New-York tribune., 1900-03-26
ROSTAND'S NEW PLAY
SCENES AT THE FIRST PRODUCTIONS ~
"LAIGLON' BY SARAH BERNHARnr
Paris. March 1R

"LAiglon'-"The Eaglet''-the drama tr a,
acts. written in Alexandrine verse bv Far,o.s
Rostand for Sarah Bernhard. and which tba-
atricaI and fashionable Paris has been awa,,,,,
with the keenest eagerness was produced I..s
night at the Theatre Sarah Rernhardt bsso-.
the most brilliant first night audience q, ,bs
season. The enthusiasm was immense r, ,,a
a triumph both for Sarah BernEardt and ,o
Rostand- All who are prominent in letters ana
In public life deed last night befsre the actras.
and the author as they stood in he brilllantIv
lighted reception room. Victorien sardou a,,s-
the third act. threw himself into The arm. q.
Rostand and kissed him. Coquelin ran IN to
Sarah's loge and embraced her NJ casino4-
Perier. ex-Presdent Of the French Republic AZ.
centuated his congratulations by pressing hi.
lips to Sarah's hand. So did also tn. veteran
General Saussier. Among those who thus en-
pressed their congratulations In the form %
kisses were Ludovic Halevy. Paul HervieuL
Henri Houssaye, Prince Murat Count Rooer, IA
Montesquiou, General Zurlinden and General
Brugere.
1t was a sight TO witnessed only In Par;a
The "emballement" prodgious and the en-
thusiasm was almost indescribable. At the closs
of the play. when. in accordance with time hon.
cred French tradition. Sarah Bernhardt ad
vanced to the footlights and in firm voice
said. THE drama which we have lad the honor
of playing before you is by Edmond Rostand-
the author received a fresh ovation. and shouts
Of "Rostandr' "Rostendr' resounded on all sides
mingled with those OF Sarah Sarah In
short there were all the elements that constitute
a theatrical first nights triumph. But II should
be recollected that this elite audience was
stirred by it's personal sympathy with Sarah
Bernhardt and with Edmond Rostand and was
also keenly disposed toward the patriotic Ill.,
sions of the NapoIeonic legend When. removed
inf ha0{r
blood to analyze the play. it is difficult TO find
a satisfactory explanation for all this en-
thusiasm. The writer put this question TO Vic
torien Sardou. TO Jules Lemaitre and TO Felix
Duquesnel, the incisive dramatic critic OF the
"GauIois." All three admitted that the enthusi-
asm largely due TO causes beyond the play
itself and could not be expected from any other
audience but French one
Rostands dexterous versihcation retains the
charm and cunning shown in "Cyrano
de Bergerac." He is perfect master OF his in
strument. His couplets seem TO fall If from
violin. and gain by their passage through the
lips of the artists and the decorations OF the
stage TO the of the audience. ROstands
brilliant word play and gymnastics draw forth
from the public the same murmurs OF sympathy
as they did in ''Cyrano.'' His Alexandrines ara
limpid crystal. here and there heightened
by sparks of Gallo Rabeaisian humOr which
never fail TO eaptivate the Parisians. The au-
thor has woven new and romantic legend on
the transient and disappointing life of the Duke
of Reichstadt- But it is evident that the SUBJ
ject is 'ungratefur' one. 1t does contain
the elements of a true and stirring drama There
is no logical sequence nor action. The play turns
drearily upon itself The long solioquies which
in varied notes and with clever interpretations
of French patriotism set forth again and again
the Napoleonic legend becomes tedious and mo-
notonous. The Duke of Reichstadt was. after all,
a degenerate son. without force OF character or
intellectual depth He was sort Of French
Hamlet, constructed in miniature and preserved
from true passion and feeling. and from the
world and from humanity. by being kept under
glass 1t is for this reason that 'L'Aislon'
is a disappointing play; that in spite Of its
wonderful picturesqueness, 1T can rivet
and hold the continued attention of the public
did "Cyrano de Bergerac'
1t would be idle 70 analyze the drama. for
drama, in the proper sense of the word, there is
none. But good idea of the play may be at
tanned by recounting the sequence OF the "ta-
bleaus' which compose it The first three acts
present the Duke of Rechstadt just he is set
forth in the memoirs Of his intimate companion.
the Count OF Prokesch-Osten- II is a melan-
choly, shilly- -shally youth chaing under the re-
straint and the strict surveillance of the Aus
trian Court. The aged Emperor Franz reigns.
and Prince Metternich whom allied Europe
has intrusted the care OF the Duke of Reich
stadt. governs AS Victor Hugo put II. Ian
gleterre prit rAigle ct Autriche TAiglon." The
youth is crushed beneath the weight OF his
fathers name. He seeks 70 escape and get
back TO France. but hesitates because he lacks
the courage and determination 10 put his plan
into execution.
The first act reveals the life at Sch0nbrunn.
where Metternich isolates the Aiglon from all
that could remind him OF France. His mother.
Marie Louise. is there. absorbed in court feres
and frivoIities. There IS group OF Bonapartist
consprators. among whom is the young Coun-
tess Camarata. who succeeds in gaining access
10 the Aiglon by masqueradins a milliner
with hats for Marie Louise. With her is a
Bonapartist colonel disguised as a tailor, who
reveals himself to the Prince and urges flight
The young duke is not ready, but resolves 70
prepare himself for his destiny by the study Of
history AT the end of the act Fanny Elssler.
who has been cleverly introduced into the pail
ace, leaps upon table and. with her arms en-
twined about the Aigion's neck. recites the
bulletins from the Great Napoleon's campaigns.
in the hope of arousing the youth TO fulfil MS
destiny The scene with which the act closes,
wherein the Prince reproaches his mother with
having forgotten that she the wife OF
Cesar. is strong. but is suggestive Of Hamlet
reproaching the Queen.
In the second act the Prince returning home
from the army manoeuvres. finds the police
searching his papers. Then ensues scene
where the Austrian officer. Count Prokesch. BY
means of box of toy soldiers. informs the
Duke that he is devoted TO him and IS in the
conspiracy. The Duke approaches the Emperor
of Austria and asks to be allowed TO return 70
France Mette-nich convinces the Emperor OF