New-York tribune., 1919-11-23
By Katharine Wright

Tres gai" will be the slogan of the
new Theatre Parisien at the Belmont
lheater this winter. The audiences
will probably be the same as those who
attended the performances given last
season by jacques Copeau's forces at
the Theatre du Vieux Colomb;er-
namely, foreigners who speak French
and Americans who cherish the delu
sion that they speak French But there
Will be a difference in the entertain
ment. Except for those fortunate ones
who have seen Carcassonne and who
may refresh their memory these audi-
ences Will have an opportunity. during
the next few months, to be enlightened
as to the plays Of the grand boulevards.
Ihey will observe the manners and GUS
toms of comparatively unfam liar types
and they will hear picturesque dialogue.
which will probably result in an lln
precedented sale of the latest diction-
arles of French slang. In other words
lifted. w
Last season Jacques Copeau present
ed series of traditional dramas and
academic comedies, masterpieces of
dramatic literature that delighted the
classlclsts and Clayton Hamilton. The
sort of person who exclaims. "I don't
speak French very well. but, Of course
l read it like Engli H. could be seen
IN numbers at any performance, "hold-
ing the book Oh the players and cx-
cltedly whispering "Oh, he said .Muh-
see-uh!' thought it was Mon
sewer = This method of acquiring
pronunciation, by the way, is not al
| ways safe. We have heard ostensiblv
"Parisian" companies speaking the
Jargon of France via Canada. Then.
too, people forget that even in French
straight from France there are as many
varieties. according to region, as tho g
familiar perversions of the English
language of which our Penn yivania
nurr, Southern drawl and Western
." rg are giarlrg examples.
St'll at the Theatre du Vieux Colom-
n,1 rler french was the thing to discuss
the plays themselves were well.
kno"n: Had not these earnest seekers
alter light ploddcd through Beaumar.
chals, Moliere, c rneille and Racine
IN the French class at school. As fol-
insen nn1 IN French or The Karamasoy
brothers'-these, of course, were
known by heart
>: put this year matters will be
different. No more will Alceste's horic
woo,ng of the fair Celimene sound {
pugle-cail to memories of school davs
Instead of hearing Molieres "Misan-
thrope" protest:
Mon amour he Sc peut concevoir
ct jamais."
"Personne ma, Madame. aime CONNIE
jec fais"----
me will learn the boulevardese TO,
Gee, kid, you look good to mel"
ihe present venture is probably ar
otfShoot of the failure of NJ. Copeau'
hlgh art 70 appeal to a cosmopolitan
audlence. Last year he told us, with
a melancholy shrug Of his shoulders
tnat what New York wanted was t.
be amused. He accused Americans o
not wishing to admire the classics O.
the French stage, OF refusing to b,
properly impressed with his mission
as an emissary in the cause of French
art. OF hankering after the Parisiar
equivalent of bedroom farces. although
at the time beds were the most promi-
nent articles OF furniture on Broadway
An Americans mental picture of ;
French play is Palais Royal fare,
Que voulez-vous-" he sighed. Nor die
ne spare his compatriots, in town. bu
cursed them for not giving him Iowa
support.
Accordingly New York is now t,
be amused. NJ. Robert Casadesu
listened thoughtfully to NJ. Copeau'
rawlings. This gentleman, brother O
Henri Casadesus, the moving spirit o
the Societe des Instruments Anciens
appeared In "Boubouroche" and othe
plays in the repertoire of the Vieu,
Colombler last season. On the pro
grams his name read modestly Rob
ert Casa" We do not know why h.
omitted the two final syllables. At an,
rate. he prepared to experiment witt
NJ. Copeau's discovery, formed com
pany in which engagements were con
dltional upon versatility, automaticall II,
engthened his name in keeping witt
his dignity as director. and announce,
his intention of amusing the public
"Our repertoire will be tres gai
the new director told US the other day
"Our only desire is to~bring a litti
corner OF the boulevards to New York