New-York tribune., 1911-12-10
PLAYS IN PARIS.


......rl.- the socialists. and the mob drag
t.,, from the bakery and kill him. This
n,endinct- "knoading." shall We say-oi the
c.1dest realism with poetic ideahsm Is
daring and quixotic, but not wholly sue
e,ssiuI.
David Copperfold" q melodrama in hVe
s,rs. ADAPTED NY NJ. Max Maurey' from
uf.kens.s famous novel. which was brought
can't ~ the Odeon. has had a marked sue
,.ss NJ Max Maurey has made no at
r1pt 10 adhere reidly 10 the lines OF the
novel which is widely different from the
rrsv. but retains the leading characters oil
dickens. and i'm which tender sentiment
.a,nos and humor are set forth with thea
i~,.I effect Tho situations are adroitly
c.mrosed and the dramaust has now ana
t.su borrowed incidents from oliver
Twist" iu order to heighten local color
and surroundings This process is per-
I.us necessary Co insure that logical Sc
.uerre of action. and condensation upon
which success before the footlishts OF
drsmatized novel largely depends In the
FIRST act vc ind Clara David's mother
with fair face and long, quaint rins'ets.
David is petted 10y Clara and by his nurse
T,cgottv. and is ill treated by ms cynical
s,opfather. Murdstone The second act
shows ms David at the boarding school
which i'm the play is kept by Mr.. and Mrs
Ni,aWhDr. and where little Copperhel'
Y earns uothinc. but is not roughly handled.
It IS here that Coppcrheld learns OF the
death of his mother-his only friend IN
OBJ. vorld-aud the scene is intensely pc
th,rc. At the family gathering in tne third
act the crisp but kind hearted aunt Miss
Iusv Trotvood, offers TO bring up David.
Hrt on, infamous Uriah Hecp urges Murd-
stone to keep control of the lad in order
to profit by his small fortune. and at the
Sam, time pcrsuades David that as his
Aunt Betsy Trotwood is iu straitcned cir
ormstauccs it, would ho hcartlcss and un-
grateful for David TO impose upon her gen
erosty.
Thus David sorrowfuHv decluo- his
Aunt Betsy's offer. and tine diabolical plot
o. j'ual p and Murdstone is real
tied. In tine fourth act we find David
approuticed to- Cric6e who keeps a sort
OF boy farming establishment and where
Fagn-borrowed from oliver Twist
teaches the gentle art Of picking pock-
cts rriah Hccp visits Crcklc, and il is
linted that ,rchc ii adequately rcinu-
r,ratrl will 500 that poor David, now re-
duted ro misery and ll health, will die
or want and starvation. The inimitable
cracksmau Toby. aids David 10 escape. In
the fifth act David arrives i'm rags, and
taiutue from fatigue and hunger at the
home OF Dis good Aunt Betsy. Murdstone
and Trah Ueep come to claim David. The
-arial bohemian. Micawber. just turns
un' and saves tho situation by unmasking
all tine yulany. and David remains happy
and couteuted with his aunt al her cosey
little home iu Dover. The play is heauti-
FULLY mounted by Manager Antoine. The
characters wear the picturesque costumes
Of the early Victorian period. The part Of
David Copperheld is remarkably well
played by Mile Monna GOndrt who al
though only fifteen years Old acts with the
lorci5le simplicity and exquisite pathOs Of
an accomplished artist. ". Vibert. the
popular music hall comedian imparts 20
Mucawber tho FUN measure OF genial humor
and hopeful expectancy that would delight
a.. heart Of Dickens. Va Max Maurcy. by
. bis method of placing the characters of the
novel under The blazing perhaps cNaEgor-
atcd rays ~ mdodram3iic flashlights. has
made highly successful play. Ills David
'ppperfolj' is essentially 70 spectacle for
young folk. and was received at the Od6on
with au enthusiasm equal 20 that obtained
last year m tho Theatre Gtianc los that
ideal r.aN for rar.-iau children AL Mae
tDrI'urk- 'D.scau Elcu." g. f.