New-York tribune., 1911-04-23
THE FRENCH STAGE
"Le Gout de Vice." by Hsa
Lavedan at the Theatre
Francois. i

the French Academy, Is always a n.
atricaI event Of unusual interest. =.
Gout de Vice" the light anecdotal a..
edy. in four acts. just produced q =.
Theatre Francais, has neither the -
found philosophical observation thai 4.
finds In lie Prince dAurec' ncv a.
strong dramatic situations Of lie Du,, =
nor yet the trenchant irony Of 'IA k,,.
auis de Priola." In spite Of its miaonaa.
ing title "The Taste Tor Vice" 10 -
tally a work of pure inorality-quite :.
reverse In this respect OF lie N,
Marcheur" and "Nouveau Jeu."
The "action" Is slight. but the coovp.
sation is written in a sprightly. raeefa
stvIe. sparkling with wit. yet evokine =,
aroma of delicate feeling and poetry. n
is the idyl of an ultra-modern ycsse
woman, Lise Bernin, daughter of 4
prominent Partisan book publisher, NJ
has made up her mind to marry AnA{
I,ortay. the young and successful N.
e,ist. whose perverse fctions deal N
scandalous and erotic subjects. u
Bernin has, or, rather, fancies that =
has. the taste for vice. The first act b
closes the working library OF Andh
His mother. a dear old soul Of fifty. NJ
js absolutely devoted to her only CHI
Andre. corrects the proofs Of his ht<aI
,oveI which is entitled Les Desaiea
Outrages." Andre explains that n.
in order to attain notoriety and pop
,aritv that he made q specially d n |
nance utterly devoid Of morality. Nm
Lortay. who is at heart thoroughly n
spectable and pure MINDED, Is csrra
away by the intoxication Of her sent
success. She is blind to the pervefsity
of his books, because he has become
celebrated. Lse Bernin. who hAs r.
fueed the offer of marriage Of Tresui1.
a kind-hearte6 elderly literary man q
tho .old school," makes a visit, cute
alone. to Andres studio. Lise is recev1
nv Nine. Lortay, and shortly, much
the old lady's CONSERVATION, Andre an
Iise hecome devoted to each other, ari
their marriage takes place. In the ~
ond act we find Andre. Lise and Nns
Lortav. eight months after the wedding
installed in a cosey little cottage on ns
ooas, of BRITTANY. The couple are n9
bappy. Each persists in playing ganA |
of bluff" Each strives to persuade ns |
other that vice" is the ultimate goal
desire We see Lise seated In boat
drawn UP on the sandy beach. A sa1
silk bathing costume hoisted on m'
staff is driving in the breezy sunshlns |
Lise is reading book, the title OF vnfA
as engraved on the cover, is The Az
ventures Of Casanova" but which n
alitv is simply Paul and Virginia
This episode supplies the keynote
Lise's real character. Two OF AnoKi
friends arrive, Treguier, the honx
watchdog of the play, and dAprx' |
with his unmarried companion. Jsanr |
Frenzy, timid, well educated young
lady. brought up amid solid boufgec&
surroundings. but whose stranen"
circumstances have led her TO wandef
the bypaths of bohemianism. PronuS
bv the freedom permitted in Partisan n'
erary and artistic circles, the three NV
comers. Treguier, d'Aprier and !e'n"
Frenzy, are invited to spend week wiz
the Lortay family. The third act pssa
in the sitting room of the cottage 0! ~
sea. Andre is paying devoted a'es''"
to Jeanne Lise. secretly provoke0
jealousy. allows herself TO be MADE WV
to by d'Aprier. This atmosphere OF F'
versity becomes charged with danse'0''
electricity. The extreme limits Of NV
priety are reached, but nothing ac'asp
wrong is committed. Neverthelesa "'
situation becomes so strained thata"
lent scene takes place between Lise w
Andre, in which they both declare 'a''
as they cannot understand eacn o'n''
the only solution is divorce.
The fourth act also takes place Id !"
sitting room OF the cottage.
o'clock in the morning. Andre nss W
gone to bed because Lise has locked NJ
out of their chamber. Mean"'~
d. 'Aprier. the reckless Don JUAN
rather the "Priola." OF the drama
stealthily entered Lises chamber Q!
window. Lise despite her SHY Nv
romance about her taste for WV
is at heart, pure and loyal TO he' -.
band. She is compelled by the '".
Of d'Aprier to burst forth from he' ~,
and call for help. She shouts for "'-
who has gone of to calm his any
the seaside. Treguier answers he'
mons, and drives away dAprler'
appears. Treguier. in a clever!
ranged scene. persuades the coups
they have been unconsciously 'N'~
a terrible error. They both ny w."
character and temperament were
live happy, peaceful, loving hve~
and Andre. with their eyes at laS w
To the truth, fall into each Others
Henceforth they no longer have =.
for vice" but a disgust for vice
play is beautifully mounted. ana
acted by Mime. Pierson as Nine. " -.
Mile. Pierat as Lise and NJ. Lev"
nard as Treguier. ~
"Marie-Nictoire," the four s' 4
torical drama by NJ. Edmond oU'm "A
brought out at the Theatre Antons \
Nine. Megard and NJ. Gemier
leading parts. is a vivid panorama
entation of scenes i'm Paris dur'ns
years of French revolutionary ~
The revival at the Varieties oi v"
NOUS La Vie Parisienne,' the N
fantastic, opera -bouffe Of Mei". M
Halevy, music by Offenbach' ..se
A. Tho nQrtS 6iv