New-York tribune., 1909-12-04
NEW ROSTAND PLAY
Plot of "Chantecfer" "-Rshear-
sails an Paris.

tTrom a Paris Letter 20 The London TeIs-
graph
Now al last we know all about 'Chante-
cler." over which the universe has puzzled
on the tenterhOOks of curiosity for nine
years The GIL Bias" to-day lets the cat
or should we not say the cock?-out Of the
bag. This is the synopsis Of the play:
Act The barnyard. Guitry. the cock.
lOrding n over his harem of hens. Enter
futtering. with wound in her wing: Nine.
Slaone. the hen pheasant and flies 10
Chandelier for protection. The cock is en-
shaved.
Act "A wood by night The cock. basely
deserting his hens and his farmyard, elOpes
with the hen pheasant. But the watchful
owl has his eye open. sees the guilty pair,
birds a plot against the cock of the walk
and the correspondent
Act 2-The hen pheasant enthrOned as
Nine Chanttcleer, holds court.
As for Act 4. the ''Csn Bias" confesses that
IL knows nothing about it. Only the mana
gers OF the Porte Saint Martin. NM. Herty
and Jean Coquelin. and NJ Guitry are as
Yet acquainted with it. besides. presumably.
the author.
Immediately after the plot in point of
interest. come the dresses. They have cost
all concerned sleepless nights. and one OF
the theatre managers has lost seventeen
sists upon realism. In the case OF NJ
Guitry the achievement is not an easy one.
The actors build is massive. yet his lower
limbs ought 20 look slender The only way
discovered out of the difficulty has been 70
build up NJ Guitry's upper portions into ?
great bulk and height with padding. feath-
ers. gigantic cocks comb. and so on. His
legs by contrast will seem slim. even though
encased in tights, and wearing huge spurs
at the heels.
Only NJ. GUitry's nose will be converted
into a beak. At first NJ. Rostand insisted
that the beak should cover the entire face,
and be removed by a string held in one
hand. but NJ Guitry struck. His mouth
accordingly will not be covered and he
will be able to speak his lines without i'm
pediment- He has. il is. had some diff
Guilty IN accustOming himself 10 spout verse
without a gesture OF the arms, which are
imprisoned beneath his wings. He has also
had a hard time learning to strut like a
cock
NJ. Rostand insists that all his birds and
beasts shall walk like bird and beasts and
NJ. GaIipauX. for instance who is to play
the magpie. is assduously learning 10 ho-.
He hops down the Champs Elysees of
morning 10 practise.
brSlltS ludhlltltfE GullTN, lle only
genuine Gallo cock. a rival appears i'm the
play. AN American Cock described as a
fearsOme beast. played by an Australian
actor. Mr.. Sidney. The two cocks fight
after the following HOmeric challenge. ac-
cording To the newspaper already men
toned.
American Cock: ''Katakoi. Quoi. Quoii;
QuOiT' Gallic Cock: "QuOi. Quot QuOi."
10 lie a proper Alexandrine verse, con-
tanning twelve syIIables without hiatus or
irregular csesuFa.
The coc!Ifght has already turned the
stage managers hair white. and has not
Yet been completely worked out. The
difficulty il 10 make she two cocks prod
each other realistically. Then there is
the watchdog. and foS long time NJ.
ROstand was troubled because the dog
larger than the cock. NJ Jean COque-
lin is half a head or SO shorter than NJ.
Guitry. and the latter. dressed up as the
cock. is considerably bigger than in Ord-
nary clothes. But there was no help for
il. and the author has agreed 10 lump il.
The cock VIII have 10 be bigger than the
watchdog
How the latter should walk was another
problem. NJ. Rostand at first insisted that
NJ Jean COquelin should crawl on all
fours. lie tried il for a rehearsal on two.
and then said that no power on earth
could compel him 10 recits verse in that
position He viii therefore be seen in the
attitude OF a poodle begging for sugar.
The hen pheasant is. Of course. Madame
Simone. now Madame Claude Casimir-
Perier. She is said 10 be delighted with
her part. Her only objection was 10 hav-
frr.r h.
seems that 81. ROstand has consented to
her laying ii in the wings. Her great
scene is a love duet with NJ. Guitry, the
cock. Among other characters * an ordi-
nary hen. Madame BOuchetaI who will
lay eggs in a basket. and every time she
has laid one Will push up the lid OF the
basket. put her head out and declaim a
line described as "gemlike" A specimen
Of these jewelled lines is quoted. OF which
the following Is a humble translation:
An egg laid fresh seems made of mar