New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-26
NEW FRENCH PLAYS
vanderem's "Cher Maitre" and
Nigond's "Monsieur de PreIxv
Paris. Ir,pa 4

season. Foremost among these Ia cha,
Maitre," n delightfully."- ironical socis,y
comedy In three acts, by Fernand Van.
dkren, displaying the contradiction,
working In the human heart in subtle
manner. at one moment comic then
emotional, and again pathetic. We are
in the electric atmosphere OF the Pari,
bar Ducrest, a genial. busting, prac,i.
cal lawyer OF persuasive oloquence and
Napoleonic energy, although only forty.
five years old. has reached the summit q,
his professional career. He has been
deputy and cabinet minister end is about
to become one Of the forty immortals
OF the French Academy. His head has
been turned by his brilliant success. His
vanity Is boundless. and he reigns Ike a
sort Of forensic sultan, or rather chan.
tecler. Growing and strutting about
amid brOods Of smart Partisan hens
and dainty chickens. He spurns the de.
yotion Of his wife. Henriette, whom he
married early IN life.
Henriette Is a charming. unpretentlou,
young woman who moves about modest.
~ in her luxurious surroundings. who
writes letters for the cher maitre," and
is reduced almost 20 the position of her
husbands secretary. One day, greatly
10 Ducrest's amazement. Henriette takes
her revenge upon her husbands persist.
ent infdelity by listening 70 the pas.
sionate declaration OF young lawyer.
who is one Of Ducrest's Junior counsel.
She becomes affranchie.
in the second act we find Ducrest IN
the full enjoyment OF a clandestins
honeymoon with the most fascinating o,
his divorced clients. the beautiful Nine.
Valerie Savreuse, at AiX-les-Bains Hs
is suddenly called back to Paris on In
perative business. He finds that his wife
has gone to Dieppe, and learns that Hen
riette's companion is his young Junior
counsel. Ducrest IS brought back 20
sober senses by this catastrophe. He
finds that he really loves Eenriette. A
strange, emotional and pathetic scene q
mutual pardon ensues, which is worked
out with masterful skill, recalling the
best conceptions OF the late Henri
Becque. The part Of Ducrest IS played
with astonishing power and judgmen,
by De Feraudy.
The French literary and dramatic club,
Les Escholiers, is Partisan inst!tu-
ton OF untold value TO young authors o;
talent. Yesterday, under the auspices Of
NM. Jean d'Estournelles de Constant
Georges Baugnies, CASTOR Award and
other Escholiers, a new drama in verse
in three acts, Monsieur de Preux," By
Gabriel Nigond, was brought out with
great success at the Athenee Theatre, az
one OF the monthly manifestations Of tho
club. 1t is the story OF grand old hunt
ing seigneur in Berry during the egh-
teenth century. who. after leading wild.
ferocious life Of revelry, chase and drink
ing bouts. Is subdued and reclaimed by
his own illegitimate daughter in way
that is suggestive OF a counterpart Of
acters are splendidly outlined and are
such as one finds in the conceptions Of
Walter Scott or OF Barley d'Aurevllly.
The Escholiers have also produced
with great success a perfect gem Of a
one-act satire. by NM. Jacques Monnier
and Leon Michel, called "Reconnais-
sance." which made a great hit by bring
ing a sort Of theatrical searchlght 70
bear upon a most unaccountable flaw in
the French civil code. which permits any
French citizen legally 10 acknowledge as
his son any illegitimately born person
not already acknowledged by any one
else. The citizen exercising this extraor-
binary right thus becomes the legal
father IN the eye OF the French law Of
the person so selected for recognition OF
paternity. The meaning OF this incon.
gruous paragraph OF the code was
doubtless quite different. but neverthe-
less such is the strict and logical inter-
probation OF IL Now for the play.
An old. drunken. blackmaiins ad-
venturer learns that young man OF
iIlegitimate birth who has by hard work
amassed a large fortune IS about 70 De
married. The hideous Cd man calls
upon his millionaire victim a week before
the wedding. The object Of the visit .
with grim and delightful humor gradu"
ally disclosed during the conversation.
The young man is about N rine for his
valet 10 eject the intruder, when. with
calm logic. the masterful blackmalier eA-
plains that he has already mace the Tor
NAL declaration of paternity before ire
tribunal and I'm the presence of three
witnesses. So that the young man cannot
be legally married without the consent "
his brand new father. The law. m fact,
requires that when a father refuses con-
sent 10 sons marriage three formal de-
mands must he made at long Intervals
Without this the marriage would be
penal offence. The willy father AZ lsst
agrees TO give the required consent On
condition of receiving 5000 I'm cash.
After a highly amusing argument the
Young man pays the money rs me
shortest way out Of his difficulties, ana
the marriage takes place.
The Theatre des Arts has revived WIN
great success Les Fetes d'Hehe." bal
let and operetta by Rameau. producer
for the first time at the opera in l''s
The music Is delightful. combining tM
vigor and sohriety of the classic schooi
with the graceful evanescence and SEN
suality OF the eighteenth century. 1he
personages sing as well as dance ana 'h'
three tableaus evoke I'm song and meas
ure the galante mythology of the PANT
ings Of Boucher and Nanloo. The nymph