Variety (November 1923)

VARIETY LEGITIMATE Thursday, November 1,1923 1M \\UCT refuses aid, but, angered by Ooi.ipus' perBlatent demand for the ! i;:!i, he criea out that Oedipus, hli yi-ir. Is the unclean thing. As (K'Oipus h.iH, as far as he knows, HvcJ a blameless life, he becomes enraged and accuses TireHiaa of being In a plot to place Creon on bis throne. The rest of the tragedy, one of the most carefully con.itruoled dramas In all literature, depicts Oedipus' airuggle.i to discover the Tacts, and, at the eamc time, to free himself from Tiresias' accusation, whose trutii becomes more and more evident momentarily. At last, after vainly clutching at straw after straw, he faces the terrible revela- tion that be has unwittingly killed hl« father and married hia mother. His wife-mot^er hangs herself; Oedipus stabs out his eyes and then stumbles jpoit th« stage to kiss liis children good-by and beg Creon to exile him. The tragedy, considered the con- summation of Greek drama, is the most remorseless portrayal of man's helplessness in the meshes of des- tiny ever penned. Ci.ught "in the fell clutch of circumstance," Oedi- pus in one day falls from supreme liappiness to unutterable misery for no reason whatsoever. The bitter truth of the theme and its perfect handling make the play of' absorb- ing interest. Aside from Its Intrinsic merits is its signiflcance historically. Written 2,Sa6 years ago, it is aston- ishingly fresh. Produced in modern manner, without a chorus. Its age would never be suspected. This Is <lue to the fact that not merely is Athenian drama the source of much of our stage, but It has been the direct Inspiration of many drama- tists. To say nothing of the French vlasslciste, when Ibsen re'volution- Ized the stage he went directly to the Greeks, and the resemblance of ■Ghosts" to "Oedipus Hex" is no eoincidence. Martin-Harvey's work was be- yond praise. In the Jong, exacting ■ ole he expressed vocally and physically all the ever-varying Hhades of emotion demanded with-< out in the least losing the dignity required by the part. Familiarity with the flat, monotonous tones used by many actors, made his use of high tones seem strange until it liecame evident he actually had, and <ould use with equal faciUty, both the upper and lower registers of his voice. Gifted with a splendid physique, Sir John was a magnin- <ent llgure as the favorite of for- tune and equally as pathetic as the hopelcsfl, blinded outcast. Miss Lewes as Jocasta seemed too young for the part, though she lilnyed with strength and sincerity. Notable was the Tircsias of Fred Grove, who flawleesly limned the crotchety traits of old age in the fearless soothsayer. The others did well, but all faded before the pres- ence of Martin-Harvey. Least satisfactory was the chorus of 11 old men (Sophocles UBCd ID), who chanted the noble lyrics to no l-^rent effect-, but it is jiresumably impossible on the modern stage to iipproximiUc the Greek chorus with (heir endless traditions and years of (mining. Although the Greek spirit wac re- i.'uned, the production was, of < oiirse, modernized. No women appeared in Greek playH; there was no stage, as the whole dr.ima w.is producii in a liirpe orchestra riri^k; the uctors vkoie masks, wliii h wouUI nntiiially Iu4ve precluded Martin-H.'ivv< y .s le- ■ •iiiikable facial play; and, eince the |ii( c!iirtion« were (>inn-air, Bta;,'e lilihtinj; v,:i< unheard of. The other differences were tech- urral and of interest only to XI holnrs. Although the play ran for Iwo hours without a break, th<» Greeks would have fat through 'hree such tragedies, fulluwed by a iHrce. The EnRli.«h-.SpealiinB Union of the United 8tatee spon.sored the vpening with a committee of 42 notables, amonp whom were David Helasco, E. H. hothern and Augustus Thomas. The Century was crowdei. with a very disiinRuished audience. »x- (ending lo EllJ;la^d'^ eminent player an enthu.sia.