Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05

probable: that the normal and commonplace
IS ohtainabie at home, and that it Is trivial
to survey 1t at the theater.
After all, it is not matter as to whether
the public should, but whether it will ac-
cept Mrs. Ryley's theme. If she has made
1t dramatically interesting it will be eff
Iuslvely welcomed, no matter who was
Richard Savages father or how careless
fls mother If. the other hand 1t Is
not dramatically interesting, the characters
might be the archangels themselves enacted
IN propria persona and the play would stu
De voted slow even by the "unco guild.
Catulle Memdes, French poet,
whose pen is turned in different direction
from Rostands, and whose lyrics out
Swinburne the most Swinburnesque of
Swinburne's, went to see "L'Aiglon" in
Paris, and to write criticism of it, de-
scribing the play. 1t will be seen he says
good things of it. and the critiaue will be
interesting, on the other hand, as it comes
from the pen of so eminent French poel
Catulle Memdes
"Rostand's new play of L'Aiglon,'" he
writes, was produced before the most
brilliant audience Paris could gather. The
play was hailed Unanimously by the crit
les as the dramatic event of the century
Many of the critics consider it far superior
even to Cyrano de Bergerac.' The play
relates TO the sad story of Napoleon's son.
to allow of great freedom in poeticai fan.
cy. ROstand makes the youth sort of
French Hamlet. tortured by vast dreams
which he is not able to carry out on ac-
In which he finds himself. The action takes
place at the Austrian court. The duke,
surrounded by frvoiity, fights single-hand-
ed against hatred. Everybody seemed
Marie Louise. who INDUCES in silly levity
concerning her Industrious husband She
carries on shameless firtations under the
very eyes of his SON. Metternch's diplo-
macy has organized systematic effort to
dwarf the sons lofty nature, even playing
ballet dancers to sap his morals and health
Practically the whole drama consists Of
the dukes struggle against animosity ana
evil influences. The first three acts are
filled with a succession OF scenes whereby
the duke in turn evnces the great admi-
ration which he carries deep in his heart
for his father, shows his self-doubting as
pirations to succeed as the French en-
peror, and denounces those who keep him
in golden cage. Here, thanks to the
wonderful tiexibiity Of the French lam
guage. the enthusiasm never lags for one
instant. With the fourth comes swifter ac-
ton. After a superb scene between Reich
stadt and his grandfather, the Emperor of
Austria, L'Aiglon decides to spread his
wings and attempt flight to France, where
devoted conspirators assure him the ma
ton awaits his appearance to upset King
Louis Philippe and install the son OF their
beloved emperor. princess of Corsican
blood who is a devoted Bonapartist, dis
gused as the duke. throws off the police
at a masked ball while the real duke es-
capes to join his partisans, who are await
ing him at Wagram.
''This fourth act, representing a night
fete. with moonlight, soft music and Chi
nese lanterns swinging In orange trees, As
full of movement and color, while the swift
repartee shows the same exquisite wit
whereof 'Cyrano' gave such shining exam
Piles. The fifth act shows Wagram-rolling
plains with the dawn family tinting the
sky. Just as horses are brought forward
for the dukes escape the party Is sur
rounded by Metternich's police. The con-
spirators are taken away. all save lag
ion, who is allowed to remain to witness
the death throes of his faithful Flambeau,
an old grenadier of his father. who stabs
himself rather than fall into the hands of
the Austrian police. Then comes a most
tragic and moving scene. Left alone with
the corpse and amid the silence OF those
vast plains, the dukes mind becomes
prey to a terrible hallucination. From the
battlefield where his father hurled armies
against armies gradually there rises over
the night wind subdued but immense and
terrible human moaning, made by the
thousands who had died there. Reichstadt
sees manned bodies legless trunks, soldiers
with horrible wounds creeping from every
where toward him, like rising tide, howl
Ing reproach toward the son of their heart
less murderer. He begs for mercy, finally
offering himself to heaven in expiration. The
sixth act is filled entirely by the death Of
this poor. ill-fedged eaglet. surrounded by
his mother and friends. History says he
died from consumption, but Rostands play
has him die from broken heart. His
Napoleonic soul yearned for a Napoleonic
destiny which fate denied him. Nothing
except seeing the performance can give
any Idea Of the wealth of detail which fills
this apparently dry outline and makes such
a fascinating, uplifting wonder-compelling
drama of the whole
Harry Lacy gives the following interest
ing account of how he happened to come
into 1.-The Still Alarm" He was about to
produce a play called almost a Life" by
Marcus Clark, and was booking time for 1t
when he met Joseph Arthur coming out
of the Office of Hayden, Brooks & Dick
sons private office. He had the manuscript
of 1.-THE Still Alarm, under his arm. and
it had been rejected by this triumvirate of
managers. Mr.. Dickson said to Joseph
Arthur, pointing to Harry Lacy. Here Is
a man who will produce your play for YOU"
Mr.. Lacy asked what the play was about
and Mr. Arthur said, II am tired of talk
ing about 1t. It win never be produced"
He explained briefly the sensation of the
engine house scene and Mr.. Lacy, who was
then departing for his country place. said
he would read the play at o'clock the
next morning He kept his appointment
and read as far as the third act without
stopping. Mr.. Lacy recognized at once the
possibilities Of the play and said he would
produce it. The matter was settled very
play for 500, but Mr.. Lacy preferred to
make the production on partnership ar
rangement. The play was produced at the
Fourteenth Street Theater on the 3Oth Of
August. 1881, during an excessive hot wave.
and made $1,000 profit the first week, and
from that time on until Mr. Lacy and
Mr. Arthur separated as partners 1.-THE Still
Alarm" cleared 100000.
One of the most remarkable youngsters
who has drifted onto the stage in recent
years Is little Asa Joelson, the boy tenor
He IL member of the Victoria Burlesquers
and assists Aggie Behier in her singing act.
the first number of the olio. During the
past week little Joelson made this act the
feature of the bill at the Bijou, the APP
plause that greeted his singing of the "Jer-
sey Lilly, being tremendous. Unlike most
boy singers young Joelson's voice has not
flaw, the higher and lower notes coming
from his little mouth az true a. q bell.