Camille

Camille [La Dame aux Camélias]. This dramatization of Alexandre Dumas fils's novel was first acted in France in 1852 and brought to America the following year by Jean M. Davenport in her own version, which she called Camille; or, The Fate of a Coquette. The story remains well known, largely because of the ongoing popularity of the opera La Traviata, which was based on the French original. A courtesan named Marguerite Gautier finds true love with young Armand Duval and prepares to give up her questionable ways. However, Duval's family is scandalized and his father persuades her to sacrifice her love for the sake of Armand's family. She leads Armand to believe she has been unfaithful, but the separation strains Marguerite beyond endurance, and she dies in the arms of the forgiving Armand. The first great American Marguerite was Matilda Heron, who for many years had no rival in the part. Afterward Clara Morris was equally popular and the play was one of the triumphs of Sarah Bernhardt's tours. As late as the early 1930s the work remained a favorite with playgoers, proving one of Eva Le Gallienne's biggest successes at the Civic Repertory Theatre. However, a major 1963 revival with Susan Strasberg was a quick failure.