New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-09
A PLAY OF THE PEOPLE.
French Provincial Life Depicted on
Paris Stage.
Paris. March %


One OF the most stirring plays Of the present
.bsstr4cal season was brought out this week
.. the Theatre du Peuple, a popular place OF
.,.ertainrlent, perched high up at Montmartre
~. far from the Avenue de Clichy. and practi-
.,rv unknown 70 the fashionable world and TO
american residents and visitors who thro,g
Utmost exclusively TO the theatres that receive
,over71nent subsidies or which continually fg-
,,-a in the newspapers. The Theatre of the
-oeorle" is a spacious building with comfortable
eats thronged by Parisians mostly Of the lower
classes. where the best orchestra stalls cost only
% cents, and good places in the balconies
ere sold for five cents apiece. It is essentially
.re democratic theatre Of the capital The
cool, company Of actors. comprising ambitious
men and talented women ranging from the ages
NJ twenty-five to seventeen gives performances
that are unpretentioUs, but which are often on a
level with the best achievements OF the star
ertists Of the Coincide Francaise. the Odeon.
the vaudeville. Renaissance or Gynlnase.
'IlAnaire Grisel," play IN three acts. by VI.
Iucien Besnard, which each night draws full
houses at the Theatre du Peuple, IS a vigor-
ously outlined. highly colored picture OF life In
q French provincial town. The author is a
,oung dranatist, whose theatrical instincts are
occasionally warped by tendency 10 grewsome
conceptions, rather TOO suggestive OF Edgar Poe
hut which always command the enthusiasm OF
the masses. Lucien Besnard. who has the
tgtio temperament of his father Albert Bes-
nsrd, the painter is a clever stage carpenter.
and his comedies. such as La Fronde," lie
Domaine" and ''L'AEaire Grisel." owe their sue
cess. not 10 literary excellence. but 10 keen OBJ
servation and logical action. They appeal to
the passions Of the people. regardless of that
much abused psychological analysis" that has
become the bane OF academic dramatists fash
sonable novelists and spoiled children OF smart
Partisan society. To pass evening at the
Theatre du Peuple seems like taking a plunge
into wholesome ocean surf after one has been
saturated with the scented waters and velvet
SOAPS OF the meretricious theatres Of the boule-
wards.
The action Of 'I'Affaire Grisel" may be briefly
stated Lerou, q prosperous tradesman OF the
yttle town OF Saint-savernin, has invited TO HIS
house number or 'big-vgs'' OF the locality. in
Guiding the Hub-prefect the officers Of the gar
-ison, the rector OF the village church. the pro-
vtpcial aristocracy and the doctor. Lerou and
HIS busting, natroniy wife are about TO en-
dow q charitable association and form a home
for aged worl1rnen. The picture Of the village
life In France is admirably drawn, and is highly
amusing without descending into caricature.
Meanwhile a case Of infanticide has been dis
covered Who IS the criminal? Gossip and
suspicion point 20 Cirisel, a poverty stricken
schoolmaster. whose liasCn with young woman
OF the village caused him to lose his post. The
real criminal. however. is Derou, the wealthy
tradesman, father Of ambitious young son
ana an attractive daughter. both Of whom are
about to wed suitable partners. Lerou in a
weak moment yielded 10 the charms Of the viii
lage postnlistress, and the infanticide was
brought about by the connivance OF the village /
doctor. Leruu is at last vaguely suspected /
Tie town is divided into two hostile factions
I.erou, his son Raoul the priest the doctor and
the Rristocracy, on the one side, are arTayed
against the socialists and the journal du
Peupe" who take up the defence Of GriseL I
The streets resound with shouts of Mort a /
Grisel!" "Vive Jerou!" It is a sort Of miniature
Dreyfus case, IN which all the luminosity and
venom OF French village communities are set
forth with startling effect
At last Grisel is tried He Is found guilty
ana sentenced TO the gaIleys Raoul, the son of
Ierou. discovers that the true criminal is HIS
OWL father. Rsoal is about TO denOunce the
false testimony given by the village doctor.
I.erou. overwhelmed by remorse. is about to
rush into the tribunal and confess his guilt
The village rector intervenes and prevents him,
by falsely announcing that Grisel has been ac-
Quilted I.erou weeps for Joy, and asks his son
Raoul 70 hasten to Grisel and give him bun
de Of banlnotes. Raoul is ashamed Of his
fathers weakness and cowardice that he turns
his ba elk him with contempt. Lerou enters
sn Looming room and shoots himself. The
wretched man is dead. The village rector ex-
claims: such is the bloodthirstiness OF our
enemies that they pursue their victims TO
death"
The play shows the struggle that IS constantly |
going or in French villages between clergy and |
the socialists. As a picture of the times st |
is highly instructive. IL is capitally acted. and
furnishes a good example OF poignant little /
dramas that mark a new departure in the the /
atrical taste Of the masseG. The v7orl1men and /
sewing girls OF whom the audience Of the 1
Theatre du Peuple is largely composed burst /
nightly into violent applause and shed tears /
over these simple elementary plays, cheaply /
but effectively staged, which dramatic every 4
day records Of the police courts. and present /
them without pretence TO academic style or
literary finish. CLB.