Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-09-22
RACHEL AS ADRIENNE.

Last night there rose from partcrrc to ceiling
tho greatest gathering which has yet greeted
Rachel. So dense was tho crowd that chairs were
placed along the center pathway, bringing wildly
to the remembrance the Theatre Francois, the
home of Racllcl's histrionio youth. The face Of tho
house, too, was made especially brilliant by beauty
and flowers, and all bright things which belong
to woman and unlike that Of the first night. the
audience was almost wholly home grown.
Perhaps tho most fascinating feature of the
evening, at least for a tiuo, to the fairer portion OF
the audience was the Rachcl's toilette. Nothing
could he more aerially beautiful and exquisitly
perfect than her decorations and tho grace with
which sho moved amid them. As she entered
every wrinkle in her robe was glittering with light
and every point on which q ~lUrgnette could bear
CLEANED back a defiant diamond. SO rapid and
brilliant wero the changes that sho seemed almost
to represent the heroine of Eastern tLlc in the
celebrated enchanted garden over whom the genii
lowered and wove from the rainbow each momen,
and let fall a new robe Of light. There was n
perfection of taste in the very manner of which
she placed every ribbon and located every pin
which gave to her appearance All inexpressible
nthetIcal unity of grace.
In the first part Of the play no stirring passion,
occupy the soul of Adrienne. She loves Maurice
She loves her art. A gentle spirit hovers arounC
her, and we are at once penetrated with the unaf
fected ease chaste and simplicity with which Rache
surrounds this early phase Of character. Sh,
presents Adricnne with all the love, but withou
any of tho Objectionable qualities of the profes
sion. Even her defamation to prepare herself 70
the evenings performance is quiet and natural
To see Mile Rachel glide to and fro absorbed il
her Bajazet with that lovely elegance which mark
every movement of hers is not only a charm to tn
audience, but also q lesson to her sister artists
What we admire in her in this stage of tho pla,
is her native simplicity, which is made double stri
king when here and there wo arc electrified D.
one Of those Rachel flashes which proclaim the en-
thusiasm that burns at Adrienne's heart. On he
telling to the manager her first meeting with Mau
rice there is about her all the girlishncss of tn
elegant Partisan grisette, but blended with it
refinement which convinces you that you are in til
presence of one OF high and elevated mind. O
Maurice coming into the green room, how cordia
yet how subdued her reception. The actresses 10
to see her lover again is kept in beautiful restrain
by her woman's sense Of dignity. The green-roon
scene is highly characteristic and full of gen uin
interest. The actors are preparing for Baiazei
one of the Turks playing in the meantime chcs
with u Frank, one of the managers fdgeting abou
and regretting that he is not a shareholder, ono Q
the actresses ogling herself amorously in the glass
Able stroliing leisuvely around, and rising abov
all the graceful. form Of Adrienne. 1t is a perfec
piece OF French dramatic scvrcs. The elegance Q
the dress to the smallest particular and tho refine
mont OF manner of all the actors without excer
ton, throws round the scene of an indescribabl
charm, and creates q delicious impression. Tn
idea which prevailed in the mind Of some tina
Md1lc Rachel could only personatc tho terrible