Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-09
'PhaIene, Henry BataIIie's Drama,
Revealing Paris ErOtics, Gre
ates Profound Impression.
HER0INE'S NAME is HIDDEN
Author Admits, However, He Drew
on Marie Bashkirtsef, Artistic
Prodigy, for Traits.
Special Gable to The American.


PARIS, Nov. S.-The revelation
this week that Henry Bataile's "Pha-
lene" the most talked of play in Eu-
rope at the present moment on ac-
count of its daring portrayal of the
immoral side of Paris life, and based
on the experiences of an American
girl art student here, has caused a
profound sensation. Bataille has de-
CIined to reveal the name of the girl,
but said she came from New York
and her first name began with &C."
The playwright said the girl was
suffering from consumption and had
been doomed to an early death when
he met her in the Latin Quarter 10
years ago. Bataille asserts the girl
took him completely into her conf
dence and that she finally committed
suicide under circumstances practi-
Cally Identical with those in the play,
Almost every critic in Paris has
condemned "Phalene" on account of
the immortality Of its theme and the
vividness with which the central
characters of the erotic life are por-
trayed.
Swears to Go the Pace.
The story Of the play deals with a
young girl who has great aspira-
ti0ns to become the worlds leading
sculptress. At the time the play
opens she is leading a pure life and
working hard at her art. She breaks
down and the physicians tell her that
she is afflicted with tuberculosis and
has but a few years to live. The.
shock unsettles the girls mind and
she swears as long as she lives she
will go the fastest pace Paris has
ever seen,
The succeeding acts show the
startling manner in which she en-
deayors to thoroughly carry out this
vow She becomes the leader in the
gayest revels the Paris underworld
has ever seen. In one scene she is
shown leading a scandalous dance in
a cemetery.
In the meantime she meets
Prince, who falls in love with her and
asks her to marry him The girl,
knowing her fate, refuses, and upon
being urged by the Prince to accept
him, she turns from him and shoots
herself
This play, which shocked all of
Paris, gave every one the impression
that Bataille had been inspired by
Marie 2askhiytsef the artistic prod
ICY whose pictures are now in the
Luxembourg and who died with con-
sumption at Nice after a memorably
tragic career.
Mother Sends Protest.
This assumption became so strong
that Marie's mother this week wrote
to Bataille and Indignantly protested
against her daughter being depicted
as such character the mother
averring that her daughter Marie had
been a pure and tender girl.
The playwright replied that he had
not been inspired by the life of Marie
Bashkirtsef, but admitted that he had
drawn upon her for a few traits de-
lneating the central character OF
"Phalene" Bataire then told how ne
had taken the character almost en-
tirely from life and that the real
Phalene had been an American girl
student In the Latin Quarter.
The playwright has become so In,
censed at the assertion by several
Paris critics that all Of his recent
PLAYS have been immoral that ne
declared to-day that he will not in
yite critics to his future premiers.