The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-22
Dumas Play Of L'Etrangere at the
Haymarket Theatre.
IdPOSSIBlLlTY OF TRANSLATION
Sarah Bernhardt in the Original
Her Last Appearance.
The TESTIMONIAL BENEFIT TO BLACKSTONE.
LONDON, Juno 10, 1875.

may not Among these things Is Dumas latest play.
"LEtraneere,' which, just week ago. was brought
out at tho historic Haymarkct Theatre before audi
ence OF distinction In stage box sat Miss Nelson
In another Mrs Rousby, In third Miss Genevieve
Ward. while In the stalls wero critics nnumcrabe,
managers and dramatists such a "knock down of
,clect" ~ ought DO sufficient knock the wits out
Of nervous actor on 'snrst sight" The time may
when managers will realize the wisdom Of treat
Ing the first night Of a new play dress rehearsal
and not permitting critics TO pass judgment until the
artists have got used to their parts and their clothes
On my going second time TO note Improvement. the
critic beside expressed amazement that should
devote two evenings to ono play. my dear SIR" re-
pliod, IL consider IL most unfair 10 judge
actors or plays a first night l do
unto others AZ | like to DO donc by" "well"
answered the critic, who Is extremely good fellow
eater such evidence OF conscience on your part
shall be obliged to remain until The ond. intended to
leave afcr the second act" This good fellows article
will be milder than Il would have bcen
DIFFICULTIES.
Lot US 60 nrst to Paris where sLEtrangerc' came
from, whcro It 10 great Success and where It is acted
at the Theatre Francois three nights week People
here abusing Dumas because they don't like the
translation. He Is denounccd--so all modern
French plays-and tho English arc told 10 write their
own dramas By all means, II they can but II seems
bad taste to dccry the productions of stage to which
tho Ango-saxon world owes much pleasure and much
artistic profit, especially when at this moment
the two most charming plays in London
"A Scrap OF Paper" aud "A Quiet Rubber -
They arc making the fortune Of tho court
whc at the Gaicty Charles Mathews is putting money
IN his, purse by sMy Awful Dad which is "Le Pere
Prologue over again. Dumas drama is so intensely
French dependent for upon its dialogue and
its subdued French acting that II is almost impossible
in any other language. Improbabiltics OF plot that
seem matter o. CO 10 French become ridiculous
when rendered ungracefully into English The French
language produces q sort OF moonlight effect upon
them bringing out what is picturesque, hiding what Is
unseemly Our straightforward English is unscnti
mental broad sunlight and remorseless in exhibit
ing detects Where play IL all moonshine 1t is fatal
mistake to expose It to the Dumas has written
play for Paris; thcro IL should remain The right
produce II hero has cost the Haymarkot management
S., co. and I'm afraid they've made
Rad INVESTMENT.
Werc tho translation clever a. tho original and
the English ladies' the Of Sarah Bernhard
and Mile. Croizette l believe s'L'Etrangeren would
succeed In English but as Il is wo shall Sec beauty
10 longer beauty when you have reduced her to
skeleton. Cots part Of Dr. R6mouin had been meroi-
lcssy reduced to nothing to satisfy the public taste for
socaed proprety the warm passages In the loves Of
the DucnesS SeptmOnte young 6lrafu nave Ocen
cut out that tho latter character played periec
ton by Monnet-Sully becomes a walking gentleman.
A. .st one hour taken Of the original and then
Dumas 10 abused for the carcase.
wonAx's PLAY,
"L'Etrangerc, Is essentially woman's play. Itisa
duel between tho Partisan Duchess and the American,
Mrs. Garrison the only two women who can fight Il
Croxcte and Bernhard Poor Sarah Bernhardtl Itwas
sad enough her the night when she tainted Va
.sLEtrangere " since when she has not been able
appear SO thin almost defy the possibility OF
shadow, she Is the subject Of many Frcnch wittcism
Figaro tells story OF how whilc passing under new
building when heavy stone fell Mile Bernhard had
SUFFICIENT presence OF mind to throw herself Nat the
ground, that removing the stone she was found
TO be uninjured. 1.-the and serpcntnc In movement
with quivering nos,rils with OF great dstinc-
ton she can do unladylike things in ladyliKe
ncr Whom she, rs Mra Ciarkson. sits table tho
action Ia perfectly 6au. She 10 subtle In all
shc says; what she does Is chiefly with her eyes You
understand why such woman, coming rs . stranger
10 Paris captivates ricn and ~ pronounced danger
ousp by the women. On this memorable last appear
ance the curtain had fallen the second when It
slowly rose half way-as 10 the French custom In
making snnounccmcnts-and N. Garraud came for
ward bowling FIRST right, then to Ic then % centre
He regretted TO say that their smlable
oOmrAoo, Soreu bcfnnaIut, WE SUFFERING
greatly, but would endeavor TO go through
her part Tho audience appIaudcd greatly.
but when Mile. Bcrnhardt discovered lying pant
ing on a sofa tho beginning Of the third act there
was not n sound from the audience. The French never
give receptions Tho Duchess do Septmonts calls
Mrs Carkson and the attcr tells the story OF life.
In the narrative Mile. bernhard; seemed to lose all
sensc OF beng H. finished IT, walked to the centre of
the stage, exclaimed THAT Is tho way my fortune
began" and then fell suddenly her whole slight weight
coming upon hor elbow. There was general scream
from the thrilled AUDIENCE Mile. Croizctie rushed
the suffering artist crying lie ridedti fe radedSf'
and tho curtain quickly shut out panicl scene. Tho
curtsin again rosc half way, and n. Febvrc, who
PLAYS THE AMERICAN,
after making tho three regulation bows assures the
public that Nile Bernhard could not continue that
though her indspostou serious u not danger
GUS and that Mile Lloyd would assume her r6e Tno
latter lady tall. beefy person and filled Bcrnhardts
place many times over-in physique. Fortunately
Mrs Carkson's best we're over, and the play
passed IN well enough. Milo. Bernhardt Is sculptor
xs well 81 actress one who has recently gained
honorable from salon, and IL is quite pos
sibe that her hours day 10 modelling may
have had something TO do with her present cx-
haustion
REHEARSAL IN PARIS.
We'll L'Etrangerc had nipc months rehcarsals in
Paris under Dumas personal direction. The bony
English produced here after eight re-