, 1910-02-26

of the play which he evolved from thaC COCK
crow is novel.
The scene of the first act is a French
BARNARD at dawn. The fowls and domestic
animals discuss various matters, among them
the superiority Of the voice of Chantecler.
The Hen Pheasant is wounded by a sports
man and assisted by Clantecler, who IS so
much touched by her sweet thanks that he
elopes with her.
The scene Of the second act is laid in a
forest at night. ChantecIer tells the Hen
Pheasant that the sun cannot rise unless he
crows. The denizens Of the night mock
him. The sun rises and Discounts the hero,
but his lady love forgives him.
In the third act Chantecler IS shown dur
ing a reception at the home Of the Hen
Pheasant at which the story of the sun rising
without his permission is told. He is wound
ed by a passing sportsman.
Actors and actresses in costumes OF fowls
and animals present the play. Each char
ac'or III The drama Is a fowl or an animal.
Mons. Rostand himself has said that the
Cock is not so much 4 hero OF comedy as
"a parsonage which l have caused to tbrob
with my emotions and to dream my dreams
in fact, he is q part of myself"
Whatever he is, he is the central figure
Of the most discussed play OF The decade,
dICl JlEdlIE9OGIS III GliS COJtIJlN t1C nv
as anxious to see the play III which he APP
pears rs the theatregoers Of Paris.
AS the dramatis pers0nae are fowls,
birds and animals, and as they are nece~-
sariIy us large as the men and women who
enact the parts, everything which appears
M on the stage is upon q corresponding
scale. The first act opens with the sun
rising on a barnyard. A mountainous
manure pile is on one side OF the stage.
A fence, which seems immense because 1t is
III proportion, separates the yard from a
road, beyond which is a forest background.
To the right a wooden shoe, forgotten by
the farmers. wife, is of the size it would
appear 10 the chicken, and near by a chair
completes the scale illusion, it's legs, which
alone are seen, beng eight yards high.
The second act is the scenic gem of the
piece, showing the upper branches OF a
blasted pine in The heart of q forest, the
human sized birds perched in the branches.
The Owl calls the roll Of the Birds of the
Night, each as his name is called, answering
and opening two luminous eyes, winch
shine III the semi-obscurity Of the stage,
green, yellow or blood red. These birds
declaim the Hymn of the Night and after
wards conspire together to rid themselves
OF their arch enemy, Chantecler.
In the third act Chantecler learns of the
conspiracy of the Night Birds, and fights
a duel with his false friend, the Gameoock,
killing him, despite his steel gaffs and re-
dOubtable skill.
Mons. Rostand, in an interview, explains
the history Of his conception Of Chantecler.
In 1901" he said, "whjle taking a walk
in the outskirts of Cambo I was passing
an humble farm when [ suddenly stopped
before the barnyard. 1t was just an ordin-
airy barnyard, containing the usual pigeon
loft, wire nettin9s, manure pile, and. within,
the animals, hens, ducks, guinea fowl, geese,
turkeys, a cat asleep, a dog wandering
about in brief, a very common spectacle.
Il watched wi.h interest, when suddenly
in stqlked the cock. He entered proudly,
boldly, like a ruler, with disdain in his eye
and o certain rhythmic movement of the
head which produced the irresistible i'm
preston of a hero. He advanced like a
buccaneer, like a marin quest Of adventure,
a king among his subjects. In a flash | saw
in this S! ectacle a play. I returned to the
barnyord many times, and rapidly the frame
work Of the play was constructed in my
mind