New-York tribune., 1905-07-10
LONDON DRAMA.
A French Actress zCith English
Lines.
London. June 20

London June 90
The production of "The Man Of the Momenr.
at the st. James's Theatre last week was inter-
estipg for several reasons. 1t was courageous
attempt on the part Of Mr.. George Alexander
the popular actor-manager. to break the run %
bad luck which he has been having during re-
cent mcnths. II was also a practical demon
stratiOn of the new of good relations with
France, since there fairly close translation
Of the drama OF NM Alfred Capus and En-
manuel Arene in place OF the fOrmless and
spiritless adaptation OF French work which q.
usually presented a concession 70 Brltlsh
mOralities. II introduced an accomplished
French actress. Nine. simone lie Bargy. in an
English part and subjected her art processes
to a strenuous test IL also offered strilln,
contrasts I'm method between a French PLAYER
of fine technique and English company act
ing with less subtIety. yet broadly and erec-
lively For these reasons the performance was
noteworthy, even IL the play were sOmbre and
0isagreeable and out OF keeping with tha.
"unctuous rectitude" which Mr.. Cecil Rhodes
with sardonic hunOr once described as char
acteristic Of the British public. So far as TIA
verdict Of the first night audience was decisive
there a favorable turn in the fortunes az
the theatre. for while the first two acts went
quietly under persistent underplay the third
a
and Nine lie Bargy. created deep impression
and was received with rapturous applause The
actresses triumph was unmistakable. even II her
intOnations were foreign and her voice az times
inaudible. The play ended in a scene OF en-
thusiasm which was quite in accord with the
cordiality Of current relations between England
and France.
The translator. Mr.. Melvin. was more fort
unate in reproducing the text than in his choics
Of title At the Renaissance in Paris the work
was known as "L'Adversaire" and the KEY was
found in the passage Perhaps in every woman
whom we love there is a hidden adversary One
must conquer II or be conquered BY it, Some
times 1t is the woman who triumphs; sometimes
II Is the man; but there must always be a VIC
tim" The French title was mere inteIIiglbIe
than the English substitute '"The Man of the
Moment, which left the audience puzzled and
discOntented at the final fall Of the curtain The
faithless wife had husband with so little am
bit1on that he threw up the brief In a political
case which would have made him famous and
In moment Of pique she fell in love with tho
advocate who took his place IN the courts and
made a great reputation; but in the end when
she was forced to confess her guilt and was
overwhelmed with remorse. it was the scholarly
husband who had become THE Man Of the
Moment by writing brilliant book. AS an
alternative explanation there the cynical
line indicating that every woman has her atal
moment Of weakness. and that IN a sudden ac-
cess Of frenzy the wife accepted the rivals suit
because he seemed a convenient instrument 70
be used in furnishing the husband These ara
forced commentaries on an unfortunate title.
but criticism ends there. The dialogue has been
reproduced with facility and grace: the scenes
have been left in France and not patched up and
recolored for an English audience; and the char
acters conduct themselves like real French peo-
PIE with their own code OF social ethics and
their own point of view what Is going on
around them If French drama is TO be repro
duced on the English stage. il ought 20 have its
own color and environment. Ordinarily it ceases
10 De artistic when ii is adapted by processes
Of disinfection; and there IS no saving remnant
OF sweetness and light when the mOralists have
sought to make 1t reputable and wholesome
stage carpentry OF this sort has been avoided in
this instance. What the French authors have
written is allowed to stand and their characters
are not disguised in grotesque. i'll fitting English
masks.
There were contrasts in English and French
methods Of acting. If the text were unal-
tered and not made over in spirit OF accom-
modation TO insuIar morality. The English
players looked at the audience instead of being
IIeoccUpied with what was going on behind the
footlights. and they acted with downright di-
rectness Of purpose. emphasizing with the voice
what they had to say and neglecting all the
resources Of subtle expression which the French
actress had at her command. They did their
work Well for they We're experienced artists
actors like Mr.. George Giddens Mr. Julian
L'Estrange, Mr.. Arthur Applin Miss Granville
Miss Lillian Braithwaite and Miss Bella Pate
man-and they knew their public and how 20
make their points in the familiar way Nine
LIE Bargy was out of key with them because she
had learned her art in another school where ex-
preston was mastered by pose of body signff-
eance OF gesture, shrug of the shoulders and
light and shade Of facial action Her eyes were
on every one who spoke. and never on the audi
ence; and the byplay was unceasing brilliant
ana informing even while she was struggling
with an unfamiliar language and striving 10
keep her words from running away with her
Hers was more subtle art than is ordinarily
seen on the English stage. and she had her
reward when. after two acts OF delicate and
graceful undeTplay. she blazed out in an out
burst Of poignant. dramatic emotion. which
overwhelmed the spectators with a sense of her
power. 1t was great scene. and Mr. Alexander
took fire from her and gave the audience the
best exhibition of his talents witnessed for MANY
a day. He was theatrical especially when he
knelt on receiving the wife'ss confession. but he
was also intensely dramatic and shared with
Mime. lie Bargy the hOnors OF 4 really memo
ranie performance l. n, f.