The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09
4, STATE THEATRES TROUBLES.
Demands OF Actors, Deadheads and ceher
Theatres on Coincide T~rancaise.

.lnC0IfCo On NtlS COuiOuno Gbe~o
PANS. May Si.-Jules Claretie has been
u~nburdeninR his soul to the readers Of
Le Temps OF the trials that fall TO his lot
as director Of the first state theatre, the
Coincide FRANCHISE. The occasion thai
called forth three columns of woe was the
opening Of yet another open air theatre
In France. at Perigueux.
The connection at first sight II not ap-
parent, but NJ. Claretie IL no doubt judging
by his experiences with the other nail
dozen open air theatres when he fears II
will mean another demand for the services
Of his actors. For. he says. 1t is under
stood that these theatres Of nature cannot
exist without the assistance OF the Comedie
FRANCHISE.
There are graduates Of the ConServatoire,
there are unemployed artists OF talent.
there are the companies Of the Od6on. OF
the Theatre Sarah Bernhard, all OF which
close in summer, who would gladly assist
these open air theatres, But, no. before
an impresario will rink his money at an
open air theatre to entertain the visitors
Of the water places and health resorts
near by. he must secure actors after whose
names can be added the words OF the
'Comedie FRANCHISE
1t is no rare thing, NJ. Clar6tie continues
for some delegate OF some committee to
enter the office Of the Coincide and an
nounce
-We want two artists for such and such
q date
But we don't know what We may be
playing here on that date
Arrange 1t how you like. but Monsieur X.
attaches the greatest Importance to it,
Monsieur x, OF. course. is a man Of great
political power and strong in his support
the DELEGATE might reasonably make a re-
quest. But never; he makes a demand
This demand is really based on the argu-
ment that az the Coincide Francaise re-
oeives a Government grant II should be OF
service to the community In general. But
NJ. Clar6tie pours Boorn on this grant, he
calls IL ridiculous as compared TO Govern
ment grants abroad; S4s. 600 a year may have
seemed important when M. Theirs caused
it to be voted, but what is 1t to a theatre
whose years expenses amount to 100000
before the year begins?
Authors are another source Of worry.
One wrote to NJ. Got: Il claim from Claretie
that my piece be put in rehearsal. Every
French citizen has the right to be played
at the Coincide FRANCHISE All bearers Of
manuscript to the Coincide expect to be
played there, an actors expect to be en-
gagged there, even, or especially, those b
speak III Of it.
Furthermore all, or nearly all. the specta-
tors seem nowadays to count on entering
without having to pay Regnier the actor
In his history Of the Coincide states that at
that time one-hfth of the population Of Paris
went to the theatre az deadheads, and NJ.
Claretie is sure that the proportion is now
even greater.
day brings Its request from some associa-
ton with members numbering Thousands
that these shall be admitted at half price.
Yet another source Of trouble springs
from the actors. These as societdires or
members of the Coincide often make less
money than they could at other theatres.
although IL must be remembered they have,
q pension when they retire,
hIloee a hundred dollars d day by playing
at the Comedie.' said M. Coquelin. the
elder, once.
This leads TO demands by the best artists
for leave to 60 on tour and 30 make their
earnings more nearly approach what they
might be making at other theatres. Every
other actor or actress says to himself or
herself, Il, too, am losing money by re-
manning at the Coincide. !. too, could
find my 'Cyrano de Bergerac' somewhere"
OF course the rules Of the Coincide forbid
these tours, but to enforce the regulations
would only bring about the designations
Of the first class performers, and then
authors and public would follow the de-
would find it hard to fill.
When NJ. Mounet-Sully made his first
success at the Coincide the manager Of
the Porte st. Martin theatre made him
Mounet-Sully thanked him. but explained
that he was proud Of having entered the
Coincide and had received the directors
promise Of being admitted as a societdire
In a short time.
assure you a position eQualt TO q eocietdtres."
For twenty years2'
For twenty years.
But after that / shall havea pension
AN that the Coincide can do for you,
the Porte st. Martin will do. l will insure
You s,; yG NJ &ounet-su IS% did 1 not sign.
As remedies NJ. Claretie propo see a
higher rate Of pay for his artists and q
striot rule that in no circumstances should
they appear on any other stage. For this
OF course, he wants a greatly increased
Government grant.
He quotes an anecdote Of Napoleon III,
who asked the then director why Dumas
and Sardou wrote for the Gymnase and
Vaudeville, but not for the Coincide.
Because, sire, glory is a very fine thing,
Vaudeville or Gymnase authors receive
Is per cent, but at the Coincide only 10
The Emperor turned to the bead Of the
State Theatre Department and said:
IN. Douoet, prepare a decree raising the
rights OF authors to is PEI, cent, At the
Coincide literature should be paid better
than anywhere else
II that is true for authors, asks
Claretie, why should 1t not be true for
actors2