The New York herald., 1922-04-02

though more usually tn latter, is, as
usual. well TO the fore. 1t is true that
except for the quaint setting there is
nothing particularly Muscovite in the
pleasant three act comedy. "L'Amour
Livre dor" by Count Alexis Tolstoy,
just produced at the TEeater du Vieux
Colomhier
The comedy has topical appeal in
that it has been forbidden by the
Soviet authorities in Russia, though it
is little difficult TO understand what
fault even the most perfervid poll
tcian has TO find with it unless it may
be the more or less sympathetic pre-
sentiment of a dead Empress. 1t Is
true that Catherine IL. acts as more
or less moral fairy godmother 70 a
young Princess living in remote dis
trict. to whom she sends first of all
book in praise of love la Francais
and later assists her in deceiving her
husband in favor of a young officer
of the Imperial Guard. AS in many
such productions the setting, with its
eighteenth century scenes and cos
tunes. is the thing that really matters.
In marked enough contrast Is La
Evreinov one of the more recent school
of Russian playwrights and producers.
II suggests the gloomy cheerfulness
which we more usually associate with
Russian character as shown on the
stage, providing Harlequin on the point
OF death, a Pierrot distracted with 1eal-
ousy and a Columbine who meritoriously
does her best to tighten Harlequins last
moments by dancing with him.
New Play Represents Real Life.
A play that comes nearer toward the
suggestion of real life than any Russian
production--and real life. after all. was
the original model upon which that o.
the stage was modeled---is NJ. Edouard
Bourdet's 'L'Heure du Berger" which Is
meeting with very considerable success
~ the Theater Antoine. It IS true that
the denouement though familiar enough
on the French boards. IS more than u
little unorthodox from the Anglo-Saxoh
point OF view. 1t deals with the ever
present theme OF letting furnished
house in this case in a Pyrenees resort
The tenants are a professor from Paris
and his daughter FrGncine, very charm
,rgly played by Nine. Marthe Regnier.
Their arrival Is resented by the son OF
the house. who wished 1t to be reserN ed
for one OF his female friends. That MS
disnutes with Frdrctre should inevitably
result in a love affair. however impron-
able in real life, makes a very sausfac-
tory little play. with the additional aa-
vantage OF being restful.
Probably. however, tho producton
which has and will have for some time
n come the greatest attraction for the
foreign visitor anxious to "see Paris
is the revue "Folies sur Folies' now
pursuing a prosperous career at the
evergreen Folles Bergere. And tnat, IL
must be said. Is anything but restful-
its obvious purpose being TO pile thril
upon thrill until the visitor scarceiy
knows whether he is In this Worid OF
is transmogrified into an ccclesiasticai
succeeds. especially in the scene OF me
ayitrail Illumine." in which the stage
;s transmogrified into an ecclestiacial
stained glass window. with Mephis-
topheles. attendant devils and a large
number OF young women, not too heaV-
iIy clad. disporting themselves appro-
priately.
The other "clou" is the scene known
az the Bronze Door," with Its rather
oyerbarbarous realism, successfully oe-
signed to "epater les bourgeois. tnouen
not apparently 10 the extent OF frignten-
ing them away. a.
Equally designed towurd that end IS
certainly .rDoralice." or Tho Metamor-
nhosis' by NM. Noziere and Georges
RiyoIIet tist produced at the frankly
named Theater de la Grimace. In this
the famous magician Cagltostro - IN
troduced armed with magic potion
which serves 10 transform men INTO
women and vice versa, with resulfs
which might be. but are not, left TO the
imagination.
Among the revivats OF which the
hao
share. a very welcome one ie that mas
terpiece Of pantomime. "Chand d'Hab-
its . by catulle Merder. which has been
revived at the Gaite-Lyridue, with NJ.
SEVERN. perhaps the foremost living
pantomirnlst, as Pier7-ot. while the Must
dora "a Mile Jasmine. a young dan
seuse OF unusual charm.
American ContraIto Pleases.
Miss Radiana Pazmor. a young Amer
lean contralto. worthily earned an ova-
ton at the Pasdeloup concert at the
Theatre des Champs Elysees by her
singing Of the part OF the Good Fairy
in fragment from the second act OF
M. Louis Aubert's lyric tale La Foret
Bleue." which had it's premiere at the
Bos,,~ opera IN 1919. but has not been
/ revived since the war. Although short.
the part nevertheless afforded the young
American an opportunity 70 show the
depth and richness Of n fine voice and
| capabie musicianship Another striking
American success was scored by Miss
Mildred wellerson. an eleven year old
American violincel,ist AZ the Theatre
Albert Ter. rt IL n little Unfair 20 speak
OF her as n child prodigy. seeing that
her playing IL quite sufficiently mature
10 stand on its own feet, without drag
ring IN the performers years. Certainly
her dazzling virtuosity. her bow work
and lingering. which would have seemed
impossible for the hands OF child,
we're only eduaied hv her fuilness. rl.h-
ness md sweetness Of ton, and The CAR
lty Of her phrasing. Her performance
Or Gabriel Faure's ''Elegie" and Of POP
per's Spinning Song" marked her IN
the eyes Of the critics as a player 20 be
rcckoned with now. ar1 stu more IN
the future.
Theatrlcaliy. and indeed musically
speaking, Paris Is in reminiscent mood
at least for the moment Perhaps the
mood os the moment was typified In tho
sudden death Of Henri Bataiiie at the
age az So NJ. Batailic was not only one
| of the most prominent serious dramatists
| Of to-day: his work was also a pro-
test against that prevalence OF the
sheerly petty which has been so sadly
in evidence since tho days when the
second loot became the drbiter cle-
| gdntidrUm OF the drama.
4 Talking 70 TIE Nrw YORK HERALD
years ago. before he became something
or a recluse so far as the press was con-
4 .o-nnd eva raSpead tptnrytoxro ryfth a