New-York tribune., 1917-12-12

ming. So she locked him up in turret
with a spinning wheel and distaff and
let him earn his keep, and there he
fattened in spite of his salutary cha
grin, but she thinks he will never re-
peat his offence.
The play is a delightful little fan
tasy. Although il belongs to the lit
erary drama il is not closet drama,
which is a rare species among French
poets. The consequences Of an early
failure in the theatre were fortunate
for dc Mussets plays He swore to
write no more for the stage. Thence
forth he disregarded passing fads and
conventions and preOccupied himself
with the unchanging elements Of art,
the soul and its passions, the laws of
life and their fallibility. This gave an
imperishable quality TO his work.
Even when he had turned his back
on the theatre he composed his poetic
fancies so closely in accord with its
conditions that they needed little modl,
fcation when they were transferred
from the library TO the theatre. Prob
ably no playwright who failed to gain
the ear Of his contemporaries has been
recognized by posterity. DE Musset
made no bid for contemporary popu-
larity, but as soon as 1t occurred TO
people to produce his plays they were
found 70 be delightful. They prove
that the fundamental conditions OF
theatrical representation must not De
ignored. ri,
The second programme Of the The
stre du Vieux Colombier is more inter
esting than the first, and displays the
same consummate acting and lnhoVa-
tions of staging that have been mar
vels to New York playgoers. scene
at court in the second act or bar
berine" is represented by PLATFORM
sore four feet high, OCCUPYING the rear
half of the stage, with steps at the
centre and massive square columns at
the sides. The back drop is a light
blue. and the throne is simply square
box in the centre. Yet, setting could
hardly give a greater sense OF simple
dignity. while the characters are sli-
houetted against the background WIN
striking effect. ..,.
brt inseparable from the action, are
especially characteristic Of the roman
tir school. They are the scene in the
frst act. in which Sir Uladislas in
structs Rosenberg in the ways OF the
great world and recounts his amazing
adventures with fanciful rhodomontade,
and that in the second act, in which
Polacco, a strolling pedler, sells Rosen-
berg a mirror which reveals whether
an absent one is faithful. Serving as
comic relief, the scenes also heighten
the atmosphere Of the Hungary Of the
| legend at the time of King Matthias
| Corvins wars against the Turks.
Jules Renard is Of especial interest
as new writer, "Le Pain de Mensge"
bearing the date of 1898. There are
/ only two persons in the play, which is
reminiscent of Strindberg in its tone
and psychological action. The novel de-
| nouement, however, has a felicity OF
which Strindberg would have been in
| capable. There are two households un-
der one roof. Marthe, whose husband
| is asleep in his room, and Pierre, whose
wife is occupied elsewhere with her
child, are discussing a subject which
has become an obsession with them.
| 1t is question Of how soon Marthe
will fall into Pierre's arms.
Marthe admits that, although she has
no intention of dcceiving Alfred. she
would be disconsolate. were she sure
that she never would do so. Pierre
asserts that he can lead her far, but
she is In no hurry. A crucial moment
is apparently at hand, but Marthe fore
sees a future when they would creep
back to ask humiliating pardon. They
decide 10 be satisfied with the moderate
happiness which they possess with
their wholesome homemade bread.