New-York tribune., 1910-09-10
The DRAMA
The Silent Play. L'Enfant Pro-
dique." at the Liberty Theatre.

Twenty years ago, or thereabouts. DUR
ing the rehearsal Of a comedy at the HAY
market Theatre in London. an actor who
had the Juvenile lead grumbled at the
author of the play and said; Look here.
You keep mo on the stage seven minutes
with nothing TO say. That's impossible
for an actor There's nothing TO do"
MY dear fellow" replied the author.
heres half crown. Take it. with my
blessing and go to the Prince Of Wales
Theatre where you'll see the French actors
in I. Enfant Prologue, They are on the
stage two hours and half and they never
speak. but they have plenty to do
..I.Enfan1 Prologue" has come 10 New
York again. Most of the playgoers of to-
day may have forgotten that this silent
comedy was ever here before. but. whether
they have forgotten or bear it in re-
membranes they should 90 to the Liberty
Theatre if Nine. Pillar NORM Will give
them another opportunity 10 do so, ana
they may learn as did the juvenile lead
who is now popular aCtor-mandger. that
sneech. though an important part, is not
the whole of acting, that ii is, Indeed but
a supplement to acting.
II was Nine Pillar MORN who produced
this nlav without words II New YORK
fftaon years ago. But New York was no'
ready for il then. and the heat ana
humidity were even more depressing thah
they have been this week. and very niue
came of the bold attempt The CondluonS
are more favorable uov-the conditions OF
weather and the conditions Of pubic spirit
There was a good house at the LlocrtS
Theatre Yesterday afternoon II was al
appreciarive house, too, 30 apprecIatlVe
indeed that II called the players al least
twenty times TO the footlights.
L. Eurant Prologue. played as II vas
,laved Yesterday. deserves a run in New
York If it could be enacted III shldi'
theatre it would be seen to the best ad-
vantage. Nine Pillar NORM deserves great
credit for Yesterdays performance. and
her company is entitled to share the praise
r the performance was not at all times as
clean cut as that OF the French actors
one saw in London many Years ago, it was,
at all events delightful from beginning 10
end. and some enterprising New York man
are- should secure the services of Nine
Fflar NORM and her companions and with
appropriate surroundings place this word
less play before the public There is not a
point of the story that is not made plain
nv the pantomimists. The fortunes of the
The only son CPierrot, jr) of doung parents
falls IL love with worthless girl. robs his
father and runs away with his Phyrnette.
who deserts him when his money is gone
He falls as low as the gutter becomes a
beggar. and finally returns TO his old home
is forgiven, and joins the army. plain
tale simply told. But how delightful the
pantommic art by which the youth tells
his love a nd deSCribeS the woman who has
fascinated him; how delightful too, the
business Of the scene in which the old
father reads the newspaper TO his wife
There are not many actors who could have
done these things with words half as we'll
as they were done yesterday without
words.
The production was very simple so far
as stage properties" were concerned II
could be improved in that respect. and one
or two anachronisn.s might be avoided
But the pOnt IS that the entertainment
was really very pleasing. far more enjoy
able than half a dozen of certain spoken
Plays that are now on the local boards
Andre Wormser's music, which, as the
programme says truly enough "illumi-
mates the silent acting of L Enfant Pro-
d;gue.''' was admirably played by Eugene
Bernstein. the piano taking the place OF
the orchestra for the afternoon Although
Nine. Pillar NORM describes her company
as american" it seems to be COSMOPOLITAN
in it's composition Anyhow. il is compe-
tent. and the best of the test is that one
would like To see it again in the same pan
tcmine- Surely there is abundant room in
New York for this agreeable entertain
ment. A. w