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Francisque Sarcey

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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'FRANCISQUE SARCEY (1827-1899), French journalist and dramatic critic, was born at Dourdan (Seine-et-Oise), on the 8th of October 1827. He spent some years as schoolmaster, but his temperament was little fitted to the work. In 1858 he devoted himself to journalism. He contributed to the Figaro, L'Illustration, Le Gaulois, Le XIX e Siecle and other periodicals; but his chief bent was towards dramatic criticism, of which he had his first experience in L'Opinion nationale in 1859. In 1867 he began to contribute to the "feuilleton" with which his name was associated till his death. His position as dictator of dramatic criticism was unique. He had the secret of taking the public into his confidence, and his pronouncements upon new plays were accepted as final. He was a masterly judge of acting and of stage effect; his views as to the drama itself were somewhat narrow and indifferent to the march of events. He published several miscellaneous works, of which the most interesting are Le Siege de Paris, an account compiled from his diary (1871), Comediens et comediennes (1878-1884), Souvenirs de jeunesse (1884) and Souvenirs d'dge mill (1892; Eng. trans., 1893). Quarante ans de theatre (1900, &c.) is a selection from his dramatic feuilletons edited by A. Brisson. He died in Paris, on the 16th of May 1899.