New-York tribune., 1921-12-18
Lois WiIson in s'Miss Lulu Bett''
OnParis Boards
Continued from page one)
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"Let Us Dream" In this combination
the elder, Lucien Guitry, is the leading
male actor, playing from the pen of
his playwright son, Sacha Guitry.
Both are typical Guitry plays, inter
preted and written, "Let Us Dream"
being perfect foil, with it's frothy
though suggestive comedy plot, for the
heavier piece to come.
The curtain litter would sound bet
ter in Paris than in New York, being
one of those illicit triangles where the
lady i'll question fears that her repu-
tation is shattered because she has
stayed out too late with gentleman
of the Second part" She therefore
decides to let the scandal take its
course, get divorce and marry the
man and live happily ever after. A
telephone call to the conjugal domicile,
however, elicits that Friend Husband
has himself been out pretty late and
has not yet arrived. There is time for
Friend Wife to get home. Scandal, di-
vorce and remarriage are therefore
abandoned. She goes home and Friend
Husband is upbraided when he gets
Ill for nighthawking. This play
would probably have one-night stand
in New Haven, Conn.
"Jacqueline" is different. 1t is a new
version of the old problem. The ques-
c$t1 81
faithful wife should be slain or par
doned. Alexandra Dumas said: "Kil1
her. Sacha Guitry kills" his char
acter Jacoueline before the curtain
goes up and the audience never sees
her. But throughout the play specta-
torial interest uuickens with sympathy
for her memory and actually react
with pleasure to see her avenged.
The plot: Jacquelines husband, Ber-
ton. is very authoritative and brutal,
but loves her. Their best friends are
Mr.. and Mrs. Villeroy. Berton waits
dinner for the wife, who fails to come
home. A telephone call from police
headquarters tells that Jacqueline was
shot by Mrs. Villeroy, who found her
with her husband. Berton assumes that
she has been untrue and refuses to
grieve over her death. He glories in it
and aids Mrs. Villeroy to gain her
freedom from the law.
Berton picks up the acquaintance Of
a little demi mondainc named Suzette
and takes her with him on extensive
travels. Suzette tires of the moody
Berton and wants to leave him. He
offers her everything, even marriage.
She confesses that she is terrified at
his periodical brutality and will not
stay under any conditions. This
awakes a thought within Berton that
perhaps it had been the same with
Jacqueline-afraid Of him and untrue
as the result. He returns to Paris and
consults Vincelon, the artist, and his
great friend, who confirmed that
Jacaueline had been unhappy with him
because of his ugly moods. Nine. VIII
leroy comes to him with suggestion
that. she leave her husband and take
the dead wife's place. 1t is in frenzy
of disgust for her that he frightens
this woman and she raises revolver
u TO kill him. He disarms and strangles
her. He has avenged Jacqueline. The
audiences at the Edouard VII are glad
of it.
What are actresses to do when they
grow old is thrashed out in the play
"Comedienne," drama of feminine
vanity at the Theatre des Nouveautes,
Nicole, a famous French comedienne,
gives up the fight against wrinkles at
forty-fve, burns all her stage bridges
ritz for life of repose. Her decision
was advanced somewhat by the news
that Francois, the man she had al
ways loved, was engaged to be mar
ried.
By an early marriage Nicole had a
sen, Edward, who had spent years in
London. Preparing to enter the role
of mother for life, Nicole sends for
Edward, who arrived with wife and
son, Archie. "Hello, grandma" from
Archie, makes Nicole feel like Mrs.
Methuselah. She can never go before
Biarritz society as grandma" and
pride forces her to leave this fashion
able city for an obscure villa in the
Loire. Edward, however, has ideas
about life and chafes at the country
aslra Francois comes back to announce
taes f.e has broken his engagement.
Nicole's former manager tempts her
with the manuscript from the pen of
a famous playwright. But fear of the
discovery that she is grandma"
causes her to repulse both new fame
and happiness. On the insistence Of
Edward she returns to Paris. Once in
the gay capitol Edward leads the fast
life he craved and contracts many
debts for Nicole to pay. Unhappiness
ramps until FRANCOIS comes back and
Nicoie cn@SessAs. But she confesses
that the son is Archie and Edward is
merely nephew. Such is feminine
vanity, remarkably well done by Nine.
Gabriel Dorzlat: