New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
THE FRENCH STAGE, !,
"Ihc Lily for Belasco-Asr
Was Done IN Paris.

dash OF suffrasette romanticisrn 4, -
acts. by Pierre Woln and CASTOR Te.'-
which. under the title THE Llv ,rr, .
produced IN America by David Rsta..
was first produced az The VaudeyilIa -
atre IN December. 1898. ~ came a. a sl..--
hammer blow at the straitIaced -,
ideals OF French society irnbued WIN -
traditions OF the old regime. The pa,,,.-
Armand lives solitary open air. sr,,.,a.
life in a ruined abbey ir Brittany ia.
only persons he meets are the De NapnV,
and the Darceys. two families residing (.
ueishbOring chateaus. The old Cornfs \.
Magny IS a brOkendown nobIemsn b.,,
ruined By extravaganza and dissipss,o.
Ills son Gerard is about 20 reeild the ..
ty eseutcheOn by marrying Mile. Dare,
the heiress Of a rich. narrow minded mann.
faeturer. herself stupid. bigoted M
attractive girl. with ridiculous social an
billions. The Comte DE- Magny has 49,,
two daughters Odette. the elder is ;.
unmarried woman OF thirty-five y,bo b.,
been sort Of upper servant in the ho,.s
hold. and whose giTihOod has been sa,r,-
feed 10 keeping up appearances for h.
father Christ!ane. the younger dauebss-
is "a charming girl Of twenty-brizht. m.
mantle and high spirited Neither Oda,f,
nor Christiane has a dOwry. and this q,
the eyes Of French aristocratic traditions
Is u fatal bar 10 their ever getting mo-.
ried. ChTistiane gathers flowers and maxi.
trips on her bicycle in the grounds =,
the old abbey. She meets Arnaud An,
tachment springs up between them. Chr.-
tiane at first is not aware that Arna,a
has a wife ArnaU6. an fact Is narrfA1
but his wife. from whom he Is separstai
but who will not consent 10 divorcs. Is
virulent. sour tempered woman. VIII maks.
every one about her miserable Armand
realizing the extreme frsgiliry OF a vomr
girls reputation. tells Chrisuane .har n IA
not prudent TO be so much in each Other.
company. as. he (Arnaud) being married.
their union is out Of the question. CHRIS
tiane's illusions seem crushed by this
avOwal.
AT the country house OF the De Masurs
we see the odious. unsympathetc young
'arriviste" son, Gerard; the supercilous.
purse-prOud. vain Nile. Darcy. and also
find here the elder sister, Odette. whose
youth and beauty have withered under ths
household work of the family Nile. Dar-
eey's father appears He intimates to De-
Magny that there are insurmountabls OBJ
stacles % the proposed marriage between
his daughter and Gerard. Pressed for ex-
EAohAehNtDii1s LAAtrL says NlldL evil repOrr3
are current about the intimacy OF Christian
and Arnaud. De Afagny cannot conceivs
that his daughter. educated and brought ao
I'm the severe schools OF family tradition
and the Church. could have been guilty az
social heresy. He questions Christians. vho
at last, pushed 20 desperation By the hy-
pocrisy and selfish vanity OF her father and
brother, finally bursts the fetters Of 70
straint and shouts. "Wen, yes: I have
lover 1t is not pardon that she asks to-.
nor remorse nor penitence that she dis
plays. She revolts against the Conventions
cruelty that would reduce her TO a witherei
shipwreck like her sister Odette. Christians
claims her right TO live and TO love sns
slOries In It, She castigates her fortune
hunting wretch OF brother. and ragellsies
the heartless egOtisn OF her father: Il
make my chOics between celibacy and uts
The only thing / have is myself and tins
L give spontaneously TO the man love-
This impetuOus outbursu OF freedom q
nailed 10 the amazement OF all. by the e.
der sister Odette. who cries out: "shs 10
right
Continuing. OdettA turns 20 her stupefss
father and says, 1T is your honor that
Is killing US II has only succeeded in
making OF me woman pure, but despsrafs
ana broken hearted. Go, Christiane; %
toward life, toward love / have pad
the ransom for you Christians leaves the
house. Later We find Christians ana
Arnaud ar Sorrento enjoying 20 the fuU
the delights of the union Iibre" Her elder
sister Odette, with a country cousin. has
been sent in quest OF Christians on a mir
sion to persuade her o. come back 10 ths
fold Odette is concealed behind terrao
or flowers. Christiane and Arnaud walk
past her. but do not see her Odette hears
the words: Darling how I love You"
uttered by ArnaUd. 10 which the only reply
unseen, takes from her pocket phoo-
coming from Christiane is. My happiness
is complete I adore YOU" Odette. sul
graph of her sister. fondly kisses II and
disappears without interrupting the lovers
Mile. suzanne Despres played the part q
Odette admirably. Her energy. her conye-
tion. the uncomfortable desire Of a win
cred. matured maiden u avert from hsl
young sister the tortures that had poisoned
her own life We're rendered with tremen-
dous emotion. Mile. Lely one Of the mos'
talented OF the Younger Partisan actresses
impaired 10 Christiane bright. fresh. m
passioned temperament OF love and OF re-
tincment. RousseIIe PLAYED the part OF NJ
maud. and LSrand. one Of the most fnishe''
subtle and accomplished actors IN Franes'
invested the Ccmte de Magny with eoe'
glittering. mundane elegance. sdfolus
masking innate selhshness and deoauche's'
lie Lys' was received al first with sres-
enthusiasm. IL ran for about eiShty nish'~
There are strong situations and grand h'-
manitarian oCtbursts in the PLAY fie"s
Violin and CASTOR LerouN launched s''s
of battering ram against The uadit"'"
conventions Of the Faubours Sain'-ue
main. The thesis is bold daring and en''
tive. All the trumps are. however on
side OF the game. The yOung girl II
tiane; her lover. Arnaud and also tne e.-
sacrificed sister Odctte. are intensely -
pathetic. Not So are the cards dean "
other side De Magny. his son Gefaf"
supercilious helress. Nile. Darcy; nrf
row minded father. are an abject' 49,
creatures. The thesis of the union -
the declaration OF ndepcndence' as -
Of young girl. the breaking IN 49,
the conventional chains ot enIoIee"
bacy. the claim OF the right TO
would scarcely have ELECTED the SAME
thusiasm had the hero and hessH s..
drawn from the average class -
manity. Such at least were tae a..
siuns caused by the play Of -
given at the Vaudeville Theatre !,
NJ. Pierre wolH. oae OF the aH'nS'' sss
The LAly.~ when asked yes'efuHS sav