We looked in at the French Theatre the other evening,
to see PERLET. One of the pieces was Le Comedien d'Etampes ; which CHARLES MaxwEws adapted for himself at the Olympic, under the title of He Would be an Actor. PERLET on his first entrance, in his white trousers and open shirt-collar, might have passed for a stripling ; and the only indication of talent was his simplicity and degage air ; but he slips on a dressing-gown and wig, and the whole man undergoes a change : the face, voice, action, manner, are those of a toothless, blear-eyed, infirm octogenarian. He next appears as a deaf old gardener ; but what a different kind of age he exhibits ! the swing of the arms, the bend of his horny hands, and the plodding gait, all denote the labouring-man ; and his face carries deafness in every wrinkle. Who would recognize the game individual in the cold, prudish, English lady, with her deliberate walk and decorous air, speaking bad French with a hesitating formality in a monotonous tone ? The imitation of English French is not at all cari- catured—the " Approchez plus loin " is capital. The perfect ease and repose of style, and the entire absorption of the actor's individuality in the assumed character, are excellences peculiar to all French comedians of distinguished talent, and are shared by the inferior performers also. What a contrast to the obtrusive impertinence of some of our best actors ! who thrust themselves out of the character, poke their noses into the pit, ogle the boxes, or nod to the gallery ; as who should say "See how I can act 1 " spoiling clever playing by vicious exaggeration, con- temptible buffoonery, or other manifestations of an uneasy desire to pre- vent the audience overlooking Mr. — in the assumed part, though to the detriment of his own reputation and the diminution of their en- joyment.
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