«tlc greeting. It was too much to expect the piny would be a popular succpfjs. Kir John will follow it with others. l<ul it It could be jazzed up with Home movie title like "Who Are My l'aMnt^•■'" to draw tliem in, it would h.ivr an <vcn chance. .4u»(in. •nythinc op "Third Tear French the offering Is also out. They man- aged to make tbe Moscow Art the- atre players comprehensible, but the program for the Golgnol lends no guiding hand. It gives the bare ele- ments of tbe plot, but it holds out the big point, and half the time this loses effect because the auditor misseo all the shadows that lead up to the climax, and the prelimi- naries are the meat. Besides which it isn't always possible to get the climax itself from a care- ful reading of the vague program synopsis. Even through the fog of an alien language there Is eomething about the company that creates «n im- pression of artiflclolily. They do try BO hard to be funny or terrify- ing that you see the false mechan- ics of it all and you get in the frame of mind that U'» only a the- atrical Khow and It decent matter much whether the murderous apache confronted by the body of his victim on a slab in the morgue confccses or not. These players create a fccUng of falseness that destroys illusion. Besides, you're constantly both- ered by confusion. In "Alclde Peple" you wanted to know if the agitated person who first entered after the supposed dcatjj of Alcide wae a doctor. The prograir* men- tioned a doctor, but this pcnson was horrified at the sight of a corpse, so he couldn't very well be a physician. It turned O'.it that he must have been the docteur .r.en- tioncd becatisa nobody else could be. In the liaal number "Les Cru- cifies" ("The Crucified") it Irked you not to know whether Billy Stone really had been murdered by the British. And who was the old patriot's companion on the night of his doom'' You couldn't get it from the action. This last two-act play, occupying about an hour, is the best of the trio. It has two scenes that are impressive in a way. one where the revolutioniata murder and crucify the royalist and the finish where the laet of the four murderers is terrified to death by the appearance of a luminous cross on the door be- yond which the murdered man Jias been hidden. There v/as some kick to the latter incident, helped out by a vociferous preparation with much loud talk and violent gesturing. But it struck one as a pretty crude device on second thought. The performance starts with "Sur la Dane" ("On the Slab"), with a cheap setting representing the Pans morgue. An apache has been arrested charged with tl.e murder of a soldier and refuses to confess. The morgue keeper tries the "third degree." He has him- self placed on the slab under a sheet while the apache l« left to help himself to all the absinthe he can hold. After a lot of pure French monolog. the apache roes cooroo on ali.sliithe and his guBt and screaming his confession, crashes the absinthe bottle on tlie morgue keeper's covered head, turning what might have been a grim epitiode into grotesque farce as the morgue keeper rolled off the slab groaning over his cracked he.id. "Alcide Pepie" (with n trademark 6ver the first "e" In Peple that isn't on any BtrKtly American linotype) is a fartc about a bibulous hus- band who brings an exceedingly drunken friend home. The friend appears to drop dead and a lot of coiiiplications develop amid much talk The husband is Informed he will I'.ave to provide a funeral, and hia wife in night gown and curl- papery upbraids him tall stock stuff). The situation chanfjcs when the fiu|ipo.sed dead man, wlio has been in-,'i drunken .slumber, comes to life by wakiiiK up. It's .1 raw deal to hang up a per- formnmc In French on a reporter who has to_ stand by the Variety batting average. A reporter would be juxtllied in passing the buck, but "no opinion" goes for a zero. Nothing could be worse, so here goes: It's a flop. The inside of it is that the Boss once passed a F'reneli acrobat on the reporter and the reporter in a moment of inspiration snid "Chez Marinelli," which Ee'm<d to en- lighten the aeroliat. Hiish. GRAND GUIGNOL Tt.jr.l b),| of Ihp Cm 1(1 r.in^'m.i j |,-.y. fff Just rr.iin I'nrN. pi. --.vnivxi by t lif «<lwjrt)># at Ihr Kix.ht. filiip l hn N.-w Aim- **tcrd.im. MM. (iaPlon Iiu-ii.i*i and itntTKiy Rahiwni Jmpn «nrij. Th" rhroe plrcpK art) "Oii \ho Khth, * n mnrpuo rwir- ror wilh A (nuph in it** t"irii«th by AiHlr.' ilv Ijfij-iie i.nd iiii IK'-** Mmilpnai ; "A i- I Idn Prpi"'." fan-.-, by Aiiiiai.t .M.'