New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
THE PARIS STAGE

Paris, December 4.
The bright. gay little Theatre Deja-
zet, situated at the jumping off, end
OF the boulevards. al the Place de Ia
Republique. far away from the fash
ionable Champs Elysees. has a special
public Of its own-the thrifty yet genial
families OF the bourgeoisie. who are
fond OF old-fashioned. boisterous farces,
brimful of fun. abounding with errors
Of persons and. in short. demanding a
scream" from start 10 finish. NJ
Mouezy-Eon is one Of the authors OF
the famous Ihree-act farce, Tire au
Flame" which held the boards at the
Dejazet for four consecutive years,
thereby beating the traditional records
Of ''Fernand Ie Noceur" and "Femmes
Collantes.
lie Papa du Regiment" the new
three-act farce by NM Mouezy-Eon and
Durieux. just produced at the Dejazet.
was hailed with an enthusiasm that sug-
gests the possibility OF another run Of.
say. a thousand and one nights. The
young lieutenant Parabelle is about to
marry Mile. Chavillon The night be-
fore the wedding he gives a bachelor
supper. Owing 10 too much champagne.
he insults a general. He is put under
arrest. BY a clever trick he manages
10 escape from confinement, leaving his
friend. Maitre Gelinotte, a young law
yer, in his place, and dashes of 10
church and town hall and is duly mar
ried to his fiancee. But the new colonel
arrives-a good natured, jOvial mantle
papa Of the regiment-who hears OF
Parabelle's plight and wants 10 do him
a good turn. The colonel proceeds TO
Parabelle's quarters, where he finds the
lawyer Gelinotte figuring as the lieu
tenant and wearing Parabelle's uni
form. He releases GelnOtte. whom he
supposes all the while 10 be his Iieuten-
ant, Parabelle. The colonel goes away
with the lawyer figuring as the lieu
tenant. They appear at the wedding
ball at the chateau. where by q further
comedy of errors the colonel is about
to send off Gelionette on a honeymoon
trip with the real Heutenant's bride. An
actress and a comedian also turn UP at
the ball as the Heutenant's uncle and
aunt. and all sorts of grotesque mirth-
full. yet logical, combinations ensue and
make the farce a decided success.
''Comme les Feuilles.' the four-act
comedy of Giuseppe Giacosa, translated
from the Italian by Nine. Darsenne. just
misses being a great play. II is sad and
fearful; IL has some stirring situations:
II is Ibsenlike in composition and has
something of the fire OF Brieux In the
way the "slice OF life" is neatly carved
from the great human joint and served
UP. 1t was received with considerable
enthusiasm at the Odeon. where IL is
we'll acted by Mile. Sylvte. Mile. Lu-
cienne Guett. NJ. Desjardins and the
company OF the second Theatre Fran
Gals" which has been rejuvenated by NJ
Antoine. "Comme les Feuiues'' is beauti-
fully mounted. II is the story of an hon
est fnancier. who, after being ruined.
strives manfully 70 earn his living. But
he finds that neither his Eighty vounr
wife, brought up in an atmosphere OF
lrlvoiity and luxury nor his son, Tommy.
is al all able 10 cope with the rough
struggle Of their new existence. The
young wife Is led astray by the Gilt
edged promises Of an adyenturer The
son Tommy. discouraged by the nrCs-
pect OF ten hours work a day In a buzz-
saw factory. flies on AT a tangent. comes
10 grief with gambling and horse racing
ana finally attains his sunset by marrv-
ing' purely for money a wizzIed-un
widow who is not only too rich but
who has had far too varied an sxns-t-
ence. The sturdy financier is dassr,s1
oS al except his younger daughter. Sig
nor Giacosa' the Milanese dramatist. is
fond OF writing plays in which the hero
pegins at the top OF the social ladder
ana descends patheticaly TO the lowest
round This is diametrically opposite TO
the optimistic Partisan dramatist. NJ Al
ired Capus. whose heroes usually begin
az the bottom and rise gracefully and
" 'iie 'op- c. l. b.