The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-05
PARIS P0KES FUN
At N. ROsTAND'
ROOSTER PLAY
CURIOUS SPECULATION AS TO
THE MYSTERIOUS DRAMA
GROWS INTO NATIONAL "AF-
FARE

PARIS, March 5.-France must
always have an "afiaire' cf one kinc
or another, and az the present moment
II the Affaire Chanticleer has driven
aside the Steinheil ease aad interha'
! tioral questions. too.
| OF course, ever since Rostant CON-
menced talking about his mysterious
play. people began TO be interested
and 10 wonder what the author Df
i"Cyrano" and "L'Aig.on would %
next But il was Cuquein death
which reused excitement TO its present
pitch. For what was 10 oecone OF
Rostand's masterpiece?
But glance into the history OF
Chandelier now causes the cues
zion: IS II indeed a masterpiece.
| Why has the poet taken SO long 20
bring forth what was supposed 10 be
ready four years ago.
He gave the reasons In rather
complicated explanation TO friend.
First. he expected 10 De operated on
in six months. and could not worE;
then the operation was postponed ana
he expected 20 take up the pen again
and then his wife fell III. aud SIX
months more were lost.
Then mis- moiherin-law died. and,
of course, he could 90 nothing for
some months until he had recovered
from that grief.
SIN evil fortune continued 10 pur'
sue him and his son Maurice fell III.
Then his own operation was once
more talked OF and finally came OF.
Several years having passed away
in such continual SORROWS and pre-
occupations how could he be expected
To work?
Al last his play was really said 10
be ready and Coquelin learned the
Cocks part. trifie OF two thousand
rhymed lines. Wnereupon Coquelin
died by a most unfortunate coinci-
dence
And then another postponemen,
came. for a proper successor for
Frances greatest actor could not b.
found Everybody in France was sug'
gested, from Rostand himself and
Sarah Bernhardt, down through the
whole stan OF The Coincide Franchise
to young actors whose very names
were unknown TO the public.
Now II is stated that I.eBargy has
utUuilttt NONSfntCu " bANNh las vi
tract with the Coincide Franchise and
become henceforth the authorized in
terpreter OF Rostands leading part,
but there is some doubt whether this
is legally possible.
Certain il is that the solution must
soon be found and the play produced.
or else ROstand must refund TO the
theater OF the Porte St. Martin the
heavy sums which ne received as adj
vances. and which may have had
something 10 do with the loyalty 10
that theater, which he proclaimed so
loudly when he was urged TO take his
manuscript elsewhere after Coquelin's
death.
And il must be said that liscour-
agement has begun 70 creep into the
theater, where the manuscript has not
been seen in entirety since Rostan
would only trust the precious papers
one act at time, so afraid was he OF
having something stolen.
Now | understand that a few inti-
mates OF the poet. who claim 20 know
the play. pretend that il is more apt to
provoke merriment than TO be taken
seriously as Coquelin had hoped. Any
how whether people will laugh If they
ever do get the chance OF seeing RO-
stands Gallo Cock strutting about In
all the glory OF barnyard feathers.
Paris is beginning TO laugh whenever
Rostand's "Chanticleer" is mentioned