*r:;;iii Mnd A. V«rC4)UiI. hifUt *iiit. 44vt tiM. c tj,^ . mni "The ('rucifled," a K'ini twi'm f Tn.r-n it- I'U>- of ]rt>l.tti(], liy A r. ArtiL iiv untl Oiail«?» Poldlon" JVriniFie lift. IMt ]j, hM Ihrc^ erttirifi^ vue lu • ;irh ji.iy or playlet. In the CAM wore Tj*»o Tnitartl, ^nriiut-H Ponveii, lioulii DrfirHiic, Jiinn liav. I<.i:'b- nt Ppller. Maurirt- Jlenrirf, Juni* Mt'tyrm, Marrfil V^nMnzfn. JuUt Syl^eri, .iiitt-H HylvtfTf, WUe. Mfirrelie f(>lila, I'liul Hienjer. An •nt^rtftinment for the New Yorker unequipped with J'Vom h. the Grand Quignol players nn* a dead iosn on thrills, horrorn <ir «iMriia r«r anv Amerleaii wlUi ELSIE JANIS' CONCERT Elsie Jams M.irted her initial con- cert tou.- at the Academy of Music. Urooklyn, N. Y.. i^itiirday iiiglit (Oct 27) under the direction of It. E. Johnston. Previously on Satui'day afternoon Miss .lanis li.id been tjre«< nte.l with the key to the Horougli nf Prnoklyn Willi .'111 alliiid.'int eelelir.ition on the steps ol the Poioiijih Hall. Addi- ticiiially 111 the way of puLilnity there bail hei n gineious advani.c stuff in tlio newspapers announcing the key pii seniation ceremonies niicl the fart (if Miss .Iiinis' eonrcrt debut at the Aiadtiiiy. Admission lan to $2.7C> n\cMi (somedy there's the orchestra and •urroundlngs that creals ready- made atmosphere fer th« artists. In concert It'i different. No orchsstra; no atmosphere. The artists must create their own, and that Is exactly what Elsie Janis did to perfection Saturday night, and with the added handicap of a very small audience. There were two assisting enter- tainers and an accompanist—Paul Ryman, temjr; Rudolph Bochco, vio- linist, and Lester Hodges, pianist. Mr. Kyman started It with two num- bers, nicely varied in style. He has a pleasant tenor of average quality, keeping precisely to the tone aimed at, no matter how high it Is, never permitting his topmost tones to be- come sharp, as so many concert tenors do. The two songs were well received. Miss Janis appeared following. Her first contribution Included a negro song. "Can't T>rt Nothing." done in remarkably faithful dialect; a SpanlBh number sung in that lan- guage, with the enunciation, p:o- nunclation and accent amazingly convincing; an English coati;r girl of the type somewhat of .a. French counterpart of the girl of "My Man," and for the fourth number. "When you Walked Out Someone Else Walked In," a pop number. Miss Janis' coster girl he'd a note of authentic pathos subtly suggested that vied with the comedy points she, developed in such generous measure from the same number. The modern jazz business aocompanying the "Walked Out" song was perfect. Rudolph Bochco, the violinist, was next. He Is a serious-faced chap whose platform demeanor must have suggested (XMnedy possibilities to Miss Janis, but she refrained. Con- cert is concert and must bo dignified if anything. Bochco played the Meditation from Thais." and did It will for his open- ing. The other number was a gypsy dance by Sarasate, fuM of intricate tiowing tricks and holding several fiery passages that called for genu- ine tcchnlc. The violinist handled the most difllcult movements adeptly. Miss Janis, on again with a French number sung In French with an Inflection that could pass muster on the Champs Elysees. There was talk of a comedy nature with this impersonation, and it "clicked" sure- ly. "Do It Again." done in French and in French .iccentcd English, and "Wild About Harry," in French and dialect French-English, were includ- ed in this section. Miss Janis lnc|., dentally looked a picture in her Frcnchy costume. After intermission which followed. Paul Ryman did three tenor solos of the concert type, each scoring effect- ively. Then Miss Janis on for sev- eral character dances—Russian, Irish, Spanish, and Axnerican }azz. The Jazz was the best of the four, the others being best described as average, but a good variant for the singing and music. Bochco again, with three numbers, the first Introducing some effective octave fingering; the second, more Intricate pyrotechnics, with another Sarasate composition as the mode of expression, and the third an Oriental selection. Both Ryman and Bochco scored heavier the second time appearing than the