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COMEDIANA.*

CCLXIX. THE REHEARSAL INTERRUPTED.

In 1747, a comic opera called the Rehearsal Interrupted, was performed at Brussels, in which a scene was introduced, representing a pretended quarrel between an actor and the prompter. The dispute between them in this case was carried a little too far. The general officer who commanded in the absence of Mareschal de Saxe, having no idea of the nature of the piece, jumped out of his box, called the guard, and sent the two champions, who enjoyed his mistake, to prison, thus exhibiting a scene more amusing than that which was represented on the stage.

CCLXX. THE MISANTHROPE.

It is well known that the Misanthrope of Moliere, was at first ill received by the public, and was only tolerated on the stage by the popularity of the Médecin Malgré Lui. At the first representation of this masterpiece of the comic drama, after the reading of Oronte's sonnet, the pit applauded: In the course of the scene, Alceste shows that the sonnet was in the worst possible taste. The public, confounded and ashamed of their mistake, took a dislike from that moment to the piece.

* Par Cousin d'Avellete. Paris, 1801

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CCLXXI. LEGRAND.

Legrand, who was both an actor and an author, but a man of a short and disagreeable figure, after playing some tragic part, in which he had been ill received, came forward to address the house, and concluded his speech thus:-" And in short, gentlemen and ladies, you must see, that it is easier for you to accustom yourselves to my figure than for me to change it."

CCLXXII. BARON.

The celebrated Baron, in the part of Agamemnon, pronouncing the opening verse in a very low voice,* the pit began to call out, Louder, louder!— The actor, with great coolness, replied, "If I spoke it louder I should speak it worse," and continued his part.

CCLXXIII. DANCOURT.

When Dancourt gave a new comedy to the public, if it did not succeed, he was accustomed to console himself by going to sup with some of his friends, at Cheret's. One morning after the rehearsal of his Agioteurs, which was to be played in the evening for the first time, he thought of asking one of his daughters, who was only ten years old, what she thought of the piece. "Ah, father!" said the girl," You may go and sup this evening with Cheret."

CCLXXIV. THE GARland.

The little opera of the Garland, by Marmontel, is ingenious, but was indifferently received by the public. In 1751, when it was played, this poet had occasion to call a hackney coach. It was the night of the opera" Coachman," said he, afraid

*Oui, c'est Agamemnon, c'est ton roi qui t'éveille.

of being detained; "avoid the Palais Royal.". "Oh I don't be afraid," said the coachman," there is no great crowd there-they are playing the Garland to-night."

CCLXXV. TALON.

When the Spectacle of the Ambigu Comique was removed to the Variétés, the comic opera of the Matinée du Comédien happened to be played; and in one scene, in which two interlocutors appeared upon the stage, there was, unfortunately, only one chair to be found. Talon had the presence of mind to say to the other, as he presented to him the chair, "You will excuse us, we have just removed."

CLXXVI.

PROMPTING THE PROMPTER.

One of the principal actors at the Comédie Française stopped short in a tragedy at this passage" "I was in Rome- "It was in vain that he began the passage several times, he never could get farther than Rome. At last, seeing there was no help for it, and that the prompter, as embarrassed as himself, was unable to find the place, or to give him any assistance, he turned his eyes coolly upon him, and said with an air of dignity—" Well, sir, what was I doing in Rome ?"

CCLXXVII. VOLTAIRE AND MONTESQUIEU.

Voltaire having given a representation of his Orphan of China, at the Delices near Geneva, before it appeared in Paris, the President Montesquieu, who was present, fell fast asleep. Voltaire threw his hat at his head, saying, “He thinks he is in court.”. "No, no," said Montesquieu, awaking, "in church."

CLXXVIII. HISSING.

Formerly there was no hissing in the theatre.

The benevolent audience were contented to yawn and fall asleep. The invention of hissing is no older than 1680, and took place at the first representation of Aspar, a tragedy of Fontenelle. So we are told by the poet Roi, in his Brevet de la Calotte, where he says, in speaking of Fontenelle, "Auteur d'Aspar, œuvre immortelle,

Par le Sifflet, qui sortit d'elle.”

CCLXXIX. BRIOCHÉ.

The comic opera of Brioché, a parody on the Pygmalion of the Italian Theatre, was played in 1753, and failed. Some one asked the author how he had ventured it upon the stage. "Why," said he," it is so long since I was tired of Paris and its inhabitants, that I was determined to collect them all, and be revenged on them at once."

CCLXXX. VESTRIS.

Vestris the father, the celebrated opera dancer, used to say, with the most perfect sincerity, " I know only three men in Europe at the present day, who are unique in their way-the King of Prussia, Voltaire, and myself."

CCLXXXI. VOLANGE.

Volange, it is well known, excelled in the part of Jeannot. The eccentric M. de Brancas had invited him to a large supper party. As soon as his arrival was announced, M. de Brancas advanced to meet him, and introduced him to his guests. "Gentlemen," said he, " I have the honour of presenting to you M. Jeannot."— "M. le Marquis," said the actor, haughtily, "I was Jeannot at the Boulevards, but here I am M. Volange."-" Very well," said the Marquis; "but as we only invited M. Jeannot, we shall take the liberty of turning out M. Volange."

CCLXXXII. THE TAILORS.

At the first representation of the Tom Jones of Poinsinet, two persons were observed in the pit, one of whom was overheard saying to the other, from time to time, "Shall I cut-Shall I cut?" This suspicious phrase attracted attention, and the pair were just on the point of being arrested as pickpockets. "What have we done?" said one of them: "We are only tailors, and I have the honour of making clothes for M. Poinsinet, the author of the new play. As I have to furnish him with a dress to appear before the public, which will be sure to demand his appearance at the second representation, and as I know very little of the merits of dramatic works, I have brought with me my principal journeyman, a very clever man, for he makes out all my accounts; and I was only asking him from time to time, if he would advise me to cut the cloth in question, which must be paid for out of the profits of the play."

CCLXXXIII. SANCHO PANZA.

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In Sancho Panza, a comedy in three acts, by Dufreni, the Duke says, at the beginning of the third act, "I begin to get tired of Sancho;' "So do I," said a wag in the pit, taking his hat and walking out. This sealed the fate of the piece.

CCLXXXIV. MADAME DE LAMBERT.

The author of a tragedy came to read his manuscript to Madame de Lambert. The piece began by a princess saying

De l'Arabie enfin en ces lleux arrivée.

Madame de Lambert interrupted the author by this impromptu

Princesse, asseyez vous, vous êtes fatiguée.

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