The New York herald., 1922-12-03
Delighted in DimcuIt Roles.


+, Her first great success, however. came
when she played the part of the Queen
of Naples in Madame Sans-Gene."
This role. which has been the stepping
stone to fame of many famous actresses
on the French stage. Immediately drew
attention to her. and it became prac-
tically certain that her hope OF becom-
ing a member of one of Frances ma
tional and subsidized theaters would be
fulfilled. Meanwhile Sorel went from
success to success. The most difficult
roles pleased her. She delighted in
them.
To-day she specialzes in roles OF a
''grande coquette." Nothing pleases her
more than stepping into fine clothes
and sarcastically rebuking (on the
stage) all advances made to her. Her
carriage and parsonage are we'll suited
to such roles.
Her rapid rise to fame In boulevard
theaters and the keen competition which
developed between theater managers to
possess such a star in their casts finally
attracted ministerial attention, and 1t
was decided that plays and roles should
be found for her AT the Odeon, where she
first appeared In 1898 In ''LAmour des
Betes.'' She remained with the Odeon
for three years and in July, 1901, starred
as the MGrqutse d'Aubry in Les Eff
frontes," by Emile Augier at the Com
edie Francaise.
She has been a member of that theater
ever since. Here she created lie Demi-
Monde" and 'L'Aventuriere''--pro
the biggest success of her career. She
was officially engaged by the Comedie
Franchise TO play ''grande coquette"
roles, but since then has on various oc-
casions played In drama. undertaking
roles which were never thought to be
hers. Mile. Sorels determination to
make good. however, prevailed and she
won out. Now she is equally able to
play comedy or drama, a considerable
accomplishment in France.
In private life Mile Sorel is probably
one of the most affable of women. She
Is endowed with an extremely strong
will. She refuses either to use or under
stand the word impossible. Nothing for
her Is impossible. When her mind Is
fixed on a given objective she does not
rest until that objective has been at
tanned.
Tears Down Picture.
This she proved conclusiveiy last year
when at the Salon des Independents, en-
ragged by a caricature Of herself drawn
and painted by Bib and picturing her as
an old, fussy and despicable woman, she
unhesitatingly pushed her way through
the crowd and tore down the picture and
stamped upon IT, She was made the
buttiof all jokes in Paris and France for
many months afterward. but she was
satisfied OF having obtained her objec-
tive.
on another occasion Mile. Sorel was
threatened with expulsion from her lux
urious fiat on the Quai voltaire, her
landlord having intimated his intention
OF living in the fiat himself. Cecil un-
hesitatingly went to court. and without
pulling any influential strings success
fully proved that In her fat she worked
rehearsing difficult roles, and that It was
absolutely necessary that she be granted
an extension OF her lease. Since then
landlords have changed.
Mile. Sorel has never married, not
that there have been no offers. Mar
riage proposals have been made to her
by the score. but she considers an artist
such az herself should give herself up en-
tirely to her work and not be tied down
by family worries.
So conscientious is she of her work
that her home Is decorated and fur
nished in styles which suit the roles she
plays She believes in being surrounded
by objects which remind her OF her work.
a connoisseur In art, and because most
OF her theatrical parts deal with the