first, each if In vaudeville receiving sutnclent applause to stretch out many encores. I<}ddlc Leonard could teach those concert follows a lot about jockeying ap- plause. Miss Janis' fourth appearance of the evening had her doing impres- sions of Ethel Barrymore, Sam Bernard, Fanny Brice, Leo M. Cohan, Bill Rogers, and an English Johnny, ns the foregoing might sing or discuss the "liananas " soiik- Miss Janis did this in vaudeville when la.st playing the Palace. As an Imitator she is inimitable, and the concert audience were aa quick to recognize ^ as vaudeville and musical comedy has been. A brief dance by Miss Janis, in which she further demonstrated her ver- satility by turning a corking cart- wheel, completed hai- offering. Miss Janis never worked harder than she did .Saturday night at the Academy. The only reference, to the small audience made by her was in a good-natured vein, and that was only to state she w.is game and would do In r best to make everybody enjoy themselves, reg.'irdless of the size of the house, •She kept her word. BriJ. -trrpT- lii s|iili' of the gonil advance work Mlfs .liililH ilcliut. ho'.vrvrr. was not .'I linalli lal surrcss The spacious Aeaileiny showed nuineruus lonesome stieti'licH cif empty se.it:', anil the inir-tlm'il iif a lioiisr that was in held indiiatiDiis ot holding more or less "paper" One Iliiiii' was indispiit.ibly evi- ileni'Cil S.'ilurd.'iy night, thoUKh; Miss .lanin has all the requirements for siniTsN MS a concert entertainer. 'i'liime concert things are pretty nil! as A rule and Saturday's was no cji) rplioa. Id vaudeTill* and ma- RUNNIN' WILD i^olor»?<l mu^If'Sl sh'iw «rtnrr'.nK MUlT and l.ylt'n. who wi'iit*- ttic b<<4(. Srort' Ijy J.niir-s .lohnson ntiil rp'-il Mnrk. ririnr.'« Hnj;p,l by I.ytlji Wf.bb. lYiMlurp,) hy (;f>orK(' 'Whit*' nt the Colonial, upentng 0*.t. L>tl. llmlo MoRp r. W^'^l^y Kill ....Arlltiir I', i'nrlt r I.ion'') Moiit.-iKnii (tcveltft Huchrs . . . . Ilt'nri^c .''tci'liPlii l'«Ml C. y\r.yi] M;itti» WilUrn M.f.i I.,.i Tluii. Ailalido K.ill F. K. Miilcr A. I, I.ylii. KiiiUe flroy T.immv W,,.jUo IJlH li» AnioH Tom Hii.irprr Klhpl >lill .la. V Vonii Dilcctivc Wli*... Ati^. Hllni lirei-n. Miimly I.illif Ailaln.l€- .strvc JpnklnB.... Mnln I'rck Willie l.lvo Chict He* ('"P--. IIphiI W.-iltor lliilh t.llllf .■SllaR *;rri-:l Itont 4'a[>lnlti. .',.. Ham Flo*mil I,Uf'y (.anhy IllIlUT I.lKtXnlnK i:tl.-irli'i Ohl KliMhplh W.'l«h J. W..,',fy JiTlM-y ....Jaine.n ((. Wx'iJmoii llfOrKn Mfani;)!'!' .Kii(hf-'iin« y.irtHiroiinh Doll (.Tf I(.ali>h llryRoii AnKrlinjh Uiuwn (JcorircKe llaivey There have been a niimb«r of at- tempts to stick over a colored mu- sical hit on Broadway ever since "Shuffl* Along" hung up a record. All that was accomplished was to •urfaH Broadwair witk allecedly "hot" blues songs and provide com- edy for other revuss. "Runnin" Wild" rates as the b««t of the colored productions since "Shuffle." It has better comedy and is similarly apotted to "Shuffle," since the Colonial is but a block from the 63rd Street (now called Daly's), is adjacent to the West Side colored section known as "Son Juon Hill," and also to the subway lines which tap Harlem's colored belt. More important, perhaps, is that the theatre management and the show are interlocked. The house management is Arch Selwyn and George White, and the latter is the producer of "Runnin' Wild." The matter of a stop limit will not enter. If it makes a profit both ways White will be a double win- ner. The Colonial was once one of the best of the bis time vaude- ville theatres.. In recent years it has been a problem for the Keith office and started this season with a split week policy. Vaudeville eon- certs will be given by Keith's on Sundays, reserved when the lease was made placing the house in "le- gitimate." The premiere Monday night cre- ated a distinctly favorable Impres- sion. The sponsors expressed some doubt alwut the first act, but that portion of the show got over even better than the suppo.sed sure sec- ond act. The excellent comedy bits In the early section landed sijrely, and there the best of the fairly good score was sung. F. E. Miller and A. L. Lyles, the comedy team, also In "Shuffle Along," are starred In "Runnin' Wild," for