The New York herald., 1922-10-15
Partisan Critics
Busy With Plays
Under Rehearsal
Brieux's 'L'Avoeat' and Natan.
sons Translation of Knob
lock Are Condemned.

Faris tneaterland when the
Mogador is to give gala display in
honor Of the fiftieth anniversary of the
first performance Of "L'Arlesienne." /"
This play. by Georges Bizet, is prob
ably one of the most successful ever
producedan France. It's reputation to-
day is worldwide and the music ac-
companying 1t is to-day as popular as
ever. "LArlesienne," which is again
TO he played during the winter, has
had the honors of the Odeon foot
DoRrds and has also been filmed.
critics are being kept busy. for the
moment has come when new plays are
rehearsed and criticized. Practically
every night dress rehearsal takes
place. Two OF the most notable of
late are "IfAvocat,' by Eugene
Brieux, staged at the Vaudeville Thea
tre. and "L'Eveil du Fauve," which is
a translation from "ThA Awakening OF
the Beast" by Edward Knoblock and
adapted to the Theatre des Arts by
Jacques Natanson. The critics have
been fairly severn with both plays--in
the former case severe with the author
himself and in the second with the
translator and adapter OF the play.
Spectators and audiences alike complain
that on many occasions they fail to
grasp the meaning of NJ. Brieuxs play,
and they fear that the author, himself a
brilliant lawyer of the Paris bar has
lat J, t1z
with that career and has not considered
the fact that when he wrote the play
he was catering for the public. NJ
Erieux. when approached on the matter,
willingly agreed that there are passages
in the play which appear complicated,
and that following it's initial presenta-
ton he had an idea to call the play back
and completely rewrite it,
Critics who consider NJ. Brieiix pos
sessed OF an extraordinary talent are
wont to remark that the author has
used such talent in the technical part of
the play, but has not employed it with
much success in the actual writing. The
plot concerns n rich woman who, out OF
love for her lawyer, kills her husband
and is brought up to trial. LAvocdt
naturally helps her in her defence. and
1T is at this point that critics are most
severe. The words NJ. Brieux has put
into the lawyers mouth do not appear
convincing enough to the average play
gocr to justify the woman's acqnittal,
which eventually takes place.
Criticize the Translator.
In regard TO Mr.. Knoblock's play
criticism Is addressed to M. Natanson
because his translation is considered
faulty in the sense that jokes or witty
expressions exchanged in the play have
a totally different meaning in English
and French. Where passages of the play
are terribly sentimental In English they
make French audiences smile, supposedly
because the passages are translated too
literally. With a few alterations in
this line--and they are really easy to
make--the play will undoubtedly enjoy
a long run in Paris. for the plot appeals
to the French people.
A scare was recently thrown into
French official and artistic circles by
the announcement that the Opera was
threatened with collapse. Happily mat
ters are not as serious as generally sup
posed. The heaviest damage appears to
lie around the seats, boxes and various
recesses in the building proper. Such
has been allowed to accumulate in those
parts. 1t is true, however. that the
National Theater OF France needs to
he overhauted and. IN parts, strength
ened. The walls are not by any means
On the verge OF collapsing. but. as the
opera is surrounded with underground
railways, which cause the building to
vibrate, It Is deemed necessary to take
steps 20 strengthen the supporting walls
Scores of the seats need TO be completely
replaced and a general dusting and
cleaning Of the institution will render
It more inviting.
Paris Is evidently 70 be flooded with
titles OF n Germanic origin this winter
Every little review that is presented
has for title something 70 do with GER
many. Sometimes such titles deal with
the Ruhr. at others with the Rhine the
Kaiser's memoirs and his love affairs
With French sufiixes the titles readily
catch on. The ingenuity displayed by
theatrical advertisement writer's, how
ever. catch on just as much. Day to
day happenings are carefully watched
by such writer's and the recent Carpen-
tier-Siki fight gave them enough adver-
tisement food for at least week. while
ons theater proudly boasted that its
show had knocked out Sild. because he
had TO roll on the floor with laughter
another remarks that Carpenter onlv
stood up TO his opponent for a few min
utes, while popular operette had s,lc-
ceeded in holding out for more than n
year.
sore1 for America.
Cecil sorel has definitely made lin her
mind TO leave very soon for America az
tho head Of an important party of
French actors and actresses. In America
and Canada they intend to show "Ie
Mlsanthrope," ia Megere Apprivoisee. :"
Marion Deorfne," ''Tartuffe," "I,'Aven-
"(sorel's greatest success on this
side). lie Marriage de Figaro" 'Te
Demi -Monde''> and Ia Dame aux ca
melias." The party expects to bo away
two months.
Georges Clencnceau, the former Pre-
mier is not only In the llmelight po-
ltically once more. but also in the theat-
ricai world here. NJ. Clemenceau several
years ago wrote "a play called lie Wolfe
du Bonheur" (tho Veil of Happiness) .
IL had considerable success here and
then emlsrated 10 foreign parts ana Of
late has registered equally as big a sue
cess In Argentina Attempts are now 10
be made to revive the play here during
the winter. and II is understood that the
former Premier is quite agreeable.
They twomen) all climb UP th0rs. :
is a title OF n new review presented Mt