Marcel ACHARD (1899-1974). Autograph manuscript signed, Le m - Lot 72

Marcel ACHARD (1899-1974). Autograph manuscript signed, Le mouvement dramatique, [April 1930]; 4 pages in-4. Article published in the Revue de Paris of April 15, 1930 (p. 931-937). Marcel Achard reviews five plays: La Voix humaine (Jean Cocteau), Juliette ou la Clé des Songes (Georges Neveux), Les Trois Henry (André Lang), La Vie que je t'ai donnée (Pirandello) and Étienne (Jacques Deval). Achard gives pride of place to Jean Cocteau, the man as well as the artist. More than a third of his column is devoted to him. The review of the play seems to be no more than a pretext for expressing his admiration for Cocteau in all the facets of his genius and personality: "M. Jean Cocteau is one of the interesting and pathetic characters of our time". He is "a prodigious man of the theater", "a prodigious director. He is inhabited by the genius of theater". Achard describes Cocteau during rehearsals; he sees him as a juggler, a prestidigitator, a ventriloquist, and a magician... He comes to La Voix humaine, and the interpretation of "the admirable Berthe Bovy": "this forty-minute, single-character act is marvelously arranged"... Etc.