New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-19

mural In reudal times And the story -
the familiar legend OF the forty-seveu
ronins, or warriors, who avenged their feu-
dal lord. treacherously condemned to DEATH,
by killing the traitor and afterward sub
hitting themselves to the dreadful hara-
kiri You can imagine what effects are
drawn from such narrative In the stage
setting Of 80 artistic director as NJ. AM
tome.
THE Merry Wives'' at the Athenee and !
1.-THE Scarlet Pimperne" at the Ambigu-
two events set for this week-sre signs OF
the times The Shakespearian representa-
ton is under the direction of Camille 81.
Croix. who has been constant In his en-
thusiasm for the divine bard. even at mo
ments when II was not fashionable to sc-
knowledge his genius and his supremacy
But since those days Verlet, Louis de Ora
mont Georges Duval and other transla-
tors have taught the Partisan the mean
ing and full beauty of the British classic.
The "Pimpernel" translation has been
freely done by NJ ]. J. Renaud, who has
| developed the idea after his own fashion.
Hall Caine soaked in milk" heard one
t
peared in Moreau's elisabeth" regret
that the play has had SO short life ana
IL now withdrawn. Its astonishing cres-
tress has gone back from seventy 10 some
thing in the twenties-from Elizabeth TO
the Dame aux Camelias.
Is historical drama dead? The question
f. again asked by critic in view OF the
extinction of elisabeth" II may be that
the fall Of the romantic theatre has nor
only spoiled our taste for scenic history
but robbed artists Of their facilities Tor
! playing It. You want certain roman'ic
temperament and romantic education 10
go with It: otherwise the grandiloqueh'
speeches become ridiculous. IL is only
| cIassicalIy educated actor who can SWING
successfully from concierge TO kins'
He Is 80 likely TO remain the concierse
on the throne, with our present notions OF
the natural" school.
II the public will not stand even sardou IN
his historical mood, it Tevels in his "DiVor-
cons after thirty years. What changes IN
public sentiment since that day! Then IL
was thought daring, If not perverse. TO-
day IL seems innocent enough, and, or
course. our notions OF divorce have changed.
At the Cluny. on the Left Bank and IN
the heart Of the Quarter, is play which IL
funny without being vulgar. II Is called
Les Demoiselles Zigoteau." and is fan
| tasy Of unpretending gayety. Its theme IL
a servant who does not want his master
to marry. It is not more complicated than
that
After having looked at this play, bon
enfant" We may go on TO the reviews
which flourish at this moment at the Bolte
a Fursy. at the Folies Bergere, Femina'
! Olympia and the Capucines, which is the
perpetual home of this sort Of theatrical
dish. NJ Berthez is particularly amusing
Disgusting as a Partisan workgirl who has
found her way into the court Of courte-
san.
! Matt a converted courtesan in lsidore de
Laras opera. prefers the outlaw Hadyar to
the Emir. who is all powerful. and when
the latter Stays his rival. in the Eastern
manner, she will not survive him. Here
are emotional enough clements, but IL
seems to me that the English composer
| complicates his harmonies a little too much
and seeks too strenuously for local color.
But here in Paris he has many admirers.