THE SANS GENE LEGEND

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 2

THE SANS GENE LEGEND

[Written by C. R. Allen, for the ‘ Evening Star.’] / When Dame Sybil Thorndike plays Sans Gene in ‘ Madame Plays Nap ’ in this town we will be treated to a Napoleonic play of a far lighter character than that of ‘ A Royal Divorce,’ which was made so familiar to playgoers of twenty years ago and more by Julius Knight. As was inevitable, the Little Corporal has supplied many and varied dramatists with a theme. Ellen Terry at one stage in her career had to choose between acting in a play by Bernard Shaw and impersonating Sans Gene to the Napoleon of Henry Irving. As was her wont, she sacrificed herself to Irving and played Sans Gene. Afterwards she placated Shaw by playing Lady Cicely Wynefleet in ‘ Captain Brassbound’s Conversion.’ Shaw has, of course, himself written a Napoleonic play, ‘ The Man of Destiny,’ in which he guys the great man to the top of his bent. There has recently been withdrawn from London, owing to its costly cast, ‘ The Hundred Days,’ a play concerned with the captivity of Napoleon at Elba. Signor Mussolini was part author of this play, and it is significant that he should have selected a phase of the Emperor’s career which is anything but triumphant. Sir John Martin Harvey many years ago produced a play which dealt with the captivity at St. Helena, or, to bo more explicit, with an alleged attempt to escape from that final prison.

Listeners to 4YA Station of a recent Monday evening were treated to a gramophone record of the music to, ‘ The Duchess of Dantzig,’- a musical comedy or light opera upon the theme of Sans Gene, with music by Ivan Caryll. Ivan Caryll is associated in the minds of most with very obvious and saccharine airs for -Gaiety pieces. In ‘ The Duchess of Dantzig,’ however, he proved himself a very considerable composer. There is a delightful cachet about the music for this piece, which hearers will be very ready to acclaim. This light opera was produced originally at the Lyric Theatre, and was recently revived at Daly’s, when the part of Napoleon was taken by Mr Frank Cellier, a son of the conductor of-the Savoy operas and. the composer of ‘ Dorothy.’ When ‘ Madame Plays Nap ’ is performed in Dunedin, Napoleon will be played by Lewis Casson, who should be known to the world as something more than the husband of Sybil Thorndike. He is a producer of considerable experience, having had the privilege of working in repertory under Barry Jackson. Another play with a Napoleonic flavour which will be remembered with affection by playgoers in this part of the world is ‘ L’Aiglon,’ which Miss Tittell Brune played through' New Zealand. She fell ill in Dunedin, and the part, a very arduous one, was taken up at short notice by Miss Florrie Gleeson. With that company was Mr Roy Redgrave, who issued a manuscript magazine illustrated with sketches from his own clever and versatile pen. Miss Gleeson’s act of stepping into the breeches of L'Aiglon was properly celebrated. L’Aigloii and Hamlet Were two of .the male parts essayed by Sara Bernhardt. , ,|t be forgotten that Napo-' Icon is impersonated for ,!|a few brief moments every! Christmas, when Peter Pah : is revived. At one pdint, just before a very effective “ curtain,” the children on the pirate ship’group themselves in a way that is intended to recall a famous picture of Napoleon on the deck of the Bellerophon. A grey cloak and three-cornered hat are produced, apparently from the depths of Captain Hook’s cabin, the repository of the “ doodle-do,” and these are donned by Peter, who stands in the foreground in the familiar attitude, with the hand in the breast, and the legs planted apart. The scowl and the curl on the forehead were not overlooked by Nina Boucicault, the first Peter. The other children in their white suits, range themselves at the rear of the picture, the smaller impersonating the midshipman, who leans upon the bulwark in the picture. One wonders if this little charade was suggested by Barrie, or suggested to him by the producer. One likes to think that it was Barrie’s idea. It is certainly consonant with his genius. ; It is of the essence of romance. It transcends any notions we may have acquired of the historical Napoleon. Nowadays, when wo traffic so readily in disillusionment, we accept the solemn assurance that Napoleon wa a vulgar, scented little sybarite who ran away from. Waterloo and made himself a general nuisance. But Peter knew better. He was the Man of Destiny, and his destination was an island. What more’ could one demand by way, of ingredients for ; a high romance ? Whatever he was, or whatever he was not, Napoleon will be presented, to playgoers in this country in the light of high comedy when ‘ Madame Plays Nap ’ comes to Dunedin. He will be the Napoleon who had not paid his washing bill, and there has always been a glamour about stage washing since the fat knight was stuffed into the buckbasket by the merry wives of Windsor.