New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-11
FRENCH PLAYS IN LONDON.
THE LAST NIGHT AT TIE GAIETY.


IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LONDON, June 25.The last night of Mile. Sara
Bernhardts four weeks season fell on Saturday
She had played Frou-Frou" in the afternoon TO
crowded house. The evening programme comprised
the third and fourth acts of Frou-Frouv-" un act
de gazette ct un acte de oolereD as she describes
them-the fourth act of Rome Valnoue" and tn,
fourth and fifth acts OF "Adrienne Lecouvreur.'
Altogether pretty tolerabe days worl
for an actress who puts into every i'm
personation the whole Of her strength and tn,
whole of her intense sincerity. There are. as
everybody knows, two schools OF actors, two the.
cries OF acting. One acts from the lips outward
the other becomes for the moment the character
| represented and not only depicts emotions but
feels them is absorbed in and possessed by the
passion which sways her heroine. and sways an au-
dience by complete surrender to the feeling which
acts upon them. Mile. Sarah Bernhardt be-
| longs TO this latter class. To some extent
| 1t IS theory of art to some extent and
perhaps in her to greater extent it is matter
of temperament. 81 think it, she once remarked
the truest art. know In any that for me 1t
is the only art possible" Anybody who has seen
her reappear after stormy scene in answer 10 re-
call knows that she seems barely able 10 reappear
Any of her comrades Will tell Won that the exhaus-
ton and l0sstude genune VIII tell you also that
at the conclusion of, for example the third act of
Frou-Frou or the second of "Phedre" the
actress arrives in the coRLisss in state of agitation
just as uncomfortable for the moment as that which
has just been seen upon the stage. The recovery
from exhaustion and agitation IS quick, certainly
as 1t must be- since the stormy scenes often occur
in the middle of a play. But in any single play
the number of these stormy scenes is not very
great. Ii is quite another matter when out or sew
eral pays the most cxacting passages are selected
to DE played in succession. The demands upon the
physical and nervous force of an actres are in such
case out OF all proportion to the length of the per-
Torrance Nile. Sarah Barnhardt's confidence in
her own resources seems without limit, and the re-
suit commonly justiies her confidence 1t is not a
subject upon which she VIII take advice PERHAPS
there are not many subjects upon which she will
lake advice But OH Saturday she came perilOusly
near the limit Of her forces. In the fourth act of
"Adrienne Lecouyreur signs of fatigue were per-
ceDtbe TO those who had seen the same act before
and she herself fancy was conscious of tbe ire
mendous strain she had pvt upon herself Bnt she
none the less scored brilliant triumph and went |
vict0ri0usly through the self-npOscd ordeal Hers
Is one Of those natures which respond ably |
and surely to sudden demand, or even to |
Il prolonged demand. have known her reach the |
theatre with foot disabled by an accident that
She could scarcely limp from her carriage to her |
lresSing-goom ana from her dressing-room 10 the
stare, IN which cond ton she played the whole of
" frou-Frou,' play during which she is Inces.
sanity moving about. the audieIce never suspecting
her lameness.
IL spite of my crolkincs and discouragemeuts
he season came pro'pcrously {, an end NJ. Coqne-
ms detection was disappointment TO the public
'ut did not provoke a financial disaster. Nh Hol- !
!ngshcad, the lessee aud manager 0f the Gaietv
theatre and VI. Mayer, manager Tor the French !
bays, found themselves az the end with full
reasury. they offered their acknowledgements to
lille. s.s'ah Bcrnhardt on the last evening in q way
nusnal here in England, though not unknowo
Il France. They covered the stage with
rrcaths and bouquets and baskets of flow
rs and after the act OF Rome yaincne,
made formal presentation to her Of a golden
rreath inscribed with Their compliments and
hanks. This NJ. Berton presented in a clever
peech asking leave 70 associate himself and lis
omrldes with the tribute. The public took part in
be ceremony, the Prince and Princess Of Wales
eadlng the applause.
Ii was the fashion last year to dilate upon tine
7Prces de joie tmpe which were pretty freely at
fibuted TO Nile. Sarah Bernhard, and which
nd for basis, so far rs the general public |
as concerned, single disappointment The
lprice IN that took the form Of
emorrhagc OF the lungs. it was true, however | J
nat i'll order to keep faith with the public she had
roken sundry private engagements. This year she |
rs refused private engagements anil borne the ,
hole burden of the season. There has been no /
liuro and no change Of programme except what g
B. Coquelin was responsible for. Fashion ccreed
st year that everybody should be seen at the .
rench plays This year fashion has been less fy Q
nnical; the world left to do rs it liked. and y
e houses, though never without delegates of n
ho,
rgey made up Of people who went be-
use they wanted to 80 and because they .,
ally cared for dramatic art The result "
that Nile. Sarah Bernhard leaves London with
gher reputation than There are still people g.
40 cannot md much to admire in her acting:
81 as there were people who thought Rachel over ~
ted, until Rachel died. and her name had become
great one 10 use against her successor One or ~ ~
o of the critics remain hostile But the great
jority of the cultivated public and the great ma Is
1ty OF the critics are agreed that Mile Sarah
rphardts dramatic genius is of rare and deli ~
Re ORDER Her acting certainly is not without in
iits her methods Mt times arbitrary her con- on
'tion IS not always Just, her capacities are in,
always eqnal. Bnt her art, as a whole is dis hi:
gulshed not less by intellectual originality than is
refinement, and by quality which can hardly
described except by the word poetic As to the sTT
gular charm Of her personality on the stage phi
re are hardly two opinions. 1t may be said she rae
} fascinated those whom she has failed to con- am
ce. The French crtics-M Sarcey especially. gis
undisputed head of his profession. who came "
r here to see her-have only now discovered the "a
emit of their loss. your Frou-Frou' will hin
pen to you the doors of the ComGdis -, ="
nGaise." said NJ. Sarcey to her. Let Ms ~
no more of that" was her answer; upon which SAT
Sarcey, the coolest and most Judicial Of men. m up
AXIS out in lie Temps coolest and most judicous :.
apers, into passionate lament over the ire ana
iole loss tho Coincide FBancaise Is called on 10 per
err moi
-. p, chill
he Oomedie FRANCHISE, Tor It's part, has taken ing
own WnY of raDairino 70 loos Tbo o..;.- are
I'll. A.. - - ~ ~ nv "0''on caTt
fhA xyin1,o - |