New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
TRAGIC COMEDY"
u. Catuue Mendes's Ne4o PIag,
"Scarron," Produced IN Paris.

des. as tragic comedy just misses being a
masterpiece. This historic play, in its uneven
but always impressive passages. suggestive in
turn Of the melancholy OF Cervantes. Of the
swashbuclEer gallantry Of Rostand's Cyrano
and OF the humanitarian philosophy Of Hamlet.
produced at the Gate Theatre with admirable
stage setting, is decidedly successful. CO.
quelin's impersonation OF the scofflng. agnostic.
paralytic poet Scarron. a sort OF seventeenth
century precursor in caricature Of Voltaire. may
not be the most perfect. but It IS certainly one
! of the effective and interesting creations" in
| the career of the genial comedian whose talent
for reciting French Alexandrlne verse is not
| eqUaled by any Paris artist save, perhaps.
Sarah Bernhardt. Imagine play wherein the
principal character except in the first of the i've
| acts, is wheeled about in a huge black ebony
armchair, bostered up with wraps and cushions,
and shooting forth brilliant volleys OF rhythmic
! verse. now grimaclng with rheumatic pains.
| tortured with jealousy. now vibrating with rage.
! and at last expiring amid the throes OF mental
| anguish, of moral reInorse and OF physical pain.
This tragic comedy" begins at Mans in 1887,
| In the height Of tina carnival. Scarron. the
young canon attached to the cathedral appears
! first in a reli;lsI0 procession in ecclesiastical
robes attending his relative. the Cardinal. A
few moments later superb carnival car. filed
with jewellers in gay. picturesque attire. among
| them bevy of semi-nude girls impersonating
Venuses is drawn into the market place by
train Of joyful masqueraders. Perched high on
the car is Scarron. disguised as Monus, the God
OF Ridicule" In a corner some stroiling players,
representing the Star OF Hope and Destiny.
recite verses in praise Of mythology. Scarron.
the scoffer, reviles mythology and denounces re-
ligion. He and his rolIicking comrades Of both
sexes sing. drink and distribute to the pOpulace
wine, masks toys and gifts Of every sort.
Star and Fate. impersonated by a beautiful
woman and by muscular man, who in love
with each other, md that the spectators aban-
don their show for the meretFicious chariot Of
Scarron.
| The scene is highly effective and brimful OF
| movement. Girls dance and sing; men play
upon pipes, hddles. trumpets and beat drums,
and one is captivated with this outhurst of pop
ular frollc admirably cadenced by Catulle Men
dess flowing verse. enhanced by a running COM
mentary Of stage music. Scarron. In a par
oxysm OF Joy. tears of his costume Of Monus
and reveals himself as huge gray bearded ape.
| In this grctesGue. hideous gorilla skin Scarron
nimbly capers about, reciting verses. singing
drunken songs disappearing the Church, be-
! devilling humanity. and prOffering insult alike
to men. women, boys and girls Suddenly a
1 little child, with g. doll in her arms and accom-
/ panied by her widowed mother, passes by. The
little child springs back with horror at the sight
who reaches forward TO earess the doll. "For
shamel" says the little girl "You are simply
| disgusting! Don't you dare touch my DOLL"
! This little girl is Francose d'Aubigne. after
ward Marquise de Mantenon, wife of Louis
XIV. The child and her mother are about to
set forth for the West Indies. The pure voice
OF the girl makes a forcible impression on the
populace. and silences the ribaldry Of Scarron.
A wave Of popular indignation and reaction en-
attacks Scarron and throws him into the Loire
where he remains in the mud until nightfaM.
He reappears shivering with cold and with
chattering teeth presents weird figure of woe.
He gazes at the loving couple, Star" and
Fate" who sleeping happily side by side
| in Scarron's abandoned chariot. A man emerges
from a stable. Is it some one coming to kill
him? No, il is merely the driver OF the town
diligence who awakens his passengers at the
inn. II Is dawn. The little GIRL clasping her
doll and accompanied by her mother. crosses
the market place and ascends the stone steps
Of the bridge on her way to the diligence. sca--
ron is fascinated by the purity OF the girl. and
falls in a swoon.
The second act discloses Scarroa ten years
later. Owing to the carnival carouse. when he
was thrown into the .iver In his apes costume.
Scarron has become rheumatic and paralytic
He is nevertheless at the height Of his literary
fame and lives in his sumptuous house IN Paris.
II is his wedding day: His marriage with the
fair Francose d'Aubigne. now an attractive
young woman Of sixteen, has Just taken place
with great pomp and ceremony. Francoise
d'Aubigne. a penniless orphan of noble birth.
has from worldly motives, consented to the
union with the physically wrecked Scarron. in
which she finds bread and shelter" On the
wedding night ScarrOn invites for supper the
gay and beautiful Ninon de TEnclos dashing
handsome Cavalier de VilIarceaux, and a coterie
Of boon companions. Sca-Ton's youthful bride
shrinking at the prospect held out TO her listens
TO the amorous compliments Of the fascinating
de Villarceaux Francolse. shocked at the
coarse language that Scarron utteTs. even goes
so far as TO give half promise to de ViIlar-
ceaux 10 receive him IN her boudoir. The
sneerlng vyitticIsm OF the sprightIy Ninon de
rFrielos added an aggravating note TO the sit
uation. Scarron conpels his girl bride to wheel
him about his bed chamber In his famous black
ebonv armchair, which is tastefully carved and
hears at the top Of its high back a shelf sup
portinR a dozen of Scarron's favorite books
The hour for retirement approaches. Franeoise
d,Aubigne is about TO withdraw. Scarron gazes
at her in wlstful, helpless admiration He
asks her 20 put him TO bed FTancoise
wheels Scarron 20 the bedside, and. using the
armchair as a sort OF up-cart, slides the
uaralytie into the bed. and covers him up with
blankets. when she supposes that ne has fallen
asleep she takes the lighted candle In her hand
and. approaching the window. gives the conven-
tional signal 10 de Villareeaux' VINO Is waiting
in the street. indicating that the way is clear
and that she is about to ascend to her apart !