One of the "young authors" who ure invading the Paris. stage has produced anew play of a kind which would surely commend itself to Moliere. Needless to say, it is not. produced at the House of Moliere but at a much more modern playhouse, the Studio des Champs Elysees, it is by M. Jean Blanchon and ig called "Lo Bourgeois Roma-
Mévrelle, the hero, has a real family likeness to the "Bourgeois gentithomme." The professors who M, Jourdain that fencing, music and philosophy are the essentials of the only life worth Jiving, are the spiritual ancestors of Cousin Justrabo, who opens Mévrelle's eyes to the drabness of existence without lawless love and romantic vicissitudes. Mévrelle is a retired linendraper satisfied with himself and his lot. He has built up a little fortune," His wife is a model helpmate, believing in his capacity, Jaughing at his jokes and Jooking up to him sufficiently. His daughter Solange isa charming girl, on the eve of being engaged to the son and future successor of the village doctor. He has a faithful old servant who has a positi genius for cookery. simest. poetic in his deseripti her gravies. His wine-cellar is all that a man could wish. A wi that is almost a leer tells you MMNevtelle, in' fact, is perfec Many until' Justeabo, one' of cousins, turns up. by accident. Gousin Tustrabo is the lack sheep ¢f, the family, but not really a deep) Ugh; amy Inst grey, with, a touch of red here and, there, He has a Wife, of whom "his: habrified prowiheial, relatives' speak in. whispers. He lives. in. Paris, and. has, irre: year habiig and air tnéeriain ineaixe. wishing. to bein the Aeighbodrhood, Be de, Ju fact, a, Boheinan., lap, ie, cal op: Cousin. Mevrellé and a little patronizingly. Justrabo accepts the hospitality, listens to Cousin Mévrelle's prattle, and even endures a private rehearsal of the speech that Mévrelle intends to deliver at Solang's wedding breakfast. Perhaps this speech is the last' straw. Anyway Justrabo's Bohemian soul revolts against this complacency, and jhe proceeds -to shatter his host's infusions, A Revolt from Stagnation He points out to Mévrelle that he has never really lived at all, but merely existed in a state of' dull prosperity. He has never known the joy" of defying his family, marrying the woman of his heart, meeting life's ups and downs with a smile, and Keeping ready for whatever the morrow may produce. Mévrelle at first laughs derisively. He produces his diary as proof of continued happiness. Any page will show this, he exclaims. He goes through the book, confidently at first, then feverishly and then he finds, day after day and year after year, nothing but a humdrum record of eating and drinking and newspaper reading and sleeping; Just stagnation. Justrabo supplies ironical comments and, fades out of the play, having exploded the mine that' destroys Mévreile's bourgeois wi 'Mévrelle broods over his I the light of Just-robe's revelations and sees it as sale, flat and unprofitable. eels that he must plunge headlong into romance without losing another minute, He horrifies his family by the most. inflammatory remarks, making his wife indignant and his daughter wretched, and even suggesting the most reek: less conduct to his cook. He does not recover his senses until he has completely wrecked the home that has given him so many years of solid satisfaction. "Lo Bourgeois Romanesque" is. real comedy.
Another new play, of a less agreeable kind, is "Irma" by M. Roger Ferdinand, at the Atclier. Jacques a student, some 23 years of age, with a bosom friend Jean, who is about 18. To further "a Latin Quarter liaison of his own, Jacques organizes the downfall" of his maiden aunt Trma,_ simple-minded, warmhearted and pious, who. h watched over him from his birth with almost maternal affection. The Jean. It is "Faust" reversed: a Mephistopheles in the. twenties, a Faust in his teens, and Marguerite getting on for 50.
play does not in the least re-resent the youth of modern France. "Irma" is simply imaginative fiction, but it is rather staggering to find such fiction treated. as good dramatic material, "'To think that "La' Vie de Bokéme" was once cerned immoral!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.