AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ODDS & ENDS 61 



lucky enough to see her as one of the Merry Wives 

 with Tree as Falstaff. W^Tidham, with his com- 

 plete ease merely playing himself and always 

 fascinating. And best of all Cocquehn Aine, 

 incomparable, inimitable in "Cyrano" and other 

 plays. I only saw him a year or two before he died. 

 His voice was quite wonderful, one never lost a 

 word and every gesture and movement was art. 

 Gone are the snows of yester year. There will 

 never be such another Cyrano de Bergerac. 



M. Guitry in the " Chant du Cygne " is also 

 something to remember. When he cures his 

 nephew of an undesirable attachment by com- 

 pletely cutting him out. It is a beautiful play. 

 They are part of their parts in France down to 

 the holder of the smallest. 



"S'occupe Toi D'Amelie " and "Le Roi " are 

 the two funniest plays I have ever seen — ever 

 excepting " Charley's Aunt " with Penley in it. 

 I was sore for a day after I had seen " Le Roi " 

 and " Zou Zou " and it was never vulgar. 



Then there are the thrills of the Grand Guignol, 

 the one-time church. Where the same actors go 

 from farce to tragedy, and such tragedy, reaUstic 

 and appallingly real. Memories of really good 

 plays hang long with one. 



The magnificent impudence of the amateur is 

 beyond that of any Germans. They attack a three 

 act play, and undertake to produce in a month 

 what professionals would take four at. We are 



