New-York tribune., 1902-01-01
A PROPOSED FRENCH THEATRE.
SENTIMENT IN IT. BUT NO MONEY. SAYS
MAURICE GRAU.

The proposal of French theatre for New-York.
Whlcn sounds by no means new is again made
The suggestion has been made from time to time
IN the last few years and never has reached any
more developed stage than suggestion. Suggestion
seems 10 De the chief stock in trade OF the French
drama anyway If anybody cared enough about
having plays acted in French in New-York TO sup
port such a theatre IL would be easy but hitherto
nobody has seemed care so much about II as
that' ana moody who knows anything about New
York theatrical business pretends for a moment
that the theatre would pay for itself
Ihe argument that New York supports two Ger
man theatres has nothing TO do with the case
NeW-fork has large population Of well 10 do
tIerrnans and IT has no such French population.
The French element in New-York is OF A nuch
poorer class Many of the people work az night.
and the rest, when they are able 10 go TO the
theatre at ALL sit in the gallery. In so vast pop
uIation there are. OF course many Frenchmen OF
comfortable and even opulent circumstances but as
compared with the German element of the same
class they are practically a negligible quantity
L may be remarked in passing that even the Ger
man theatres are not absolute mines Of wealth.
And experience goes for something A wear ago
Nine. Bernhardt and NJ Coquelin together were
successfu here for three weeks, but when "
CoQuehn was last here without Nine Bernhardt
his engagement not profitable. NJ Mounet-
Sully came here few years ago and failed even
In short engagement Nine Reiane one Of rhA
most delightful Of French actresses came and her
visit was financial failure. Even Nine Bern
hardt mas not drawn invariably large houses And
Ne"-Aork is notoriously fond Of great stars and
heSIectful of modest performances, even when they
are on a high plane of general excellence Then
how would d French stock company be likely 70
fare for whole season?
Maurice Grau, who was understood to be inter
ested in the scheme said yesterday that he should
Ike to see a French theatre established and
thought It would be a good thing for the city.
Should you ike 10 put your own money into it?'
asked.
AS a contribution. yes"
AS investment
No. There is no money to be made in IT." Mr.
Grau went on.
had a French company in 1875. II was not sue
GessIuI financially. We gave good performances
/ Con know what they did in the rifties when
they had French company. II could not make
any money now. One reason would be that IL could
not compete with the English theatres ia the mat
given, and II would be impossible 10 provide new
scenery Tor all Of them Ny company gave sixty
IoIty pays Such a theatre. too, would feel the
rivalry or the opera more than the others do I 90
not mink mat there is so good French colony
mere Tor the support OF theatre 5 there n
1873. The children OF the people who composed Ii
then have grown up and they speak English and
have become AmericauiZed II We cOud have
French opera bOUTe. stars like Jude IL might
pay, but NOT a dramatic stock company I men
TONED two or three weeks ago TO Mr. Frohman
that II would be a good thing II we could have a
fFelcA theatre, where some OF my singers could
sing In light opera nights Of the week
He mentioned the rent at which OF his theatres
could ne mad fJr the purpose. and I said
was about three times what a French theatre
could AFFORD TO That all was 10 il.
l see no that il be done except FOR some
subscription 10 that end, I have not heard that the
subject has been even broaChed.