Show DRESS REHEARSAL OF Artistic and Dramatic World of Europe Attends the Open Opening Opening Opening ing Performance PIECE VOTED A SUCCESS SAID SAI TO HAVE SUR SURPASSED SURPASSED SURPASSED PASSED EVEN CYRANO Paris Feb 6 The dress rehearsal of Edmund at atthe atthe atthe the Porte St S1 Partin theatre tonight In lii Inthe II the presence of a remarkable audience comprising the elite elte of the literary ar artistic artistic and dramatic world word of ot Paris as aswell aswell well wel as other European capitals was an artistic success of the first magni magnitude magnitude tude the exquisite verse being up to the finest traditions of poetic genius The brilliancy of the first act which was preceded precede by a charming prologue de delivered delvere livered lvere by Jean Coquelin preparing the audience for the atmosphere of the piece x fairly set the theatre mad with wih enthusiasm But the second and third acts which were somewhat tedious were lesa less favorably received In the last act however enthusiasm was revived to the boiling boing point There were five calls cals after the curtain fell feU but M Rostand himself himsel did not appear l M who took the part of stepped before the curtain and simply ex cx expressed expressed pressed his thanks thank Thrilling Plot The piece was staged and the plot thrilling M 1 Guitry Guiry Mme Simonne LeBargy the hen pheasant Gal the blackbird and Coquelin the thedo do dog og carrid carried off of the honors The he secret of the many delays incident to the presentation of the play is now Explained by the changes made at the end of the play The hen pheasant after vainly trying to Induce whom she has enticed to the forest to prolong the night hours in their nuptials betrays him and he returns to the barnyard to his faithful hens The critics generally consider that the brilliancy of the verse surpasses even eveH Cyrano If i that be possible but the ar artistic 01 artistic ts tc note struck is la so high that they the doubt whether the play will wi be a popular success after curiosity has worn off offIt offIt It I is rumored that M 11 Rostand himself himsel will wl play the role of at the benefit to be given for the flood suf sur sufferers sufferers Unique Production probably is the most unique production ever presented on the stage No human character appears in the cast The dramatis personae are fowls birds and animals and und as they are necessarily as a large as the men and women who enact the parts everything which appears upon the stage is upon a corresponding scale sale the hero Guitry Is filled fied with ith illusions about abut his place in the world He imagines he is master of the sun that the sun rises at the end of night because bause has ha awakened and crowed The plan dispels this illusion iu sion aba crowe in the heart of ot alone The Th first act opens opens with the sun ris rising rising risIng ing on a barnyard A mountainous man manure manur manure ure ur pile pie is on one side of the stage A fence fenc which seems Immense because it is In proportion separates the yard ard from a ard road rd beyond which is a forest back background background ground To the right a wooden shoe forgotten by b the farmers farmer wife wie Is s of o the size siz it i would appear to the chicKen and ana anaa anua I a chair completes the scale sale Illusion its legs which alone are seen sen being eight yards high 1 Hails Hais the Sun In the th center of the stage with wih his companions of ot the barnyard barnard grouped around him hails hals the sun whose first rays ras gild gid the scene in a hymn full ful of the poets pets lyric magnificence On the manure manur pile pie perches the blackbird jealous of the cock and breaking into his noble sentiments with jibes and puns after the manner of Cy Cyrano Cyrano Cyrano rano The dog Jean Coquelin Is the thedrol droll drol moralizer of the piece falls fals in love with wih a beau beautiful bEu pheasant Simonne who is wooed by a fighting cock cok The second act is the scenic gem of the piece showing the upper branches of a blasted pine in the heart of a forest the birds perched in the branches The owl calls cals the roll rol of the te birds of the night each as his name nae is called caie answering and opening two lumi luminous luminous luminous eyes ees which shine in the of the stage green yellow elow or blood blo red re These Thes birds disclaim the hymn of the night and afterward conspire to together together together gether to rid themselves of their arch archenemy archenemy archenemy enemy With him gone they believe bleve the sunlight will wi be forever evermore quenched quenche and they will wH be masters for forevermore forevermore forevermore Barnyard Duel In the third act learns lers of the conspiracy of the night birds and amI fights a duel with wih his false friend the game cock killing him despite his steel gaffs and redoubtable skill This is the beginning of the end for The treachery of his friend poisons his optimism The hen lien pheasant the prize of the combat combat offers the consolation of her love in a fine out outburst outburst outburst burst and then draws raws his head under her wing and bids him him sleep When the fourth and last act opens wooed by love has slept so him long that the sun has risen without And d I have not crowed he cries The dream drem of his hia life Ufe all al his belief belef In his wondrous power crumbles So he ho was not the ruler of ot the sun All Al the tenderness of the hen pheasant cannot bring back the lost illusion His hens do not know it it The birds bird of the night still sti believe beleve In him He has followers and his enemies as before The sun still rises when whon he crows If H I the dog doubts he ho is silent But the iron that has entered his soul is the time death of the glorious Conception of the Author Rostand in an Interview explains the story of his conception of In 1801 1901 he said while taking a walk walkIn In the outskirts of Cambo I was pass paS passing paSing passing ing a humble farm when I suddenly stopped before the barnyard barnard It I was just justan an ordinary barnyard containing the usual pigeon loft wire nettings manure pile pIe and within the animals hens liens ducks guinea fowl geese gees turkeys a cat asleep a dog wandering about in brief a com common common common mon spectacle I watched with wih interest when sud suddenly suddenly suddenly denly in stalked the cock Ho entered proudly boldly like a ruler with wih dis disdain dam dain in his eye and aid ad a certain rhythmic movement of the head that produced the tIme irresistible impression of a hero He advanced like a buccaneer like Uke a man in inquest inquest inquest quest of adventure a king among his subjects In a flash fash I saw in this spec spectacle spectacle acle a play I returned to the barnyard many times and rapidly the framework of oC the play was constructed in my mind nind |