which they supplied the book. Their comedy contribution in the latter piece was passably good, though 80mcwh.1t shadowed by the weight of mekxlies and per- hap.i the newness of the rising school of high brow singing come- diennes. In their own show the boys are heaps better, certainly more effective. From a diBcu3.slon about what be- came of the money in two ventures they h.id tried tho laughter flowed plentifully. Anent a shoe shinlug business down In Yazoo,Miller ex- plained, "De ducks got it," and to prove his statement re-id from a memorandum: "Rent deduct $10," and so on. That led to a "positive proof" that 7 plus 13 equals 28, with the team taking turns in marking figures on a shite outside the shack where they were supposed to sell coal and wood. They proved it by "revision" and "mulslfylng," the bit being one of the funniest In sea- sons. Later a rnow scene supposed to be In St. Paul was also good meat for,the comedians. It is an elabora- tion of the thermometer bit In their former vaudeville routine. The plot thread deals with several colcred men having disappeared, re- sulting in Insurance companies doubting their death. The trail leads from Jimtown, "down South," to St. Paul and back again. Tho comedy high light of tho sec- ond act is a "ghost association" meeting in an old barn. Miller and Lyii'M. bai-k in town and now pos- .sessed of strange powers, having been let in on some family secrets, docla:'o they will start tho session by talking to a ghost. They are as Kcarcd ,",s the villagers, and when a couple of things happen, one adds they'll prabably begin with a fool race. "Old-Fa.'hioned Love." "Open Your Heart" and "Charleston" are the best of the song numbers. The llrst two are of the ballad tyi)C, though translated to Jazz for cho- ruses. The score Is credited to James Johnson and Cecil Mack. Its sing- ing by Ina Dunean, Adalade Hall and Arthur T). Porter drew a series of encores. Miss Hall, the Ingenue, Injected the, "moaning" part of the trio work,'' the strange variation counting In the .^coring. Later the same warbler displayed a different iUyle of her "moan" with "Love Bug," Luell.-i Hughes and George Stephens duettcd "Open Your Heart." Miss Hughes is the prima donna, with .a rather good voire, V^lizaheih Well h, the soubret, car- ried "Charleston," Perhaps the best scoring In a warhllnp way fell to a female quar- tet mailc up of prineipals. Several old nielodies were harmonized along with the new. The quartet conslst- >'d of the Misses Hughes, WeUh. Hall and Georgette Hn-vey. The dancing features were In- serted often, but not all the hoofers were proKramed. Three lads fri>ni Phil'ideliihia uneorkeil a step th.at oanght the fancy of the hnu.':!-. An- other ehap with shiny hai>- trotti il out in the sf-onil and was a hit: yet his number 'was net Jisted. Tommy Wnnrta in the first a. t won the Indlviilml dance honors. He Is Rtorkily huilr. which nnido his easy aerohatie Ktvle the more ranprising. He wan nf the Four Iianeing De- mons, ttill a vaudeville act. Anmiid colored show circles hooting l.sn't regarded anything except Innal, Mattie Wilkes w present. Ina Dun- can's eharatterization ns n sweet mammy stood out as one of the best roles. The chorus are without tights virtually throughout tho show, in- cluding a number staged in the snow scene at St. Paul. Most of ths girl* ar* Usht and * vronp of four al. moat white. The bare leg Idea waa carried out among most of the womt.i pnlncipals. and It worked out rather 'well. Some girls made u* their knees, foe no reason. The dances were staged by Lyda Webb, a girl director being some- thing of a novelty, and the numbers were well paced. One step was quite like a movement of the Tiller Girls. Of the five scenes in each act three full stage settings are given each' act. both finale scenes being best. The production does not look costly, but Is better than the other - colored shows. Several costume de- signs showed out, the first act finale particularly. There tho choristers ■sported patent leather sailors and white wigs. "Runnin" Wild's" comedy and Its dancing should carry It for a run engagement on Broadway. The show drew between $10,000 and $11,000 weekly In Boston and claimed to m.ake money