New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-09
GU|TRY IN "SERV|R"
ACHIEVES A TRIUMPH
Patriotic French Military Play
Received with Great Emo
tionaI Enthusiasm.
4 COLONEL AND A SPY
BIC Scene of Lavedan Drama
Comes in Clash with Social
ist' S Son, Whose Secret
He Has Discovered.
lsy cable to The Tribunel


Paris. Feb. S.-"Servir,' an express
son which means devotional fulhimcnt
oi military duty TO the fatherland,
with complete sacrifice of considera-
tons OF family. religion or personal in
tcrests. is the title of a two-act patri-
ofic melodrama by Henri Lavedan, of
the French Academy. produced with
tremendous popular success tonight at
the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt, with
Lucien Quitry in the principal part of a
retired colonel of the French army.
who. better TO serve his country, be-
comes a spy.
The cOloneIs son Pierre is lieu
tenant of artillery. who has discovered
an explosive of such terrific power that
it would insure victory to whatever
army that first employs it. But Pierre
is q Socialist at heart, with humani-
tartan, pacific principles. and when he
realizes the frightful force of his dis
covery he determines TO destroy all
traces of his invention.
y
as his laboratory Pierre goes with his
mother to carry away the explosive and
the formula for its production. but he
finds that some one has been there be-
fore him and already removed them
In fact. Pierre's own father. in his
capacity of spy, has Swallowed his own
son and learned the truth of the ire
mendous discovery. and has already
communicated il to the Minister of
War.
A Great Climax.
II is the day before the declaration
Of war with Germany. The colonel re-
ceives secret orders 10 go in an aero
plane across the frontier and drop
charges of the explosive on the German
mobilization bases destroying them
and thus paralyzing all the offensive
operations of the German army. y
tragic meeting takes place between
father and son in the Vincennes studio
at which Pierres mother is present,
and here the situation vibrates with
PASSIONATE appeals to an almost fanatic
patriotism on the one hand and TO pa
cCc Socialist characterization on the
other.
Patriotic fanaticism triumphs..and so
also does Lucien Guitry in this in
tensely tragic character of the spy,
which is perhaps the strongest achieve
ment of his dramatic career. The play
and actors were applauded and cheered
with emotional and patriotic enthusi-
asm.
The part of Pierre, the Socialist ar
tillery lieutenant, was splendidly acted
by Paul Capellani and Nine. Gilda
Darthy was a heroic wife and mother.
At the Coincide FRANCHISE.
Il Embuscade." a play in four acts
BY Henry Kistemaeckers, produced at
the Theatre Francois to-day, opens
with a delightful open air night fete at
Nice, at the villa of wealthy auto
mobile manufacturer, whose wife be-
fore her marriage had had son who
has graduated from the Polytechnic
School. The automobile manufactures,
who is ignorant of his wifes fault.
makes the son his chief engineer in the
factory. and a sentimental attachment
ensues between the son and the manu-
facturers daughter, who are both un-
aware that they are brother and
half-sister
The son, during a heated Socialist
crisis, separates from the manufacturer
and takes the lead i'm a strike brought
about by the unjust requirements of
the owner Of the factory. The factory
is blown up, and the manufacturer
learns that the leader Of the strike is
his wife's SON \ reconciliation is,
however. brought about by the daugh
ter. and all Of them start out again on
a new life
This melodrama is exquisitely
mounted and extremely well played by
NJ. de Feraudy, by Henry Mayer and
by Miles. Berthe Cerny, Gabrielle Ro-
binne and Berthe Bovy.
In spite Of some needlessly long
scenes in the second act it was well re-
ceived by an exceedingly brilliant and
fashionable audience