The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-02

rms FAMOUS AcTREss-soNs SUGGESTIVE
COMPARISONS NOT so THIN PHYSICALLY,
Rur WITH AN INFLATED REPUTATION.
rspccia, correspondence of the philadelphia Tines
LONDON, June f2.--Well. / have seen her,
and she IL scarcely as thin as l had expect
ed-physically. Considered as an artistic,
Sara Is Of such spare proportions compared
To her enormous regulations that piesseu
indeed are those who expect nothing, ior,
10 use the words OF the negro preacher, tney
"ain't aywine to be disapiDtcd." i nave
attended two OF Mile. Bcrnbardts repre-
sensations. new progressing nj tue Gaiety
Theatre. and have seen her In a. utteriv oi-
verse ,5iss as eau be magined-Frou'Frou
and pbaedre-4one associated with the name
az Aimee Desciee; the other linked insepa-
rab,y with that OF the great Rachel-and my
wholly dissntercsted verdict Is that sara
has a beautiful voice; that she is rs
graceful creature as ever walked Tue
boards, and that so far as technical prom
CLERGY goes she Is well equipped for no mat
ter how exactiug task; but that 10 com
parc her, say, With Ristori In Der prime u
absurd; and TO name her. 80 lar rs tue sa-
cred fire Is concerned. with CARA MOTIFS
would be equally removed from justice
The fact of the matter Is that Mile:
Rernhardt Is an inordinately be-puhed
actress. and that already on her Sec
ond visit TO London the furore which sue
cxcited is decidedly on the vane. The
bouse was far from crowded on the
occasion az only this second Representa-
tlon of Frou-Frou," and when "fnse.
drev was done the other night baii
the boxes were empty, and the guinea
stalls almost as scantily tenanted as the
cheaper parfs of the house. L saw ner
first in "Frou. Frou" some ten days ago,
when there was really brilliant audience
in the rather d;ngy theatre. The Prince ana
Princess OF Wales occupied the right hard
box on the second proscenium tier; Albert
Edward, faultlessly gloved In pearl gray,
with bis scspty hair scrupuiousiy parted n
the middle. and a lorgnette forever In MS
hands; Alexandra In black dress, Win
transparent lace sleeves, collar OF Diack
velvet and pearls, and great diamond star
sparkling 10 the centre OF her crepe hair,
arranged in the fashion made familiar by
her photographs. The Princess wore long
buff kid gloves, and, like her lord, scanned
the house as much as the stage through her
glasses. With the regal pair were two
heavy gentlemen 10 waiting and very thin
and antique noblewoman in dscollete
dre.s, but with her painful chest concealed
by many strands Of jet beads. In one
of the two boxes on tie first tier,
accompanied by her husband and the
Countess OF Lonsdale. sat the "pro-
fessionaIly beautiful" Mrs. LaDgtry, robed
in a black tuIle, with lilies OF The valley at
her corsage. She is robust Venus, whose
pink aud white natures own cunning hand
laid on, and she shed tears copiously over
the death OF the fictitious Frou-Frou. The
Prince was absent from his box during the
dreafy entire acts, and rumor had 1t that he
went behind the scenes to assure sara oi
his distinguished consideration buta huge
bouquet OF roses and cematis remained IN
the place where il had been deposited IN
company with satin programmes by an
usher. instead Of beng flung or carried
to the star OF the evening. The audience
ia the best paris OF the house were in full
dress. / have seen many eccentrlcities Oh
costume at home, but none that can COM
pare with British mstron in the coquet-
fish pouf Of black velvet, feathers, and
fringe which is the favorite substitute for
bennett. 1t sits on her chaste brow very
much as Scotch cap would on that oil
New England deacon.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
ais that Bernbardt!" was the audible
exclamation Of disappointment OF neigh
Dor as the Gilberte OF the play ran Oh in her
riding habit-a severely simple one OF some
gray stuff, held up so as to display the long
leather boots. Imagine JEANNE Winston's
face set upon Emily Riggs body (Sara's at
titudes are very like Miss RigPsl, add some
fluffy reddish-gold hair in most admired
disorder, and finish the combination of
with Dink-and-wbite complexion, which
NAV be nature, but ia more likely art, since
Saras lips are individually made up with a
thick red cosmetic, and you have this
eccentric, fascinating notoriety, who has
blazOned her name over two coHt-
nents with much the same enter
prise and sudacity as distinguished
The Yankee who inscribed IS. T.-1S60-
X" on the highest peaks OF the
Himaayas. The fact that Sara look. like
hobbledehoy in this trying dress is speedily
forgotten in noting, perhaps, the great Sc
cret OF her charm-a beautiful voice, not
emasculated, sickishly sentimental, thin,
and Isnguid, rs one might reasonably look
for, but full, sonorOus, hearty, with mel
low infections and crisp manner OF utter
ance. In the first two acts Of Z" Frou-
Frou" Sara was in no wise remarkable,
and the audience, from the Prince and
than ut the Frou-Frou's manner OF deliver
ing them. She was well enough, certainly,
but she scarcely realized the frivolous,
girli,h Gilberte to the same perfec-
ton as Agnes Ethel who first acted the
role IN America. il anything, Sara seemed
something too much the knowing woman
OF the world, not the ihoughtless young
creature who drifts down the current OF
corrupt society TO destruction. In the third
act her dramatic impulses asserted them
selves and she played with admirable art;
the Jealousy Of her sister, the vain endea-
vors TO regain the place which she had re-
linqnshed; the application for sympathy,
first fron her husband aud then from her
foolish old father, and, finally, the quarrel
with Louise, were depicted with a skill
which combined intensity with perfect nat
uTalness. Mile. Bernhard did not pose,
nor rant, nor "take the centre OF the
STAGE" as a less well.scboOled artistic
would be sure 10 do, but she played the
exaciiDg scene In accordance with the
traditions OF the lesding theatre in the
world. could imagine more power, less
OF feline quality, but would not ask more
nature In art, nor more OF the golden mean
which stamps the thoroughly trained actor
and OF the tact which shows him how TO
stop sHott Vi HetuicSs tAaSSetatioh. N
the same time, while recognizing Sara's
proficiency, you were always able to tell
how she arrived at her effects; there was
not one moment when she scared away from
herself and showed q fash OF that genius
which redeems, for example, many Of the
erudities Of such an actress as Clara Morris.
A suBLIaATED aoDJEsKA.
have recently heard Bernhardt described
as - a sublimated Modjeska," and that ex-
presses her status very neatly. At present,