New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-24
THE DRAMA
Miss Maude Adams and "Chante.
cIer." Knickerbocker Theatre.

g. "a
= cler." An audience such as only Paris can
. gather for 4 new play and such as Paris
gathers only when art and fashion and the
common world combine to celebrate the
, birth Of some ne" work Of genius filled the
Porte st Martin Theatre; and an amused
and amusing crowd filled the adjacent
+ boulevard from wall to wall Outdoors had
arrived 10 see indoors arrive That night
, all Paris talked of Chantecler and was
, stirred If another Napoleon the Little
had performed coup detof. or a brnr
Bouanger on fine horse had promised
the electorate a new heaven and new
earth. This affair came closer 10 the heart
Of Paris than did the affair Of Fsshoda
The Balkan question was less important
than the query Of the bouevards. "WU
Chantecler' succeed" 4 marshal OF
France campaigning against an enemy of
the republic could not have been more
CLOSELY followed by the population of the
capital than was Edmond Rostand on the
eve Of the conclusion Of his long campaign
for now glory.
And the whole world looked on.
Seven years and seven months had Paris
waited for the raising Of the curtain. The
/ trumpetings of Rostand. perhaps the most
/ successful Of contemporary dramstists
certainly a poet Of no mean order, and far
and away the cleverest advertiser that the
age knows Of, had kept expectancy booted
and saddled and ready 10 ride during all
that stretch Of time. New York has waited
almost a year longer. but not with the same
zest. of course. and for quite other causes
New York has been curious merely, and it
is on the cards that some Of her dear ones
may for a while think the new piece at the
Knickerbocker is musical comedy. Paris
added TO her own curiosity her more So
| phiSticated interest i'm the stage. her pride
in the achievements of artists who had
again drawn to her the attention Of the
nations. Civilization that evening sat up
and watched the coming Of the new play
as it watches the coming of a new year.
There was however. one cause for sorrow,
if there was mono for fear-Coquein was
dead. The role of Chantecler had been
written for him.
| Coquen's presence. his stride, his agility,
his voice his superbly masculine spirit. his
extraordinary genius for capturing the
! spirit of words Did not everybody know
/ that. ever since he first acted Cyrano de
| Bergerac Coouein. the master comedian Of
Europe. had dreamed Of acting Chantecler?
| lie was ready long before Rostand was
ready. He was letter perfect i'm his part a
| year before he died. But for half dozen
years he had spouted passages from il 10
his friends. almost as fast as Rostand could
write them. Who could give Chandeliers
| Ode to the Sun as Coquelin would have
given it. as he did give it to a favored few
at his own home? Who could have the
! faintest hope of equalling him in the fan
tastic passage with which Rostand, riotnS
with quips on the word cog" supplies
! him for his satire on the several schools of
cock growing? Can you not see Coqucln
as he would have cracked the lines on his
miraculous tongue:
Oui Coquards cocardes de coqunles
! CoquardeauN coquebins, Coquclets. Cocodrillc-
Au lieu d'ttre coqucts de vos cocorcos,
Nous revez d'atre, Co.'s, de dr6les do cocos,
oui Mode; pour que deux tu temberluco-
Coqu'ne' lis mont voulu, ces Coqs. qu'5tre
Mails Coquins' lie cocasse cxire un NicoIet,
! ON nest iamais assez COcasse quand on Fest,
de ruches.
Vows passcz. Goodies CONNIE des coqucluchos,
Mais songez que domain. Coquefredouilles,
mais
sonroz Qu'spres-demain magre Coquoplu-
| Tous eos coqueluchons don't on s'erbcrlucooue.
In plus cocasse coz peut sortir dune coque.
TT vous ne serez plus. veuX Coc'tres qu'on
casee
Que des Coqs rococos pour CO Coz plus cocasse:
All. well. as they would say. with quite
another spelling. at Cambo. or in the Bou-
levard des Ialiens. anybody who has intel
ligenCe enough 10 find his way 10 the thea
tire knows that Coquelin died before Ros-
tand was ready 10 produce "ChanteCler."
and that 10 Lucien Guitry fell the nheri-
lance. Was II not COQuelin himself who
prophesied that Guitry would he the first
actor 10 play ChsnteCler? What other
choice was possible. Coquen being no more
beneath the sun? Guitry triumphed. And
the world Cackled like the hens At Cambo.
The printing presses Of this spinning planet
could scarcely turn out fast enough the
news and particulars Of the play. Who has
not read II. in fun or in summary Its
story is by this time well known. II not
as easily repeated, az any legend ascrlbed
10 Mother Goose.
"Chsntecler." after all the fuss and
feathers. made in Paris what the ParisianF
call II success de CtriOSite Never was play
50 talked about Henri Rochefort. frcttns
al the inky food. said dramatic criticism
no longer exists in France" Take that
I -
word Of an English critic-Mr Walkey. Of
The Times''-whose knowledge If French.
and Of many other things. is remarkable
even in a clever age. Writing on that first
night Mr.. WalkIey said. "The curtain fans
10 the faintest applause. fou feel sense
of embarrassment in the house 2 certain
disappointment. and though there IS gen
eraI cheering when Guitry comes forward
n utter the regulation formula. ufSddmeS
/ II ,ueSsieirs. In piece que nous 6i"nS ~
/ Tbopueu- de presenter deront tobs est de
Edmond Rostand, the cries Of Author are
few and obviously half hearted or course.
/ NJ Rostand does not appear. believe this
verdict Of the FIRST night audience viii 10
confirmed by the world AZ large.
THAT was a year ago. nearly. The verdict
- been confirmed by Paris itself and by
the world running AZ large in Paris. Chan
/ tscler, nroduced in February. ran not only
! ,broucb the remainder Of the winter, but
tbrough the spring and the tourist season
cd then left the boards II had made
-. rerhsns a great deal Of money, but
oftsr the first rush Of curiosity, and draw
| nc ,non the travellers Of all countries, the
.harocter and numbers Of the attendance
/ .oor removed all doubt, If any doubt had
listed that "Chantecler' was not play
for the million.
could it he expected 70 hold New York
longer and with deeper interest than Paris.
! Nv, York having not only no Coqueiin, but
ebau II be said. no GuitrY? The speoula-
,on was bold enough. Obviously the way
80 i,sure II was to fling both reason and
rrecedert 10 the winds and give this role
mich is nothing If not masculine, 10