustling little three-act farce called
"Plaisir d'Amour." by Maurice Froyez and
Georges Colias. produced at the Theatre Cluny,
is the first genuine success of the season. Every
four or five years this tiny bandbox OF theatre.
perched a side street Of the Latin quarter.
adjoining the Cluny Museum hits upon one OF
those fetching three-act farces which amply
atones for three seasons Of prohtless failure.
"Plasir d'Amour" Is original In conception and
bright and vivacious in form. The character
are bold in outline. The situations. although
vergng on the burlesque. are not overcharged
and 1t is admirably performed by young actors
and actresses whose names even on boule'
wards are as yet unknown. The fun OF the
piece consists in the adventures of Campestre.
a clerk in life insurance Office, who is sent out
In company with the supposed widow OF man
who has gone abroad and been missing for two
years, in search Of news Of his death, before
paying the amount OF the policy TO Maud, the
charming American widow. Finally Jack Bor'
cheston, the missing husband. turns up. msf'
riage and a subsequent divorce both by mean
Of the monograph. are among the startling orig
inalities OF "Plaisir d'Amour" and there is
cleverly arranged yachting scene. The first act
is bright and gay The interest is well sustained
and developed in the second act and the third
act-as is seldom the in broad farces-is
the best Of the three. The third act contains
situation worthy OF Moliere This unpretentious
little gem Of a farce will before long make Us
way 70 New-York and London. The clever
young interpreters OF "Plaisir d'Amour are
iHfn ri Whn Kos no ma RI ~
cheston. the American: NJ. Provost who makes
a capital director of the life Insurance company
NJ. Gaillard who is highly amusing captain Of
the yacht and NJ Rouvere. who plays the part
OF Campes,rel, the triumphant hero OF TINS
piquant but harmless Irritation. Mines. blanche
Doriel. Anna Cuinet and Louise Cardin are -
graceful and charming as are always the ac''
resses of successful piece.
10 Fra cat ba ted