The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04
"CHANTECLER," By Edmond Rostand

NO DOCK or play or any other form OF
writing has been SO advertised, so
.elked cf as s2ost2aG's latest effort,
@ChAntecler," and the honest critic is
set difficult task when asked for an
opinion. OF course, much Of beauty is
lost IN translation: that is always the
case, and II we are to believe this
French critic. il must be particularly
true IN this case, for, try as one may,
little can be found that can be de-
scribeo as anything but trivial. The
possibilities were there. but the author
mas not taken advantage OF them Long
conversations take place between the
characters on subjects which would not
hold the attention of an imbecile. The
most important scene Of the play is
garden party given by the Guinea Hen.
Perfectly meaningless afternoon tea
conversation is INDUCED i'm by all pres
ent. number Of fancy cocks escaped
from cage come TO this party, among
them q game cock. A plot has been
hatched TO crush Chantecler, so a dis
bcUssion is started Oh the proper pro-
nuneiation Of cock-a -doodle-doo
Second Chicken-Nhere 90 you place
the accent on the cock
Third Chicken-On the doO2
Chantecler-On the
First Chicken OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is
your SCHOOL,
ChantecIer- School of cocks?
Second Chicken (rapidly)-Certainl
Some sing cock-a -doodle-dOO and some
6eek- -deedle-deet
ntecler-Cock-? Keek-?
Third Chicken-Not TO speak Of those
who
Cock Coming forward)-The cor
dOwdledow!
What cock is that?
First Chicken-An Anglo-Indian
Second Chicken-And the Turk over
there. whose comb suggests a cyst
crows cOOcoOroocOocooi
Third Chicken shouting in his earl
DO YOU not upon occasions vary your
cock doodle with cackadaddle-
rightl-L for one. entirely suppress the
NOWels. C ck q dl d
= Chantecler Crying to get away)-Is
il Welsh rabbit dream?
Another Cock (springing up at the
-oo-e-oot Have you ever
tried suppressing the consonants?
Another Cock (pushing aside all the
-others)-I mix the whole thing up
cuck-o- -duah daa i'm a free and supple
song.
Chantecler-AIy brain reelst
All the Cocks (gathered about him,
nghung)-Noi cuckodee-no, cackadaa
no. cOOcOOrOo-
And so on ad nauseam. The discussion
ends in a tight. almost the first action
ia the play. It is difficult 10 imagine
this play as being acted, by the way.
for there is so little action. Other
plays which we know well with little
or no action. like some OF oscar Wflde's
charming comedies. make up for this
lack by the unparalleled cleverness of
the lines That is what we look for
here and look and look in vain.
The Pheasant Hen and Chantecle1
have = long love scene together, and
one finds it difficult 10 believe that the
French audience who saw the first pro-
duction did not laugh. It's funny in
English. and Americans never could
have sat through il with straight faces.
The Pheasant Hen is trying TO wheedle
Chantecler into telling her the secret
OF his song.
The Pheasant Hen-No, no, don't be
sngrV--Sav Goa
They stand bin to bilLD
AngriIy) Goa
The Pheasant Hen-No, no. Say IL
nicely
Chanteeler-In long, tender coo)
Goa
The much talked Of Ode to the Sun
IS not too long to quote. and is the only
thing In the whole play which will bear
quotation Even this. however. is not
remarkable enough to cause such
ecstscies, at least. in English:
20 thou that driest the tears Of the
meanest among weeds