Adolphe Lemoine

Lemoine, Adolphe, known as Lemoine-Montigny

French playwright and comedian (1812-1880). 3 autograph letters signed. With a signed note by Alfred Nettement. Paris. 8vo. Together 3 pp. on bifolia. The note by Alfred Nettement: 1 p.
$ 303 / 280 € (90181/BN59632)

The most curious object in the collection is a letter from 12 July 1851 to the author and journalist Alfred Nettement who forwarded it to a friend with a signed note. Lemoine politely criticizes a dramatic proverb that Nettement had sent him on behalf of a friend, arguing that it was well written but "would lack effect" for the stage. He encourages the author to chose different subjects for plays and to seek success at the theater as he has rare qualities: "Je crois cependant qu l'auteur de ce petit ouvrage doit chercher le succès de théâtre.

Il a plusieurs qualités qu'on ne rencontre pas toujours, même chez ceux qui réussissent. Il devra réussir, le jour où il sera plus heureux dans le choix du sujet, ainsi que plus sévère et plus complex dans l'étude et la disposition de son plan [...]". Nettement forwarded the letter to the unnamed author with an equally encouraging note, fully agreeing with Lemoine: "Voici la lettre que je reçois de Lemoine et je la trouve fondée. Je sais que vous deviez travailler pour le théâtre. S'il le dit, c'est qu'il le pense, vous deviez faire très sérieusement une pièce [...]". - On 24 July, Lemoine wrote to a fellow playwright, addressed as "Mon Cher Chef", asking him if they could change the title of a comedy from "Chiffons de Madame" to "Toilette de chat" that was to be performed at the Gymnase two days later. - In a letter dated "Samedi 22" with no year, Lemoine seeks to change tickets for a new play by Émile Augier that had been promised to him by the playwright from one day to another: "Augier me fait dire, en son nom et au votre, que deux fauteuils de Galerie sont à ma disposition pour ce soir, outre son place d'orchestre. Si vous pouvez sans vous gêner, en garderant les deux Galerie pour votre service d'aujourdhui, me donner pour lundi une petite loge, Mme Montigny remettra à la seconde représentation le plaisir d'applaudir le nouvel ouvrage de notre ami Augier [...]". The recipient who is addressed as "mon confrère" was probably the director of the theater. - Lemoine-Montigny is best known today as a theater director, having directed the Théâtre de la Gaîté from 1838-1844 and the Gymnase from 1844 to his death. - All letters on stationery with embossed or lithogr. letterhead of the Théâtre du Gymnase. - Traces of folds. Some foxing and browning overall. Occasional minor tears..

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