Identifier: christmaskalends00janv (find matches)
Title: The Christmas kalends of Provence and some other
Year: 1902 (1900s)
Authors: Janvier, Thomas Allibone, 1849-1913
Subjects: Christmas Festivals -- France Provence Provence (France) -- Social life and customs
Publisher: New York London : Harper
Contributing Library: New York Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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vivid touch ofrealism; and this was heightened by theswaying of the branches, and by the gra-cious motion of the draperies, under the fitfulpressure of the strong gusts of wind. In-deed, the mistral took a very telling part inthe performance. Players less perfect in theirart would have been disconcerted by it; butthese of the Comedie Erangaise were quickto perceive and to utilize its artistic possi-bilities. In the very midst of the solemn de-nunciation of CEdipus by Tiresias, the longwhite beard of the blind prophet suddenlywas blown upward so that his face was hid-den and his utterance choked by it; and themomentary pause, while he raised his handslowly, and slowly freed his face from thischance covering, made a dramatic break inhis discourse and added to it a naturalnesswhich vividly intensified its solemn import.In like manner the final entry of CEdipus,coming from the palace after blinding him-self, was made thrillingly real. For a mo-ment, as he came upon the stage, the hor-248
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SCENE FROM THE SECOND ACT OF ANTIGONE CDc eomeaic Trancaise at Orange ror which he had wrought upon himself — hisghastly eye-sockets, his blood-stained face—was visible; and then a gust of wind liftedhis mantle and flung it about his head so thatall was concealed; and an exquisite pity forhim was aroused—while he struggled pain-fully to rid himself of the encumbrance—bythe imposition of that petty annoyance uponhis mortal agony of body and of soul. In such capital instances the mistral be-came an essential part of the drama; but itwas present upon the stage continuously,and its constant play among the draperies—with a resulting swaying of tender linesinto a series of enchanting folds, and with aquivering of robes and mantles which gaveto the larger motions of the players an under-tone of vibrant action—cast over the intrinsicharshness of the tragedy a softening veil ofgrace. An enlargement of the same soft influenceswas due to the entrancing effects of colourand of light.

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