The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-23
LOTS OF FRENCH PLAYS STILL
MISS MARBURY CORRECTS A OUR
RENT MISTAKE.

MISS MARBURY CORRECTS A CUR
RENT MISTAKE.
The supply Has Not Fallen on a Some
Folks Think-French Drametists Ready
-. 10 Follow Am erican Ideas-The Public
Now Tired OF Farce OF All Kinds.
Few men have talked about the theatre
recently without making remarks about
the failure Of the French dramatic authors
nowadays to supply material suited to the
American stage. Some commentators on
the subject have referred to the prosper
Gus days OF the Union Square Theatre
when, under the management Of A. NJ
Palmer. 1t produced one success after
another
These came almost exclusively from the
French. Article A." Felicia" adapted
from lie Fills de Corolie'; 'Frenoh Flats. !"
Daniel Rochat," Rose Mohel,' Les
Rantsau," and above all "A Celebrated Case
and the Two Orphans" were some Of the
most noted pieces in the repertoire OF the
theatre.
All sorts OF evils have been attributed
to the so-called failure Of the foreign, es-
pecially Of the French, supply Of plays. and
the theory that this supply can no longer
be counted on for the American stage Is
one OF the present themes OF much theatrical
talk.
Elisabeth Marbury, who spends half OF
every year In Paris and represents the
French Dramatic Authors Society In this
country, knows as much about the French
stage as II France were her native land.
Most of the French authors send their
works to her to be read before they arc
produced in Paris that she may have them
for the American market.
Il have not observed any decrease In the
suitability Of French plays for the American
stage" Miss Marbury said to Sun reporter
Yesterday -and on the other hand / be-
lieve that the French stage will supply more
plays for American use in the future than
it has in the past.
NV reason for this is the willingness OF
French authors to make their work appeal
to American taste. The French dramatists
are naturally anxious to enjoy the great
profits Of the American market, and they
know how impossible that is unless their
dramas treat OF subjects interesting to
American audiences in a way that Ameri-
cans want to see them handled To-day
the French dramatic writer's have one eye
on this country.
Some Of them are now willing to write
two versions OF play, one for Paris and one
for this country, rather than risk the changes
of the adaptor, of whom they stand in dread.
When l read new play and say how that
way Of treating scene will never be ac-
copied in the United States, the author Is
willing to make the changes we decide are
necessary for this country.
"Then French authors are not combining
themselves so exclusively as they did to
the kind of subjects called typically French;
They are broadening their themes, and
as American theatregoers are becoming
interested in a wider range of subjects
every year, the two countries are con-
stantly coming closer and closer together.
The French dramatic supply is likely to be
larger instead of smaller in the future.
There has been great deal OF talk about
the public indifference to the French farces
that used to come from the Palais Royal and
we're formerly 80 successful here. When
Charles Frohman first produced Mr.;
OF money. So did the subsequent farces
taken from the French.
THE later plays were about as good as
their predecessors, but the taste OF the public
had turned against farce and It was i'm
possible to awaken interest In these pieces.
Public taste in theatrical affairs Ia q very
curious and sensitive thing, which must be
closely watched and is never very easy to
understand.
4 will bet any amount Of money that a
praised to the skies by all the critics and at
the end Of three weeks 1t would not be
playing to a good business / mean an
out -and-out farce not comedy with farci-
cal situations.
against farce 1t is as much ignored there
to-day as it is here, and the authors have
,ased to write the old-fashioned kind. =.
"One OF the most successful authors OF
these pieces is NJ. Xanrof. When he saw
that the public was no longer interested in
old things. He elaborated, with Pierre
Weber in lie Prince Consort,' charming
comedy in the style that Capt Marshall
writes in English. 1t was the greatest sue
cess Of the year in Paris, and has been
equally successful in London"
Miss Marbury believes that the greatest
success OF French dramatists Ia bound to
be beneficial to the American stage.
They take their work much more seri.
ously than the American playwrights, y
she said, and do not attempt more work
than 1t Is possible for them to do with credit
The dramatists of reputation do not at
tempt to turn out more than one play q
year. and sometimes they consider that
too much.
Henri Lavedan who had his great success
at the FRANCHISE last year In lie Dedale,
will have no knew play this winter. Ros-
tand is hard at work completing his new
play for Cequelin, which will be ready
some time this winter. He has temporarily
laid aside lie Theatre, which he Is writing
for Sarah Bernhard,
Because the dramatists work slowly
and carefully, it does not indicate that
there is any stagnation in the French theatre.
On the other hand, 1t was never more pro-
ductive The list Of works announced
for the coming season in Paris contains
more plays by noted men than ahy previous
year. .
aThe seriousness and care with which
the dramatists have to write are entailed
by the test to which they voluntarily sub
nit themselves when they have their plays
printed. The authors Of France and Eng
land do this now and their plays are
reviewed by the literary as we'll as the dra-
matte critics. So their language 10 sub
jected TO- q searching literary criticism,
which it would escape altogether II written
merely to be spoken.
Il wish that more Of my most popular
clients in this country had to submit to
such q test It would probably be very
much better for them and the American
drama il they realized that what they are
writing liz to be read as well as spoken.
In addition to Rostand, Sardou, Richepin,
Donnay, Capus. Lsyedan, Breux, Feydeau.
Mirbeau, Bernstein and de Croissy. who
has already made great reputation % q