New-York tribune., 1917-11-28
By Ralph Block

BY Ralph Block
/ Even the art theatre in America will
/ find much to study and pattern after
| IN the Theatre du ViGux- -Colombier,
which officially began its public exist
ence yesterday in the remodelled Gar
rick Theatre Building. in West Thirty
| NTH Street. Even though IT is a spirit
that Is charscteristieally French that
jacques Copeau gives 10 New York,
/ French in It's ability to ciesr of the
stage so many unessentisl things and
/ French IN its sincere reverence for the
spirit Of the theatre. N. Copeau will
1 probably be the last 10 look at this
new stage as merely a new French
theatre in New York. Actually it Is
much more than that, for IL recalls
mission Of honesty and respect for the
past Of which the art theatre here, in
VOWED IN the discovery OF so many
new forms, has scarcely been aware.
What the Theatre du Vieux-Colombier
proves. even IN so experimental a pro-
gramme ss its first. IL that the theatre
can give delight withou. violence, can
. find new sensations for the most jaded
/ by simplicity rather than complexity,
and can succeed without any of the
poses that confuse the theatre in its
modern development. claiming sub
stance and poetry where II does not
| exist.
The modern theatre has more than
ordinarily suffered from the neurosis
which has tried to find relief in hash
ing all the arts, intensifying sound
with color and fragrance. cross-breed-
ing the strain of action with the
strain Of music, of painting and OF
poetry. Many new beauties have come
Of il in moderate hands, but nobody
will deny that we have had 10 suffer
much from II, too, and that the push
ing and straining for prominence Of
this bourgeoisie of modern art has left
in the shade the proven and finely
tempered arts of the stages tradition.
Indeed, tradition is red flag TO the new
theatre. and it is something of re
lief TO find one new theatre that puts
the spirit of the play arst-even its
traditional spirlt-and makes every
thing else, staging, acting and setting,
follow. This is the Theatre du Nieux-
Colombier.
Jacques Copeau has made over the
Garrick Theatre almost unrecognizably.
10 has a pleasant warmth and intimacy
in its interior. but il is the stage
which is most interesting and most per-
suasive of continued attention. II Is
a combination Of stages. rather, the
iutting apron stage, the platform stage
in the centre, focusing attention there
on the action. and doors on both sides
Of the prOscenium orch to give more
extensive freedom of action where the
material calls for it. The casual In
spection of one performance was not
enough TO decide whether the simple
background OF pillars and curtains Is
permanent or temporary, but at least
it gives promise Of a continued sim
plicity and subordination Of setting TO
action.
The first programme of the new thea
tire has for it's chief material Moiiere's
brief farce, "The lmpostures OF Scapin.
The gentlemen who delve IN sources
have it that the great Frenchman, as
Shakespeare did, got his materials for
il from Piautus and Terence. and
even from Cyrano de Bergerac. II
really doesn't make much difference
anyway. Scapin is the conventional
rogue of his time, who gives happiness
TO two pairs of lovers by practising all
manner Of knavery on their fathers m
order to bring them together, and wins
even forgiveness for himself IN the
end It abounds in a well navored
humor, both of character and situation.
What distinguishes the presentation Is
the manner in which VI COpeau brings
out values Of comedy that might ordi
narily be hidden or lost by less IN
derstanding producer. He is himself,
as Scapin, an accomplished and versa.
tile actor and associates with hlmselt
another, Louis Jouyet, almost a. inter
esting. 1t is in the acting, however
that the Theatre du Vieux-Colombier
must confess its weakness, for the resi-
Of the cast discloses only familiarity
with the means OF acting any
brilliant and impressive command oi
them. -.
play The School for Wives" By a rival
PLAYWRIGHT. Louis commanded him 70
appear at Versailles and prepare a de
fence. giving him twenty four hours
notice. Il was this which produced .
.'Tbe Inpromptu Of Versailles on .
which n. Copeau has modelled the IN
PRODUCTION of himself and his company
10 New York. Doubtless audiences vii .
find much that is novel IN this discus
sion Of aims and purposes so nalVeIy
and frankly by a company IN every F.
state of stage attire. but the Copeau
arrangement of Moliere's device Is
illuminating and attractive. The i'm
,,ronntu" contains the whole Copeau
nhiIosophy of simplicity, and polhtedig
pnotes Moliere's advice to the actor TO
nortrav the part given him ratner thah
70 capitalize his own personsilly.
The programme OF the Iheatre uu
Vieux-Colombier closes with an inter
estino ceremony, IN which the entire
oor,rsnv helms 70 place the laurel on .
a bnet Of Moliere. The scene has d
classical flavor, an air Of propriety
snd OF respect for yesterday that Is
range in the United States, but IS
crtirelv in the spirit of France. All f.
the Gods Of the theatre are represent
cd. from Aristophancs TO Bea3marchais'
and the spirit OF the Theatre cu NieuN-
CoIombier itself. The Society OF An
Gent Instruments headed ly Henri
Cassdesus supplies the music behind
curtains.
The distinguished past Is always
novelty in the midst OF so intense
present That alone would give charm
10 the programme az the new theatre1
But the repertoire which Is PROMISED
will paint the present as we'll aud ~
il there that the public. which takes
special interest in the theatre as Que
Of the fine arts. will make It's real de-
cision as 20 the significance Of Jacques
Copeau's venture in bringing the The