The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-28


MAJ, and whenever Fiore speaks OF re-
prisals he threatens duel in which, as she
knows, Mar must fall. He would DO no
match for this soldier Of fortune.
With insolence and an effrontery breath
catching. Brideau topsy the house.
hold and makes the enamored uncle see
that he has been deceived. Finally duel
is forced upon him by Mar. Then occurs
the best episode OF the play. Having a
presentiment that her beloved MOI will
be slain, FIore tries her seductions upon
the Colonel But he ia too seasoned He
shows to her her folly and proposes
an audacious scheme-marry his uncle
and after his easily anticipated death,
marry Col Brideau. In Paris they can
live at ease on their ill-gott en- wealth
She is fascinated by the picture. Nothing
comes of it; Mar is killed in the duel and
later the Colonel is murdered by faithful
old soldier a servitor OF Mar. The climax
is thrilling, but more in the style Of Eugene
Sue than Balzac.
The acting alone saves this cumbersome
drama. There are some good things in
1.-THE meeting of the old soldiers at the
house OF 'Rouoet. This demands infallible
ensemble work and it was not missing at
the Odeon performance.
Gemier is an actor Of imagination, and
his dction lis perfect. The little more and
what a difference! The little less and
COL Bridedu would have been con-
ventional lay figure OF mclodrama. AS
1t Is. every one in the cast js happily
disposed. Nine. Meyard is an intense
Flore and the Rouget Of Janvier worth a
second across the Sene. Dorival was as
real Mar as the dramatist gave him the
chance. while Nine Bonnet painted
the small part of domestic with all the
fidelity of Mieris or an Ostade. How
ever. the chief impression garnered is
the picture of diabolic energy, of Vautrin-
like will exampled in the astonishing acting
Of Gemier.
The announcement that the Renaissance
would close its doors for the summer sent
many to that house. for Anatole frances
engaging little episode "Crainauebille' was
nightly played as an afterpiece to La
Princesse Georges, a revival of an antique
Dumasflial comedy. l wished to judge
If the praise given with generous hands
to the France tableaux was just, and also
desired to see again that impossibly charm
ing young actress Marthe Brandes in her
new surroundings, for she Is a recent seceder
from the Comedie Franc aise household.
No need Of introducing that spirituelle
writer Anatole Thibault, known as Anatole
France. America has long appreciated
his -Thals," his inany-colored short stories,
his delicate irony. "Crainquebille" is not
play, but a transcript from low life by a
man of singularly sensitive temperament.
Aphonse Daudet was fond of the phrase
Russian pity" in writing about Tolstoy
or Dostoe, sky. NJ. France has this
pity in abundance, only it evoke'
the names of Charles Dickens rather
than the Muscovitish masters OF fiction.
Crdinquebille is one of those street venC e:s
peculiar to Paris. notwithstanding old
fello with grizzled mustaches and weather.
beatel face, who pushes his old cart slowly
before him through steep and narrow streets
-Montmartre is often well named. Cab
bage. carrots, peas, potat oes, onions. he
sells, and is beloved in the Quarter for his
kindly ways. As il to show the unexpected
tricks fate can play the old man, while
waiting for IA cents owed by woman
to whom he has sold some vegetables, gets
into an alteration with policeman, inter-
feres with traffic. is arrested, is unjustly
accused and imprisoned, When he returns
to his beloved Montrartre after fifteen
Gays absence he finds things changed.
No one will have anything to do with him,
he is insulted, jeered at and, finally starv-
ing. is forced to take refuge with a street
Arab in an old building.
To achieve his portrait the dramatist
resorts 10 miniature painting. Wih small,
sly strokes he shows Grain 1uebille's good
heart. Crcin7uebille's honesty. Crain!ue-
bilie's faith in the goodness of men, Crain-
qnebille's establishment, his utter despair
and EVENT. al submission 10 fate's decree.
All this is simply accomplished. Lucien
Guitry is a gifted illlsionst. He sug-
gests more with shoulder shrug han some
tors do with a torren; Of rhetoric. His
CrGinguebiUe is hoarse-throat ed laconic,
an old dog whose eyes are mere Sits filled
with the rheum of age, whose movements
are creaky as an unoiled door hinge. But
he is full of humor as the court scene shows.
Humor, sentiment-never sentimentaity-
are the traits of this little transcript from
life. All the players were capital, the effect
produced being one Of life-like candor. and
Dickens was suggestive in every scene,
tribunal methods.
In comparison with this invertebra,e
vet none the less real, quivering life, "Ia
Princesse Georges" seemed az old as Noahs
ark. II must have been written before the
food with it's tiresome thesis that wbmen
must forgive marital peccadilloes. And
that second act, with it's mechanical weav-
ing OF events. it's fashionable danes who Cos
sip in the mode metaphysical! The de-
movement is logged in by the hair. and posi-
lively the piece was uncomfortable as a play
after the first If il had not been for Mal'he
Brandts. You wonder why NJ. Jules Clare
tie ever allowed this delicious creature
to leave the protecting pigeon coop Of the
old theatre Brands, in addition to being
adorahly lovely, has temperamental gifts ola
high order. Her face is full OF feeling, and she
projects upon it, as II il were disk illumined
from within. all the tenderness, tragic
terror animal jealousy and genuine passion
Dumas demanded when he wrote the role
for Desclee. She was adequately sup
ported by CIuitry a. the blockhead hus-
band, an asinine character; Berthe Cerny,
Noizeaux. Merry and the invaluable Marie
Samary. JAMES HUNEKER
HIS PLAN FOR 4 HOTEL.