New-York tribune., 1908-02-02
LES DEUX HOMMES. .
A Nesc French Comedy Soon To Be
Seen an London and Ne1U York.
Paris. January 81, 1908.

PariS January Il, l9US.
Les DeuX Hommes," the comedy in four
acts. produced with marked success last night
at the Theatre Francais. and which will be-
Tore long be seen in English attire in
New York and London, is a departure,
indicating somewhat unlocked for ripeness and
maturity in the work Of the boulevardier
Of dramatists. and places NJ. Alfred Capus fore
most among the future candidates for the
French Academy. In his light, vaporous Paris
ian vaudeville comedies. such La Bourse
ou la Vie Les Maris de Leontine." Les Deux
Ecoles'' and La Vefne'' NJ. Capus gave the full
measure of exquisite drolery, captivating optim-
ism and esprit. and proved himself to be a keen
eyed spectator and delicate recorder of the do
ings and sayings OF the and women Of the
day. Nj. Capus's rose colored annotations of hu
man life were not devoid of philosophical reflec-
tion but lacked breadth and studious model
ling Les Deux Hommes'' reveals NJ. Capus as
profound observer, wholesome, somewhat
austere moralst, and as a deep thinker capable
of putting before us men and women mentally
and morally complete and as cleanly defined
as are the characters of Balzac of Emile
Augier.
The Two Men, portrayed in the new play
are absolutely irreconciable types. to be met
with In the everyday. up to date strenuous life
We have on the one hand the active, hustiing
ambitious unscrupulous strUsgler, the climber
after money and material success, and on the
other hand an honest, sentimental man of rigid
integrity, very much like Thackerays Colonel
Newcome. but young. handsome and essentially
modernized. The play might just as well nave
been called 1.-The Two Women" for we find in
it two contradictory Feminine types-the simple,
attractive refined wife, with a lofty sense of
honor and purity, and the intriguing. ambitious,
utterly unscrupulous coquette, who may be
roughly described as a Becky Sharp, but adorned
with Partisan charm. respondent beauty lux
11ry sensuousness and wealth. 1t is the lie OF
the hearth and home contrasted with the hlgh
pressure. full speed ahead intense existence OF
ambition and pleasure
The Mot is quite simple. Paul Champlln, the
foremost lawyer of Dijon,' and his young wife
Therese have come TO Paris on a visit to their
wealthy amt Nine Salvier. Champlin am
bjtious and provincial. is striving TO make the
acquaintance of Bridou. an unscrupulous STOCK
exchange speculator of enormous wealth. VINO
has a lawsuit in the Iijon circuit from which
Chanplin hopes to make a pot or money
Champlin after vainly trying to persuade Mar
eel Delonge dhe Partisan Colonel Newcome) to
introduce him to Bridou, at last succeeds IN
meeting the powerful but shady f1nancler at a
soi-se at the house of Jacdueline Evrard 1.-THE !
Partisan Becky Sharp, who was educated IN
the same convent with Therese. Jacquehne Is
on intimate terms with Bridou Therese ac-
cents Jacoueline's invitation 70 dinner in order
10 rIease her ambitious hustllng HUSBAND Inc
oueer folk of both sexes who turn up at Jac-
oueline's dinner party open her eyes TO the
,ru+h Marcel Delonge is also one OF Nine
JscoueIfnes guests. Marcel and Therese have
the same characters and feelings. while those of
Therase and her husband are in dametrlcal OPP
position.
Marcel is In love with Therese. He Is a man
of honor refinement and limited means Therese
is trreproe ble in her conduct. She does not
allow Marcel 10 suspect that she returns MS
love Moreover, Therese does not suspect that
Marcel has also made deep impression upon
Jacuueline who. divining that Therese is her
rival and anxious to forestau her, tells Marcei
that she loves him. Marcel's digniied refusal OF
her nneretricious offer drives Jacqueline mao
with rage and she determines to ruin both Mar
eel and Therese. With her friend Bridou's help
Marcel is inveigied into stock exchange spec
ulation and loses half of his already scant fort
une JacQueline. with the seductive art OF a
DeItlah then ensnares Champlin. who becomes
her lover and also accepts a lucrative post IN
Bridou's banking establishment Therese, with
womanly instinct, at once detects the true
source of her husbands financial success, scorns
his gifts and compes him to choose between
herself and Jacqueline. The golden chains with
which Jacqueline has enmeshec Champlin are
too strongly riveted. Champlin leaves his wife
and children and is spirited away by Jacqueiine.
r-berase exc!aims: .Voila un homme richei
Pauvre hommeI" Therese is now free to marry
Marcel. and the curtain falls. The play is
beautifully mounted and splendidiy acted
Mime. Bartet. who acts the part OF Therese
scored success not surpassed in her career