Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-29
SARAH'S CAP6ICE.
TIE STORY OF A FEARFUL CRIME IN
FRANCE.
The Freak Of Pretty woman-Pere Dill
Ions Banishment-Some Fashion
Notes from Paris.
PARIS, April "a, 1880.

PARIS, April "a, 1880.
qhe exciting topic of the week has been
the fight of Sarah Bernhardt from the
Theatre Francois. She recently made her
debut in reprise Of the g Aventuriere by
Emile Angler, and dramatic critic per-
uniting himself to comment on her man
ner of interpreting the role, which had
been marvelously created by Madame
Plessy, she sent short note to Mr.. Per-
rim. the director of the Theatre Francois,
stating that she had been forced by him
to play when she was not prepared, that it
was her first check in that theater and that
it should be her last. She therefore begged
him to accept her resignation, and added
that when he should receive The note she
would have left Paris. All the papers had
been unanimous in praising her in this new
role with the exception of one, but
Mademoiselle Sarah has arrived at that
stage when she can no longer endure the
slightest criticism, hence her decampment
at a sign of the least discomfort among
her humble subjects. Her sudden
disappearance caused much surprise to the
director, who, it has been proved, could not
possibly be the cause, however innocent, OF
her conduct. Thinking it merely coup de
tete of spoiled, pretty woman, he deter
mined on not mentioning the circumstance
of the letter until he should be forced to
do so, when he would call a meeting Of the
societdires, and so give the impulsive Sarah
time to repent, and, if DESTROYS, time to re-
turn to her pedestal. 1t seems, however,
that it was not a coup de tete on the part OF
the admired actress, but coup de theatre
which she had
cooLLY PREPARED
For her own benefit, for before MIR. Per-
rim had an opportunity of mentioning the
letter, it appeared printed in all the
different journals, to which Made
moiselle Sarah had sent 1t. Before
taking any steps in the matter, Mr.. Perrin
desired to consult Sarah Bernhardt about
her resignation, but on sending to her
house it was found closed and deserted
She had, in fact, left Paris. Her sudden
departure left the company of the
Theatre Francois in great embarrass-
ment, for the "Aventuriere was adver-
tised for the next evening, and no one
else had learned the part; they were there
fore obliged to change the programme with
some considerable inconvenience. That
was not the only unpleasant circumstance
connected with the affair. The company
were under contract with the author of
"Aventuriere, Emile Angler, to play his
piece a certain number of nights and in
case of failure to do so, were obliged to
pay him an indemnity. Mr.. Perrin wrote
a letter to Mr.. Angler, stating the circum-
stances and asking him to decide upon the
amount the company were indebted to
him. Mr.. Angler answered by a letter
such as only he can write, filed with esprit
and delicacy, and containing little pins
darted at Mademoiselle Sarah Bern
hardt which cannot fail to irritate her.
He refused to accept any indemnity
whatever and took upon himself all blame
In the matter, if blame there existed. He
said that one of the actors In the piece who
was as new in it as Mademoiselle Sarah
Bernhardt, had not had more repetitlons
than she, but had not missed one, and had
met with marked success. He insisted
himself on her playing at the appointed
time, for he felt sure she was as prepared
as she ever would be, and he maintains
that she played as well as she usually does,
with the same faults and the same qualities
wherein art has no part. He found her at
the end of her representation in her dress.
ing. room radiant in the midst of bevy of
adorers, and she promised to play even
better the next time. The next day the
press took the liberty of making some OBJ
servations, that which Mademoiselle Sarah
does not like, hence an expression of her
discomfort, which she considered very nat
ural to vent on the director. MIR. Angler
ends his letter by saying:
"LET Us BE INDULGENT
Towards this freak of a pretty woman,
who practices SO many different arts with
equal superiority, and let us keep our Sc
verify for those artists who are less uni
versal and more serious" Mademoiselle
Sarah Bernhard has proved herself very
Indifferent in regard to her duty as socie-
taire of the Theatre Francois, for it has
since become known that instead of attend
ing the rehearsals of the Aventuriere :"
she was at that time rehearsing pieces she
expects to play at London this summer.
When at London last year in company
with the rest of the members of the troupe,
she failed on one occasion to make her
appearance and play the principal part
in piece advertised for that evening
1t seems che was off on picnic, and
enjoying herself too much to return to the
city. The company were obliged to return
the money to the audience, which vexed
them exceedingly. On some observations
being made in regard to her conduct Sarah
Bernhardt sent in her resignation, but Mr..
Perrin refused to accept it and succeeded
in appeasing her. 1t was then reported
that she had signed an engagement with a
manager of a theater at New York and
that she was soon to depart for America.
Her friends succeeded in dissuading her
from her design by explanations Of the
financial failure of Rachel's visit to Amer
lea, and Mr.. Perrin having promised her a
leave of absence of one year at the end OF a
year, she consented to return to Paris and
endcavor to win back those admirers
whom her conduct had estranged. All
say that she was anxious to leave the Thea
ter Francois and 90 elsewhere with the
hope of making more money and so took
this opportunity. But as she was to have
her leave of absence almost Immediately,
why could she not wait? 1t seems that
she sought to create sensation by making
herself the subject of conversation through
out Paris and thus render herself
more valuable in the eyes of the
New York managers. For she has
learned that Rachel after all did bring
a great deal of money from America,
but that her parsimony caused her to re-
port her trip as failure, so as not to pay
the poor artists who accompanied her. If
Sarah Bernhardt does go to America L
think our theater- going people
WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.
True she is a charming actress, for she
has very pleasing voice, which she her
self with little modesey calls voir dor. 1
have seen her in all her repertoire, and l
have remarked that in those characters re.
quiring gentleness and tenderness she
never fails to excite admiration, but the
register of Sher tones is very limited and
the moment she expresses force of
passion and is obliged to raise her
voice her lips emit words without
sound, and the contortions produced
by the effort are painful to behold.
There is no character in which she appears
to such advantage as in Zaire of Voltaire.
Shedre she renders with charm altogether
personal At the Theatre Francois she is
surrounded by artists such as she will never
meet in body anywhere in the world, and
,nuch of her success she owes to the man.