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Show I DEA TH OF VIGTORIEN SARDOU. , HI - H Victorlen Sardou, (Wh6e. .ddalh occurrGd in' H Paris on Sunday last, was conceded to bo the H greatest dramatic writer of France during the past H half century, and a most pioliflc'writer of plays of H modern times. H At the time of his death he was very rich and' H had received the highest honors, though at the' H beginning of his career he had a hard struggle, H i and, in fact, his first play was hissed from the H ' stage. In the boginning a student of medicine, H ho later was obliged to become a tutor in history H and philosophy, and also dabbled in journalism. H j Ho was obliged to practically give up his medi- H cal studies and assist in gathering the family in-i H come through tho usual financial embarrassments H ' of his father, Leandre Sardou. H His first play, "La Tavcrno des Btudients," M was an absolute failure. Six years later his com. H edy,v "Les Pattes do Mouche," proved more sue- H cessful, being translated into English and pro- H duced in England and later in America under the H name of "A Scrap of Paper" Salt Lakers will M remember the first production of this play here, m when the Kendalls, touring America, included it H in their repertoire. The last thing Sardou wrote H W.T& "L'Affalrre des Persons." The drama was seen H for the fii4st time last December and is still being M witnessed by lai'ge audiences at the Porte St. Mar- m tin theater, where it was first put on. m Writing, of his early youth, the elder Sardou said: M "My son Victorien was born on September G, M 3831, in the Rue Beautriellis, Paris. I myself was M his first tutor in our home. Peace, order and M work were ever before his eyes. "When 9 years M old wo nearly lost him through scarlet fever. He M recovered, however, and I then took him to Le M Cannel, in the south of France, to my old father's, m to let him breathe the invigorating air of tlfe coun- M try and regain his strength. "Tho child found some odd volumes of Moliere at Le Cannet, which he eagerly devoured, learning whole passages by heart and reciting them, to the great joy' of his grandfather. It was marvelous to see the boy actor playing entire scenes from 'Tartufe,' 'L'Avare' or the 'Misanthrope' in the market place, surrounded by an appreciative audience of villagers and residents." After several years of fruitless work, Sardou was commissioned by Mile. Dajazet to write "Les Premieres Arme de Figaro," the scenario of which had been prepared. Sardou wrote the play in eight days. Of this play Sardou the elder wrote: "The production proved, however, more a literary liter-ary than a financial success; but from that moment mo-ment Victorien took his place among dramatic-authors. The play 'Les Gens Nerveux,' firt written for the Gymnase theater, and subsequently arranged ar-ranged by Theodore Barriere for the Palais Royal, only obtained a success d'estime. But 'Monsieur Garat,' played at the Dejazet theater, April 30, 18G0, and 'Les Pattes de Mouche' ('A Scrap of Paper'), produced on May 15, 1860, brought the namo of Victorien Sardou in tho full light of publicity pub-licity and secured the good graces of all theatrical managers to the young author, now on the high road to fame." Among the plays written for Sarah Bernhardt by Sardou, the English versions of which were given in America by Fanny Davenport, were "La Tosca," "Gismonde," "Theodora," "Fedore" and "La Sorciere." His two plays which have proven more popular than any others among American theater-goers are "Madame Sans-Gene" and "Di-vorcons," "Di-vorcons," the latter revived and successfully played by Grace George during the past two or three years. |
