Art: Madame Sans G

Madame Sans Gêne

She is Réjane — But Needs America’s Uncanny Showman The horn of France’s theatrical plenty is to be opened and two of the choicest bits transferred for brief consumption in America. Réjane, tragedienne who has succeeded Bernhardt in the first place in the hearts of France, will come over within a year; next September comes the Folies Bergeres, parent of our own Follies, Scandals, Passing Show, Vanities.

These hegiras are by no means philanthropic gestures on the part of Paris. Nor are the visits solely sordid adventures to separate America from a horde of War-won dollars. Though this latter aspect has, of course, certain elements of probability, word comes from Paris: “The Americans shall not think we simply come for money. C’est pour l’honneur de la France.”

France, it seems, has lately become cognizant of the sensational success of Eleonora Duse, Italian tragedienne, at whose feet some $10,000 worth of homage is being thrown two afternoons a week. This, reflect French managers, is an invaluable advertisement for Italy. “We, too, shall enter the international advertising game. Réjane shall go.” Last week a representative of the French legation in Washington went quietly up to Manhattan and opened negotiations.

Gabrielle Réjane is nearly 70. Since her great success in Meilhac’s Ma Camarade in 1883, she has been a leading figure in the French theatre. She mirrors the expressive soul of France, seemingly the essence of vivacity and animation. She has toured America several times, making her most notable success in Madame Sans Gene in 1893.

France believes that Réjane can surpass Duse. This she will emphatically not do unless her managers persuade Morris Gest to act as her American representative. It is the uncanny showmanship of Gest, fully as much as the ability of Duse, that has spelled success for her in such amazing fashion.

France will probably be badly bumped on the Folies Bergères expedition. They come with the notion that their production is superior to those of native managers. They believe that they can establish by the visit the supremacy of France across the orchestra and footlights. This they cannot do unless they call into consultation American musical comedy doctors. America has had the most and the tiredest business men for too many years not to have developed the funniest comedians, the loudest and fastest jazz and the most beautiful race of chorus girls that the world has ever seen.

W. R.