Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-04-28
PARIS GOES WILD OVER
A BONAPARTE PLAY.
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"L'Aiglon"-"The Eaglet'-Rostaud's
new play which has had such a Sue
cess On Paris. and which Frohman has
bought for Maude Adams. deals with
the sad story OF the King Of Rome.
Bonoparte as Napoleon H. The title OF
play was suggested by Victor Hugos
verse "The English capture the eagle
and the Austrians the eaglet" 1t Is
significant OF the present state OF poo
litIcal unrest IN France that every line
OF Rostand's play which alludes 20 the
glory Of the imperial arms is received
with great enthusiasm by the Paris au-
diencos. The heart Of France seems
stlll TO follow the eagles Of the house
of Ronaparte. and not TO dwell either
with the republic or the Boufbons. In
"L'Alglon" the very pulse of the nation
can be felt beating Edouari DetaiIle
painted a picture which is immensely
popular with an Frenchmen A French
army Is biyouacKng ON a vast plain.
Far away toward the horizon extend
lines OF stacked rifles. Ii win soon be-
dawn. In the clouds Is depicted a yis-
ion Of French armies led by the genius
Of victory. In the nth act Of 'I'Aig-
lon appears a scene strlkingly similar
The young Duo de Reichstadtplayed by
Sarah Bernhard walks ON the field Of
Wasram and coniures up vision of
his fathers great victory over the Aus.
tiians. twenty years before From be-.
hind the scenes comes the noise Of
battle. the Kissing OF bullets and the
crash OF artillery, AN ending with
mighty shout OF "Viye rEmpcaur!' At
this shout the audience goes wild with
enthusiasm and echoes the cry until 1t
can almost he heard in the EIysce.
In 'L'Aiglon' ~ R0stand replaces. 20
some extent action and plot with pa
triotism and though his words some
times are not born OF deep thought. no
one notices 30, Tor he has splendid Inn
agery and a great gift Of language.
under the color OF patriotism every
thing French is held up to admiration
An unfortunate Euglishm8n Lord Cow.
ley, comes on the stage only 10 be jeerel
of Of it Prince Metternich is shown
In a most unfayorabIe light An old
grenadier of the guard who Joined the
service of the EaElat in order 90 urge
him Co return to France and take the
throne OF his father. is always too much
for the Austrian minister o. Wit and
repartee. once Mettprnich asks the
guardsman where IS the Due de-
Reichstadt2' II do not know of any
such name replies the guarlsman.
THAT Is not the name of any French
victory When the minister rising tl
the spirit Of repartee. mentions Water
loo 'Wather Wh8t2' roars the French
man, and MctterniCh Us too scared 90 re-
peat the name At this the audience
roar with laughter Tn one scene. repre-
senting the young Napoleon at SChron-
brunn the band strikes up the Aus.
trian hymn, whereat the euarisman.
who. next 90 the Eaglet. is the most inn
portant factor in the play, says, only
Austrian music, give me the Marsell-
laise Tor real music, az which there is
more enthusiasm Again supcrclI0us
Niennese remarks. You French Were in
tatters.' and the guarisman retorts.
Yes. and you ran away from u.s. At
this the whole house cheers. The Eag-
let's grandfather. the empar0r OF Aus
tria, has given Go him an Instructor iu
history who eliminates from his teach
ings all the victories OF Napoleon The
duke, after more absurd lesson
than usual bursts out and stuggers and
terriies his professor by telling him
Of his fathers victories. and repeats by
heart the emperor's Joyous, terrific and
sober war bulletins Where does the
Due get his knowledge of history? At
nightfall a French dancing girl slips in.
20 his room, and. bidding him take out
his notebook. she says in the tone Of
lecturer AT that Napoleon's army
took up position and at break Of DAY
the imperial guard The curtain
drops amid rapturous applause The sem
tence Is left unfinished the words "Im-
perial Guard being IN themselves
magical words apart from any sense. In
the second act. I'm comes the eXtraordi-
nary guardsman, who has entered