The New York herald., 1922-04-09
PARIS STAGE VAUDEVILLE
Paris Is Ready
With Mem Plays
for Easter Cr0vdS
Romantic Classical Drama by
Albert M. du Bois Scores at
the Sarah Bernhardt.

New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, March 20.
THE coming of Easter is making
itself felt in the theatrical
world, old plays being with
drawn or furbished up and new ones
prepared to catch the anticipated holi-
day crowds. Perhaps the most am
bilious of these new productions SO
far is Eagles in the Storm" roman
tic classical drama Of the old school, by
NJ. Albert du Bois. just produced at the
Theater Sarah Bernhard.
Like the majority Of such productions
nowadays it falls rather between the
two schools of presenting something
at once in accordance with the ''tradi-
tions" and remotely approaching real
life. 1t is set in Imperial Rome, with
ample opportunity for the classic sock
and buskin. Domitia Longina is en-
gagged TO good young man named
Aelius Lamia, who is unlucky enough
TO arouse the Jealousy OF the extremely
bad young man, the Emperor Do
mitian.
In the good old melodrama, Of course.
Domitia and Aelius after many and
fearful adventures would have fallen
into each others arms to the sound of
the Wedding March" in the final tab
leau, while the villain would have died
very unpleasantly. To show that he
has written a modern play M. du Bois
prefers to kill. by suicide. his good
Young man and to allow the heroine
TO fall into the arms of the villain.
But as you may imagine, vice is only
intermittently triumphant. Domitia is
out for b-er-lud and r-r-r-evenge, and
finally succeeds in the bringing about
OF Domitian's downfall and death.
The requisite modern psychological
lover is given by the brain waves of
Donlitia. who. while intellectually hating
the wicked Donlitian. finds herself ply
sically attracted by him. so that She
audience is left In a pleasurable state
of uncertainty whether she is really
pleased or regretful at his unfortunate
end. 1t is not. perhaps, very great art,
but It provides an apt vehicle :or Nine.
Vera Sergine. an artist worthy of better
things. for Mr.. Jacques Gretillat, as the
thunderous Emperor, and for NJ. Yonnel,
oS liaS Soou youhS iIlau iAciluS. ApOFc
all 1t serves as a solace to elderly play
gods who. seduced by the wiles of
propaganda. really were coming to be-
lleve that there was some new spirit at
work In the successful drama OF to-day.
For certainly there is no department Of
intellectual effort of which-with apollo
gies to Mr.. Gordon Craig and some
Little Theaters--it can so truly be said
that "the more 't changes the more 1t
remains the same"
'.Molierc re the Odcou.
More seriously considerable In itself
yet not less reminiscent, is NJ. Firmiu
Gemier's production of "Moliere" at the
Odeon. 1t Is especially significant as
being the first play produced under NJ.
Gemier's management of the National
Theater and while the staging and act
ing indicate that the old level will be
retained and. perhaps, even a little
heightened, the choice of a play srg-
gests that no startling revolutions are
TO be expected. "B1oliere' is, in fact,
not a play ut all---no ynore play. in
deed. than was abraham Lincoln
being. instead, a very pleasant essay in
hiography-of the more or less accur-
ate lxind--and enlinently calculated to
combine amusement with instruction.
The Moliere imagined by the authors,
NM. J. J. Frappa and II. Dupuy-Mazuel.
Is at least eminently picturesque. even
heroic, far more go than in real life, and
so is the play and the setting. which
shows us, incidentally. the Pont Neuf.
with the young Moliere assisting to
make the fortune of his Italian friend.
scaramouche. and, in company with
tsyrano de Bergerac. rescuing masked
lqdy in a sedan chair from wicked rob-
.Tt rle
NE" at Versailles and finally dying on
thc stage at the production Of lie
ialade Imaginaire." as history relates
with the masked lady assisting as more
a. less Greek chorus.
Rcyivals Are Numerous.
Among the revivals, Of which we have
r.oy so many, one OF the pleasantest or
those 70 which you can safely take your
mother Is probably "Miquette ct sa
Mere" tho very agreeable three act
comedy by NM. Robert de Flers and
q; A. Caillavet, which has been revived
1t the Theatre de Paris. 1t takes place
al Chateau u-Thierry-which may at least
suggest an interest to American Wis
itors-and II has the usual old fashioned
sweet Lavender" suggestion or this
type Of play-which Is at least pleas
anter than the average modern theme
and IL explains how the MARQUIS and
his son fall In love with the same girl
and how in the end the Marquis marries
the mother, leaving his sons path clear
toward eternal happiness with the
daughter. which may or may not be true
10 life.
The Aim version OF Senior Blasco
1hanez's -Four Horsemen OF the Apoca-
lypse," just produced at tho Vaudeville
Theater. IL not only drawing the in
.evitable crowded houses. but is merit
ing the serious attention Of the critics.