FOREIGN DRAMA ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN STAGE 295 



Beard (1866), The Grand Duchess (1867) and The Little Duke (1878). 

 Having finished these light and frothy trifles they turned their atten- 

 tion to serious work by adapting the libretto of Bizet's immortal opera 

 Carmen (1876) from Merimee's novel of the same name. The work of 

 a librettist is at the best rather thankless. The names of Meilhac and 

 Halevy were submerged under the names of the composers for whom 

 they purveyed. But they came into their own in at least one important 

 play which is as well known in America as it is in France. This play 

 is Frou Frou (1869), a sort of French DolVs House, and it has long 

 been a favorite with leading actresses. Mme. Bernhardt and Mme. 

 Modjeska have both been seen repeatedly as Frou Frou. 



Emile Zola (1 840-1 902), whose fame as an author will always rest 

 on his naturalistic novels, is known on the English stage by only two 

 plays, one a dramatization of his novel V Assommoir (1876), under the 

 title Drink, a powerful drama first presented in this country in the 

 70's at the Boston Theater, and a few years ago revived by the eminent 

 English actor, Mr. Charles Warner; the other an original and gruesome 

 play, Therese Raquin (1867), which was at one time in the repertory 

 of Mrs. Potter, and has recently been played by Mme. Bertha Kalich. 



There are other French dramatists whose work is known in English 

 form on the American stage. Among these is Adolphe d'Ennery 

 (1811-99), whose drama The Two Orphans (1875), written in collabora- 

 tion with Dumanoir, is one of the record-breakers of all time. The 

 name of Miss Kate Claxton will always be associated with the r61e of 

 the blind girl, Louise. Another play of D'Ennery, Don Cesar de Bazan 

 (1845), offered fine scope for the romantic acting of Edwin Booth and 

 Alexander Salvini. 



The name of Alphonse Daudet (1840-97) is known on the American 

 stage through only one play, Sappho (1884), and this in a version pre- 

 pared by Mr. Clyde Fitch, which means that the play is more Fitch 

 than Daudet. Some years ago, Miss Olga Nethersole, aided by the 

 yellow press, achieved great success in it, and it is still one of the most 

 effective plays in her repertoire. It has also found its way into many 

 of the stock-company theaters. In the original French version the 

 title-role was played by Mme. Jane Hading and Mme. Rejane. 



