OBITUARY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13336, 30 January 1909, Page 11

OBITUARY.

A GREAT FRENCH ACTOR. PARIS, January 2 s - ' Thc death is announced cf -I. I Coquelin the eider, the great French J actor. ' Bonoit Constant Coquelin, known as ; Coquelin the elder, was tne greatest j French actor of his time, tho leading j representative of that scnool of polish- I ed and natural acting for which Paris is famous. He was born in 1841, and made his debut in. 1860. Beforo long j he established a great reputation for brilliant acting in classical comedy, j and eventually came to bo recognised i as tho greatest living exponent of j Moliere. His Jourdain in "Lo Bour- j geois Gentilhomm-o" has been described J as perhaps the finest coinio perform- j anco in the contemporary theatre. I Lato in life he had the satisfaction by | creating the part of Cyrano do Ber- I gerac, of helping in tho success of M. \ Rostand's brilliant play. M. Coquelui : was for many years associated with tho ! famous Comcdie Francaiso. His son is ' also an actor of great, distinction. By tho death of M. Coquelin tho : English theatre loses a staunch friend, i In a time when tho decadence of tho English drama and tho poverty of English acting were constantly bewailed, when critics were continually toll- ' ing English actors that they should I learn from French players, and tho • British public that it w"as an incurable I Philistine, M. Coquelin spoke enthusiastically of English plays, players, : and public. "It Ls thirty-four years ogo when I first came to London," ho -aid a few years ago to an interviewer, '-.unl overy visit that I make confirms my liking for England and my intense appreciation of the greet and intelligent love that tho English j people havo for tho theatre. In my i opinion there is an infinitely greater > love of drama in London than there ' is in Paris; the audience follows the play with eager interest ar.d appreciates every point, and even the actor who is playing in a foreign language, which some of his hearers may have difficulty in following, feels the sympathy that binds tlio player and tho audience together, and which is of itself an inspiration and an encouragement."

Tho relatives of Mr H. Ryan received a shock on Wednesday last., when they received news of his doath at Wiltshire, near Oamaru, whero his body w«s found List Tuesday. Deceased was suffering from nervous and. constitutional weakness for some days previousilv, but no serious indication's of his condition wero observed. Tho body was removed' to his parents' residence at Broad—elds on Thursday, whenco the funeral took place yesterday. Requiem Mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. at the Catholic Church, Shnnd's Track, and! a large number of friends and: relatives of deceased' followed: the remains to tho Shand's Track Cemetery. Tho Rev. Father Leo conducted l tho burial service.