The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-25
Napoleon'S Son Lives Again in Tragic
PORTRAYAL by lie Gallienne in L'AiglOn

ID ing its chief role. Eva lie Gal
lenne once again assures herself OF
everlasting lame.
This play links her with the MEM
Dries OF Bernhard playing this same
role many years ago.
In this leely adapted version OF
the Rostand play BY Clemence
Dane. the characters do not move
about like puppets. but as real hesn
and blood characters.
Under the directing and acting
Genius OF Miss lie Caffeine, Lag
Ion. Franz. Duke OF Reichstadt, son
Of Napoleon. comes TO life. haunted
by the fear Of insanity which was
mart of him because Of the line OF
afflicted royalty on the side OF his
mother. Marie Louise, Napoleon 5
Austrian Empress
Miss lie Gallienne playing this
Youthful role captures these night
mares Of Franz IN such way 10
oake the character one never TO De
gotten.
have seen this star in many
r, and have seen her IN all OF
her big successes, but to me the
bigpest thing she has given the
stage is "L'AiglOn.' In TINS play
she is superb. doing the greatest act
ing Of her career.
She gives the role glamor, TO
nance. intrigue, cunning and the
knowledge that poor Franz VIII
never sit on the throne because OF
his physical weaknesses.
Miss lie Gallienne does not make
the son Of Napoleon a mental weak
ling. but a hoy loving the greatness
OF his father and fighting a physical
weakness which makes him putty IN
the hands of Metternich, Chancellor
Of Austria.
Great and powerful acting on the
part OF Miss lie Gallienne is present
because here is a great role. she
had dressed the part historically
correct. and back of the character
fzation as well as the production are
Years Of careful study and prepara-
ton.
This production is not accident. 1t
is the result of patient and hard
work. and so its great success right
now speaks well for this woman who
builds. directs and acts in her own
productions.
She mounts to great dramatic
heights when Metternlch forces
Franz TO look into a mirror
while the crafty chancellor points
out traces of many weaknesses he
has inherited
Those who see this play will never
forget the death scene Of Franz as
his spent body devOurS all Of his
mental strength. This death scene
on the part of Miss Gallienne is
one Of the five mightiest death
scenes I have witnessed on the stage
and I am not forgetting Bernhard
death in Camille"
Another fine contribution is that
of Robert Harrison as Flambeau. a
Crenadier and one of Napoleon'S
soldiers. His scene where he tries
to re-enact his duty of guarding
NapoleOn'S door as the great gen.
eral slept. is one of the high spots
of the show.
Merle Madden is Marie Louise
and she captures the moods of this
woman who seems to want to forget
she was NapOleon's wife and the
mother of the "EagleJ."
Averell Harris is magnificent as
Metternich and the same applies to
Sayre Crawley as Franz. Emperor
of Austria. His scene with Miss lie
Caffeine and with Mr. Harris when
the Eaglet pleads to be allowed to
return to France is one of the most
powerful in the entire play
There are nearly 80 in the COM
panv and il is impossible TO mention
all. The entire cast is excellent.
The production is one of great
beauty. being divided into two acts
with three scenes 70 an acI.
A musical score is used during
the play.
I saw this play in Cincinnati the
other night and I can state that
here is one of the ten greatest eX-
{ perienceS I have had in the theater.
Miss lie Gallienne opens tonight
FOR a two-night engagement at
+ EnCliSc's