New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-29
BERNHARDT'S FAREWELL.

THE PERFORMANCES OF THE FRENCH COMPANY
| CROWNED WITH sUCCEss-LARGE RECEIPTS AND
LIBERAL PRoFITs-MLLF. BERNHARDT's ENGAGE
MENT IN DoUBT-INCIDENTs OF THE LAST PER-
| FORMANCF.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CoRREsTo SDEST OF TIE TRBUNE.l
LONDON, July 14-Well, they are gone. The
| delirlous wlirl of dramatic excitement in which
London has been revolving for six weeks is Mt an
end. The Comedie FRANCHISE has returned to Paris,
never again in our time to appear on an English
stage The play is played out, the curtain has been
rung down for the last time on these incompatible
artists. The English have either learned the lesson
which the French were here to teach, or have not
learned it. In either case, an experience, an
| opportunity, unique in the history of the
drama, has occurred, and will not be repeated.
such a combination of chances as that which made
THIS visit profitable is not likely 10 happen again. nor
II II dld, IS 1t certain that the company would avail
themselves of it, The experiment has proved a
great success in many points, perhaps in most, but
there Is reason for saying that least one result of
| this journey is looked upon by the company as a
catastrophe. They trace the loss Of their most
brilliant associate directly TO this London
visit, and whatever personal enmities and
)ealousies may be felt toward Mile. Sarah
Bernhsrdt by her comrades, they regard her
retirement as an irreparable calamity. Irreparabe
|
tiations still going between her aud them may
not result in some sort of arrangement is uncer-
| tain. They seemed on the point of breaking off
when last wrote you. 7 gave You then all the
reasons for believing that MILE. Sarah Bernhardts
determination was as she herself believed it to be.
irrevocable But limited that there was still door
open, still a possibility of reconciliation between
/ her and the Com6die FRANCHISE. Not to
detain You with useless details, / will
only add that great efforts making
to induce her to reconsider her resolve, and that
YOU must not be too sure of seeing Mile. Sarah
| Bernhardt in America. Within another fortnight
1t NAV be safe to assert that she WILL or that she
will not, persevere in her present purpose There is
profane version of familiar saying, according TO
| which " LhOmme propose, mails Ia femme dispose
And when the femme is Mile. Sarah Bernhardt,
predictions and calculations of great value.
She will decide for herself-she has already decided,
! in one sense she may hereafter decide otherwise.
! The financial result of the visit is remarkable.
! The Com6iie FRANCHISE. as You know took no risk.
| BY their agreement with the Gaietv manager. they
received 81 200 night They declined the proposal
| originally made them by Mr.. Mayer and Mr.. Hol-
! lingshead, under which they would have had fixed
sum Of $40 for each night, plus twO-thrds Of all
receipts above 81 900 night If they had accepted
that proposal, their profits would have been nearly
! $500 greater for each performance, or more
! than $4,000 in excess of what they actually
receive. Mr.. Hollingshead who enjoys taking the
public into his confidence when he has good ac-
count to render tells us that the whole forty-two
representations yielded f19.S05 IDS 6d.-in round
numbers, 100000 The average per night was
f472, or $1,000. He pays the COm6die FRANCHISE,
including extras, 100000. and his own profit on
six weeks season is close upon $40 900. The profit
| CT 1,,,As l.
| remembered that Mr.. Hongshead took large
risk ard was entitled to the chance of liberal re.
imbursement The French cannot complain, for
they were offered n share in the cOntin-
gent profit, but contented themselves with the
fixed sum above named. They had not so much
confidence in themselves as their English manager
had; or were not so good judges of English
taste and of the capacity of the English public for
following its leaders or not Of a speculative
turn of mind. What the Bond-st agents and other
gamblers in theatre tickets may have made can only
be guessed at. But it may be estimated that the
English public paid, in one way or another, quite
half as much again went into the theatre treasury.
Mr.. Holingshead notes that the largest single
house was 1855, when " Hermann was PLAYED,
with Mile Sarah Bernhardt as DORa Sol. 1.-THE
Sphinx a" much abused by the press" as Mr. Hol-
lingshead quietly remarks, was played three
times, the cast including both Bernhardt and
Croizette to an average of 81, 6G0 per night. TO
secure these results the ordinary prices
doubled and more than doubled. At the usual fig
ures. the house would not have held enough to
cover the sum paid the Coincide Franeaise. will
not recur TO the difficulties which had to be met at
every step of this enterprise. 1t is enough TO say
that they were dealt with cOurageousv and, on the
whole, successfully, and that Messrs. Hollingshead
q Mayer deserve their congratulations and profits.
An attempt to estimate theinfuence of the French
company on the English drama would take me too
far and could only be coniectural That the immediate
influence has been good is plain. How long 1t will
last is another matter. For six weeks the Gaiety
has been thrOnged to witness the best plays OF the
French drama, ancient and MODERN performed by
company which not only contains the best actors in
the world, but which, as a whole, has no rival. To-
night domestic drama resumes its sway. The house
will not be less crowded. though the crowd will be
of very different composition. Says Mr.. Tom Taylor
this morning.: "Tbo Gaety reenters into posses
sion of the English players Byron replaces Emile
Angler, and Burnand regus in place of Moliere."
What moro can you say What can you
add TO the pathOs of the bare facts What
rivals have Got, Delauuay and Coquelin left
behind thcml Who takes up the sceptre which
Nile Sarah Bernhardt LAYS DOWN.
If WAS not without a certain feeling Of sorrow
that the audience assembled for the last time on
Saturday night TO see the last performance of the
Coincide Franchise in London, and TO bid fareWelto
friends and fayOrites. Five separate pieces were
gwen the whole strength of the company was dis
Played each artist was able to appear III
part which gave some scope LOT MS
mr. her talent We had "Gringore," with
the two COquelins. Maubaht' ana MHe'
Barretta. Then followed the fifth act of " Her
mani for the DoRa Sol of Mile Sarah Bernhardt-
that marvellous scene Of desparing love, of passion
of self-derntinn OF lie triumph which comes to the