The sun., 1900-08-12

said Mr.. Jefferson And no audience would
stay In a theatre II no did" said Mr.. Crane.
This is an era of refinement on the stage and
there il nothing in the popular success Of the
Carter r-Fiskc-NethsrSOle INJUNCTION 10 prove
danger OF deseneracy. The point which
Tnp SrS sought to make was the diner
enos between social t oHica,rs Y play ss.y
herones who are sinued against. and whose
pitiful plirhis will always conmnrd the SYM
pathetic attention Of the best audiences.
II was Charles Fechter who suggested first to
Eugcnie Doche that she undertake the role Of
Marguerite Gauthier In Alexandra Dumas's play
She was living In retirement in London. A
throat trouble had temporarily injured her
voice Fechter brought her lie Dame aux
Camslias" with the remark that there was an
excellent role in the play that would suit her.
He told her that she could act it il she desired
to- At that time the part was not as much in
demand as II Is to-day. Nor had the play found
favor with managers. One said that like Muir
gers "Iie dc Boheme' 1t was lacking In humor.
| Another thought II too much like "Manon Les
| caut" while NIrginie Dyazet refused the role on
the plea that It was beyond her powers When
! the author took the play to Nine FarQueil she
told him haughtily that the piece took place in
a world she had not learned to know.
| Then. at your age you never will" was
Dumas's answer Charles Fechter read tho
play to Nine. Doche who returned the next
day to Paris in the hope of being allowed TO act
the role. BouT., manager Of the Vaudeville. like
! many other discerning impresarios had no
confidence whatever in the work. He thought
| that Il might live to see ten performances and
was to alternate In the programme with u farce
| In which he had great confidence. Doche
| thought that her weak throat would be equal
10 ten performances OF the play given every
| other night. After the rehearsals were com
! pleted, the censor forbade the play on moral
| grounds Dumas went to Brussels utterly
| discouraged. Nine. Doche went TO call on in
| fuential friends and the result was Napoleon's
order that they should give her role back TO
the child" So the censor was compelled to
withdraw his prohibition and Dumas came
| back from Belgium in time for the final dress
rehearsal on FEB. /. lsj2 About fifty actors
! and friends of the author were present They
| declared the play cynical and dangerous. The
characters OF the two lovers were declared
| unintere.tiny in comparison with Durdl pero
whose speeches were highly praised. Both
| Fechter and Eugene Doche are said to have
been very much upset by the efforts which the
old man made, as they interrupted the re-
| hearsal in a way that spoiled their scenes. On
\ the next nl.nt. however, tfe IlDlc TtcelNeu
| these scenes in a very different spirit, The
| two lovers we're the absorbing figures IN the
| triumph OF the evening.
new Paris dranatist recently tried the
novel idea Of continuing in his play the story
| of a famous work of the past. The strangers
| Son is = development OF the story Of AsAandre
| Mrs. Cilrksou are dealt with in the new piece
| She has taken a successor 10 the lover whom
| her husband killed and l. tho mother of a son
| BY him, whom she calls son of her dead hus-
| bllu lllS IudrrPy the daughter
! 81 titled family, who are disgraced 10 learn
/ the truth about his parentage. His wife de-
presented To- him by his father. but the youth
| declines Later he distinguishes himself IN
battle and the death Of Ms, IIoIkson probably
remove, this interesting Creole from the stage
| forever Charlotte Wiehe. tho great Scah;
dinavian actress whom Henrik Ibscn called
The Star Of the North" is soon to appear in
Paris. She Is SAID 10 be equally iaclle as singer
| dancer and actress. Coquelin's lottery, for the
I benefit OF the French Actors Benevolent SO.
| eey promises to he hlghly SutfGessiqi fysi AN
| child took loop0 tickets W. thauchard, T0Co.
and Castor Menier, 500, Actors from tho
| Comedi" trancal>e. headed 10y Paul Mounet
! Orange festivals Henry. Bccgue, is buried
| In u pauper's grave in Pari, and will soon have
regular periods. Now a subscription will be
| opened 10 secure for him II permanent resting
| place, and the grim suggestion Is made that
| this be confined 10 journalists who should feel
grateful TO BecQue, As he furnished them with
| a constant theme and by his retired. modest
! life enabled them to discover him constantly
| and thus earn many franc bv articles devoted
| TO him and his peculiariles incien Hlniin
| Is TO take the Porte st, Martin IN Paris during
| CoqueEn American tour and vi revive Alla's
| "EAssommoir" as well as produce new play
| by Anatoe France Louis GandesaN has lust
erected a monument 10 the memory Of Henri
Meilhae, Jeanne Bernhard, who DIED IN
some wears before her death and had resided
In Brussels. she was brought 70 Paris only
Sa%r' mH oe3re r aeA new 10 pe SaT Wbcb h
Charles Frohman has bought for this country,
|; to be based on Incidents IL Tn the lie Of me
at tie COmidie FRANCHISE,
The London censor OF plays has finally de-
cided that the Biblical drama IS golng too far.
Torrance Of "Pilate and Ovld'S Daughter on
the ground that sacred personaxes were too
freely introduced Beerbohm Tree has changed
the title Of Stephen Phillips new play TO "herod
the Great" instead Of The King OF the Jews"
! Titles Of plays are important One drama
noted here last season was denounced 70 Us
entreated to change the name declined posi-
lively on the ground that none other would
express his ideas so exactly. lie had the sat.
isfaction OF seeing his own title retained, but
1t cost him considerable sum Charles Eroh-
man !, !" pr2dgGe Pierre r prsGnnee %ar farce
Byron's Manfred" lie confesses to no more
than desire 70 revive H., ffcderlcK horheT
has adapted Ma Cou.ne" Tor London audi
ences. The Parlor Match" Is TO be known
in England as The Mntchhoard."
CASTOR Serpette has just composed the music
20 n new Oparetta for Willie Edonin. lie has
also been decorated lately with a medal Of
the Legion Of Honor not ON acconnt Of abilities
a. q composer, but In recognition OF the quality
of the farm produce which he raises In Algeria.
lie is the owner Of a large farm there. Count
Iolsfoi has recently prepared version Of The
acceptable 10 many German censors who have
hitherto prohibited its performance Alex
ander MaikowSki has been dangerously i'll
in Pyrmont. The National theatre and
VariSt6 Congress, which was to have been
held in Berlin, came to a premature end owing
u the lack Of finances OF the promoters OF tho
scheme.