New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-06
Mile BERNHARDT IN LONDON.

WHICH COMPLETED WITH TIKI LORD MAYORS
Iuxcu TO THE KING OF THE GRFRKs-HER RE
M,pKARIE AGING AS PosTUMA IN ROME
VAINCUF.
lrpoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUNE.l
IoNpoN, June 21-lf the theatre were mat
fer 10 be taken seriously among Enensh
speaking people it is among the French
IL is certain that the events of the last fort
night at the Gaiety would have a chapter TO them
selves IN dramatic history In one sense TINS story
turns on the Coquelin incideut--an incident which
produced no little excitement in Paris. Iii another
1t turns the amazing resources and energy which
Mile Sarah Bernhardt found herself possessed al
when the sudden secession OF Coquehn ielt
the whole burden of the season upon her
shoulders. As for NJ Coquen he was
more or less between the hammer ana
auyil bound TO NJ Mayer and the Gaiety Theatre
by a written contract; bound to the Comede
Franchise by the terms of his socetaireship. and
confronting Intellectually the bitter resolve of NJ.
Perrin that no member of the COm6i!e Francaise
should act on any stage in company with Nile
Sarah Bernhardt so long as she maintained her
resignation The season origina iiy arranged was
to last a month of which the first fortnight only
depended on Mile Sarah Bernhardt alone. Her
rcpertory for that fortnight included "Adrienne
Lecouvreur" "Frou-Frou," 4" Pbeire." and :" Les
Enfants d Edouard," and the last piece had proved
a failure Upon NJ Coo uelins arrival the
list would be enlarged by "Ruy Bias"
"I,Ttranpare" "Mne. do la Seighere"
"LAventurerc." and Others. The public had
subscribed on tho faith of this promised variety.
Without VI. CoQuelm none of them could be gwen,
and when II became certain that NJ. Coquehn would
lot come the question had to be faced: How to
carry through the enterprise In the first place
NJ Maver and Mr. Hollingshead agreed that the
,nhscribers must have their money back if they
wanted IT, They had paid to see COquchn, and
Coouelin was not to be seen. In the next place,
Mile Sarah Bernhardt had to say whether she
would undertake to complete the season by herself
and without adding to the existing rcpertory,
since serious additions were hardly possible.
Frou -Frou had not yet been PLAYED, and might
or light not be seen.
The news of the Coquelin disaster arrived on Sat-
urday. On that day Mile. Sarah Bernhardt played
Adrieane long aud exhausting part, in the after
noon and again in the evening and at midnight be-
gan a rehearsal of FrOp-FrOu," which lasted I'LL
O'Clock next morning On Sunday she was engaged
in the county On Monday, again a rehearsal and
on Monday evening the performance, and tie tri-
umph described at the time. From that day on
she has continued to play Adrienae and Froa- Frou
alternately, filing the house nightly certain
number of subscribers returned their places, winch
the public quickly bought up 1t Is an aston
ishing thing that the public should throng
the theatre for so many nights in success
sion to see the pieces The public which
cares for French plays is, after all, but limited.
Last year the whole COm6iie Franeaise, and the
whole repertory of the Coincide, were thought none
too much to insure n continuing succcss-wlth the
unprecedented excitement of that season, social
phenomena included. 20 help This year the the
atrical and social excitement alike bad subslded
into decOrous interest; the Coincide FRANC Use is
replaced by a single societare and troupe OF mode
rate ability; two pieces only are played. and yet
the houses continue excelent-less over-crowded
than last year no doubt but invariably full 1t is
more astonishing thing still that Mile. Sarah
Bernhardt should herself unaided have found the
energy for such task. supplying meantime to her
comrades the enthusiasm so sadly wanting among
On Wednesday afternoon Nile Sarah Bernhardt
took a benefit at the Gaiey. Commercially the
benefit was q success, most of the house being
sold privately. and the public finding some diff
Guilty in Obtaining boxes or stalls 1t happened,
however, that the same day had bean chosen Tor the
Lord Mayors lunch to the King of tho II allenes in
the GuldhalI. where nine hundred persons toasted.
Many of the guests among the subscribers
to the benefit but were obliged by considerations
of etiquette to be at the Guldhall and make their
bow 10 ROYALTY when they would have preferred to
be witnessing the performance at the theatre. Mr..
Lowell for example, was due at both places,
but his diplomatic quality compelled him
to sit at meat with the royalties. There
ore other things beside Guildhall lunches
going on of Wednesday afternoon i'll June. and
not few boxes and stalls were empty in cOnse-
quence, though paid for. II appears that Nile
Sarah Bernhardt, who like most artists, is some
what inpatient about business matters, had not
taken the trouble t. arrange for benefit to her
self in her original engagement. Saturday, which
is the only afternoon when LOndOners have the
habit of going to the theatre was a subscription
afternoon and Wednesday had to answer a sub
stitute. The Prince and Princess of Wales. who
were to have been present. of course obliged to
be at the Guildhall. Making all allowance for
these enforced absences, the audience was still
brilliant one. 1t was noticeable also that the
French Colony, which takes by preference to the
pit and galleries. had this occasion turned out in
force The Frenchmen at least had heard of &" Rome
Vaincue" one act of which the only novelty on
the bill which for the rest consisted of Jean
Marie and the fifth act of" Hermann"
This piece Rome Valncue" is not, l think,
the list of those which Mile sarah Bernhardt is to
play in America Nevertheless, if You care to form
an idea of the range of this lady's talent, You Will
do well to persuade her to give You the scene for
the sake OF which she originally undertook the
part. Mile. Sarah Bernhardts name is closely
associated with series of characters-Pbeire eX-
cepted-sUted to the display of qualities not
TALLY tragic. In Adrieane, in IfOa Froa in Hermann,
there is ample scope for that most caressing charm
of manner, that grace that distinction, that imagn-
alive power that capacity for expressing passion
by intellectual means. which among her most
striking characteristics In these and all the other
herones she commonly represents, nature and art
go tOgether--she has only to appear on the stage
with certain varieties of costume, as the
young and beautiful creature she is. But
PoStUma. in Rome Vaincue," is blind old
woman Of ninety. and In the tdeliY Of the mAke-np