even though Miller and Lyles are supposed to get $2,000 weekly. Lyles is tho smaller of tho team and the funni- est.' His front name Is Aubrey, but he only uses initials and can afford to if the salary is anywhere near what it"s quoted. Ibec. SCARAMOUCHE Rafapl Sabtttlnrfe romantic play, spon^orM by CTiarle* L, Wagner, at Morocco. N»w T«rk. upeiilMfc Oct, IM. Based on Satutlni's novel of iwnie nama. Htased t>y Cllfrord BrooKf). SMnoy Biackmer featured. In four acta and four scenea. Costumo piny of French Uevolulion p«r1od. wllh iic«nirry and coatume (1r«iffnlng criHlitM) to T. M. Cleland. l^eaftrciieB, lamllonl of Breton Inn Wm. Crimans IjC CtiapMler. a lawyer of Rennea, a revolotlonlsl Stanley Ilowlrit Flortmonil Klnpf. pantiitoon.H, Coofier-Oiflo Membrra of the Blnet Troupe— I'ierrot .Knox Herald IN^lchlniHlle J. M, Kerrtsan Harlequin AHyn Jnelya Rhodomont Waiter TImmIs Paequarlel Herbert Belraore (.eamler Arthur de l,ans1ii Si^araniouche Sheldon SUuiwood (Vtmene Vlvlenne Oabomo r.iiumbine I>ot«thy Tlemey The Duena Mary Cecil Philippe de Vllmorin, a younc abl>« B. J, Uailantin* Andre I>iui» Moreau Sidney Ulackmer Jacqura. a footman Orlo Shcldoo Uulntin de Kcrcadlou, I^rd of (VlvrtUac, John I>, Shine Cemteiwe lie Plougaalcl..... .Perry Hnawell Aline de Ker^adloo MarsaJo Glllmoro Uervala dc ia Tour, Marqula of Aayr Frederk! Worloek CkevaHer d* <-hnbrlHane.. .Robert L* Sueur 8>.rKe«nt of Oendarmerlo Tim Walters Fenclns MASler John Turner Duroc. an oflloe 4tf the Section I,ep«He- t(er WaUer Crlraaa* Ocndarnics. m.n of the Section Iy;pelleWer Bbots and murmara by Mejgra. Owen. Kefin, Wennlns. Coulherd. Smith. Frank. Bil^ Water and other*. There is considerable "inside stufT' linked with the production of the Sabatlnl play, and a brief recital of this is necessary toward the sum- ming of the play"8 chances. "Scara- mouche" was originally a novel, the dramatic rights to which Ch.arles L. Wagner acquired. This may or may not be Mr. Wagner's initial venture Into tho leglt field as a. producing manager, although he Is a sh<)wman of standing, identified with concert management. Wagner deemed the peculiarity of the title required strong advance advertising and hit upon the idea of relling the film rights to Metro on the understanding Metro would bring its film production Into a Broadway house for a pre-release run a month before the stage ver- sion made its debut. That isn't such bad head work, with the producer's judgment, of course, standing or falling by the result of the plan. That for the "inside" of it, other than that .Sabatlnl, although men- tlonod otherwise by t^e dally critics, actually wrtTTc the stage version him- self. His Latln-sounding name fooled the allegedly erudite dally critics, who commented on why the "adapter" was not credited. Saba- tlnl spent much of his life In Lon- don and writes all of his romantic novels In English. His mother Is of British extraction and his father was John McCorm.ick's vocal tutor. Wagner is of McCormack's business ■ m.anagement, so tho chain Is thus completed. "S'.'arnmouche" Is a play of con- siderable charm, color and preten- tion. It tells a story of the French Revolution much like several others. A couple more of such plays and one wouldn't know who was responsible for the emaiicipatloii of tho French bourgeoisie. In "Searamoiicho"" Andre Louis Moreau is piir!)orte<l by his silver tongue .'ind glib persuasion to h.ave been no small factor In overthrowing the despotic yoke of tho tymnnical noblenii n. f)f noble extraction and of great prohiif^e as an advoo.ito In Hreton, ho in swung to tho prole- tarian r.'iii.'e through tho brutal iniir- lor of his friend, Philllpe, a young ahhe. The j.'i^re'i-fntTTnTrdBfi'BmrrnTntTt-— ini; lip villi ;i troupe of itinerant mo^inti'ljaiiks, and through the ah- s( no" of ' ."-tiaiamouehe," the mis- I'hlcf-m.'iUer. modestly admits as to his Thespi.in pnwrrs. sulllcient, at le.-isl. to in.ike the ".Scaramouehe" rolo .a means to elevate the r.tarving troiiperH to more lofty histrionic plnnaclf H. Andre Lnls Moreau does that self-same thing by tho third act, which finds the company en- trenched in its own theatre at Nantes, and the Marquis of Azyr, the hero's sworn rival, paying ardent