New-York tribune., 1901-10-20
THE PARIS STAGE.
7Ew PRODUCTIONS OF PERIOD OF
TRANSITION IN FRENCH DRAMA.


The theatrical season has opened with score
OF new productions. offering ample testimony to
the vitality and fruitfuness Of play writers and
revealing marked reaction against the orthodox
principles Of construction. against the rules OF
elaborate preparation for the dominating sltua-
tion, and, in a word against the technique OF
playmaking as employed and brought 10 perfec-
tion by Dumas fls. Augier. Halevy. Paifferon
and Sardou The theatrical designers and
draughtsrnen have abandoned the old fashioned
deep cutter keels or antiquated centreboards
with which We're won by their illustrious
predecessors. and are seeking for the ideal I'm
or bulb keel in the hope Of attaining greater
speed. The result is a transition period.
In the present comedies the first acts neither
prepare nor explain. the last acts end without
conclusions, the intermediate acts are filled with
social moral. philosophical, scientific political
discussions. where the actors talk Of the Repub-
nc the Jews. divorce, Catholicism the wean-
ing Of infants. and induce the spectator TO fancy
that he is at the Sorbonne the Medical School
or the Chamber Of Deputies-anywhere indeed
except at theatre Sometimes. in the penulti-
mate act, a dramatic situation may Unexpectedly
burst forth. But this is rare. So far. the new
comedy consists OF one scene around which has
been placed FIVE invertebrate acts. The of
the new school assert that what IS lost in aca-
demic thOroughness of composition and in solid
construction has been gained in humanity" in
truthfuness to nature. in vividness of character
painting and in accuracy Of psychological
analysis.
Almost all the plays. now being brought
out at the rate Of half dozen each week. arc
of the airy, effervescent, invertebrate type that
causes one who has made the round Of the
theatres TO feel like hungry compelled
TO live each day upon sweets. souffles and cham
pagne
The Theatre des Varieties and the Nouveautes
respectively continue to draw full houses with
NJ Alfred Capus's comedies La Vene" and
Ia Petite Fonctionnare' Sienkewicz's "Quo
Vadis?" is still running at the Porte Saint Mar
tin and MoIieres '"Tartufre" and lie Malade
Imaginaire" attract crowds to the Theatre Fran
Gals where lie Roi" a play by NJ. CASTOR
schefer. accepted ten years ago. will soon be
produced. One of the few really successful new
pieces is a comedie boufse in three acts by NM
Crenet-Dancourt and Maurice Vaucaire, called
lie Fills Surnaturel' admirably acted by the
stock company of the Theatre Cluny. The ac-
ton hinges upon a mythical prenuptial son
whose existence is invented by frisky husband
as pretext TO secure occasional leaves of alb
sence from the conjugal household and as an
excuse for frivolous financial Disbursements
stratagem not 10 be commended by moralists,
but which gives rise TO droll misunderstand-
ings causing genuine mirth among the students
OF the Latin Quarter, Of whom the public OF the
Theatre Cluny is largely composed
The Gymnase has opened with ''Manoune.'' q
three act comedy by Nine. Jeanne Marni, who
has been known for several years by her light
but amusing and graceful novelettes, and it
should be noted that this woman is only the
second female dramatist for twenty-five years
whose work has been produced at a leading
theatre. The plays OF George Sand are still in
the repertory of the Comede Francaise, and
the advent of another female playwriter gives
promise Of originality from unexpected
source "Ianoune' might have been more ap-
propriately named THE Skeleton in the Cup
board" for the plot turns upon domestic crime
of which a young maid servant is the victim,
and the fruit Of which is little Genevieve. passed
of as the daughter of the injured wife. who
thereby conceals her husbands immortality.
Stirring complications arise when Genevfeve
falls in love with q ne'er-do-well artist and
Manoune, to secure what she believes to be
her daughters welfare, feels obliged to betray
the secret Of her maternity
The Vaudeville Theatre redecorated, provided
with new curtain in the style of the eighteenth
century and with the addition OF a good
chestra. has opened with La Vie en- Voyage"
q five act comedy by NJ. Maurice Desvalliere. set
TO stage music. It is somewhat disjointed
panorama, embroidered upon love story of
trip to the Italian lakes. There are sleeping
incidents and Cooks excursionists. and this hu-
snorous farce pleases the returning tourists with
whom just Paris is full.
Les Maugars," a drama in four acts, by NJ.
andre Theuriet. Of the French Academy. and NJ.
Loiseau. is beautifully staged at the Odeon, and
presents the first instance of Louis Napoleon's
coup d'etat of December. 1851, being utilized as
the setting for e French play. The plot is SIM
pie but not new. A Bonapartist Capulet ruins
by usury Republican Montague, and the mod
ern Romeo and Juliet finally overcome their
parents mutual hatred and marry. The work
OF NJ Andre Theuriet seems less pleasing
play than In it's original form OF e. novel, for the
charming sylvan descriptions Of the romance
are lost on the stage, and the action is some
what sluggish.
-.Ecoliere' g five act drama-solenn, sad and
Ibsenian-by Jean Julien. produced at the Re
nsissance is a realistic kaleidoscope Of the life
OF a naive and pretty young governess struggling
with the brutal realities OF existence in French
provincial town. where the Mayor, the deputy
and the local banker, after the refusal of their
selfish proposals, conspre to destroy her pro-
1essional career.
Sudernann's Honor" produced in French at
Che Theatre Antoine, was received with an en-
thusiasrn which marks a decided success.
s.LHonneur" is admirably staged and acted. and
suits Parisians better than did ''Magda"
GIeinat), which, besides ''Ehre." is the only
OF sudernaann's works ever produced at q Paris
ian theatre. The public now regards Sudermann
as the Dumas hls OF the German drama and his
eocial theses developed with logical conclusions
and heightened by scepticisn, highly palata-
bic TO the Partisan taste.
The little ''bouis-bouis" and concert halls Of