New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-07
BERNHARDT IN LONDON.
HE'D popvER SUCCESS RENEWED.


THE CoMpANY-COQUEIIN's COMING.
fYpoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LONDON. Nav 26-It can hardly be SAID that the
audience which assembled at the GaletY Theatre Oh
Monday night INCLUDING the Princess OF WaieS'
were prepOssessed in Mile. Sarah Dernhardts 1AVor'
The reception accorded her on her first appearance
was cold 1t was hardly even CIVIL for lew misses
were heard from the back of the stalls proceeding
apparently from persons who felt called upon 10
take up the quarrel of the Comedie Francalse WIN
its gifted soci6tare. There was applause bnt no'
mnch moro than o ll-dispcsed house would give
TO an actress making her first appearance OH any
stage Yet the house was in great part compose" VI
the people who last year had been u'osV eaS', ~
welcome Mile Sarah Bernhardt; people "no n'u
not been content with applaudlng the aIts'' o"V
had connected with each other IN Offering 10 tne
woman that extraordinary social recognition Vi
which yon heard something at the time Possibly
years reflection bad suggested an uneasy SuSpo''"
that they had rather Overdone 1T on tins former
occasion. Society resents nothing keenly as
enthusiasm and may we'll bear 4 grudGe to
tbe woman who had surprised the coolest ana most
exclusi 10 people in the world into momehtaiy
forcetfnlness of their British pride ana brNlsh
nrudery 1t is seldom that lion remains lion 1or
two London seasons. The mere announcement OF
Mile Sarah BeInhardts return TO tho scene OF heT
triumph was enough to provoke reaction among
who
year she came simply member OF me Comcdle
Franchise The fashionable world OF London chose
Ia single her out from among her comrades; 10 sol
her ON a pedestal-I might say, on an altar-and to
hnrn incense to her. She was the Idol OF the hour
by the will of her idOaters. inns year she appears
as a star; her single name suihcl"g 10 attract an
audience not less numerous nor less orllaht thah
that which saluted the whole Comedle fraDGalse I'D
1879. And SO, naturally enough, the puDhc re-
sents the fascination to which 1t submits IL was
half ready TO burn not incense, but the idol 1t had
lately adored Its attitude defiant. If not hos
tile. But this pride soon had a fall. Before two
acts were over the actress again in possession
of her empire. When the curtain went down on
the fifth 1t WAS rung again to such applause rs
is seldom heard from an audience of this qnalty'
II does not follow because Mile. Sarah Bernhatdl
has reconouered her theat-lcal pubic, that her
social successes of last year will I've repeated Inc
conditions are different. Then she was play ing two
or three times a week only, and had leisure to ac-
cent invitations dinners and parties. as well as 10
give drawing-roonl performances Now she aets
every night in tho week. besides Saturday after
Moons Then she was among company accustomed
to act together and hardly needed to rohearse lis
pieces. Now she is supported by colleagues VINO
have never acted on the same boards and to whom
the plays performed are new. She has more than
enongh work to do II she keeps herself IN the most
rigorous socusiou. Nevertheless, she las installed
berslf in large house in Princes Gate One OF the
most fashionable parts OF London, whore she re-
celves every afternoon at 8. During the two OF
three days nat preceded the opening Of her season,
She was TO be seen or heard of in many places; &C
cepting aud giving invitations to dinners and par
ties promising to 60 to Greenwich and not gong
because Ii rained and the wind was east, ami she
could not risk her vOcee visiting the House OF Lords
and the House of Commons under escort OF their
members; and so on. During the same period she
was rehearsiug twice day at the theatre and even
Oh Sunday there was q dress rehearsal Inc British
public clearly showed horror at this Violation OF
the Sabbath by enreatiug permission to DO present
permission which Was sternly refused.
The play of "Adrienne Lecouvreur" written
Inv Scribe and Legouve for Rachel Since Rachels
death it has remained in the repertoire OF the Inc
atre Fraucas. l have seen Nine Fayart play 1t
in n perfectly correct and perfectly embarrassing
manner Mile. Sarah Bernhardt has long modltatcd
taking possession of the title role. But for her re-
cent breach" with her cOnrddes she would nave
onreared IN il this Summer. What Paris loses Lon
don has gained. 1t may even boast that 1t Is now
able to compare Rachel and her successor. which
PARIS cannot do. The critics old enough to recol-
lect Rachel have busted themselves in making suon
comparisons. They do not seem TO me very profit
able An actress is TO be judged III relation to the
rules of her art, and by her just OF mistaken con-
ce,tion Of the character she essays. Two render
mos of the same part may DO very unlike and both
excellent OF such part rs Adreane this Is par
tcuiarly true for AdrieRRe meant to give scope
for the various sides of Rache genius. and may DO
so plaved as to develop one or another set of quail
ties at the will of the performer. Rachel brought
ont the traplcal force of Adrienaes career. Mile.
Sarah Bsrnhardt has chosen to make most OF tue
womanly tenderness. the wOmanly love. the ca
rassinp sweetness, the candOr and trustfulness,
all of which are essential elements in the nature OF
the extraordinary woman whose name is associated
with that of Maurice de Sare and the one repreac:-
taton is not less wonderful i'll It's way, nor less ad-
mirabie than the other. Some of RachePs admirers
say that Bernhardt misses poluts. Mr.. Ion
TAYLOR and NJ. Auguste Vitu are agreed
upon this They find BeInhardt not
sufficiently venomous in her rivalry with
the Pyineesse de Boui lion, who disputes with Adri-
e1ne the love of Maurice de SGre. Yet Sir. Tom Tay
Ior il his own critic when he says that 1t would be
difficult to imagine anything more cdliRe more
fond and playful, more subtly seductive than the
acting of Sarah Bernhardt III tue scenes with Ndu-
rice or moro plaintively musical than her recital OF
the tender verses OF La Fontalne. Aud M. Augusje
Vitu. who, as we'll as NJ. Sarcey, had come over
from Paris to witness this performance, AYERS that
in the fifth act she to u height OF dramatic
n,wer and truthfulness of accent which could not
be surpassed He adds that che played the long ana
crl. scene where Adrionne poisoned bv the DHohese
de Boaillox, struggles against the anguish OF ter
rible agony. not only with an Immense talent, but
with knowledge of constructive dramatic art
which she had never before shown. 1t is perhaps
sufficient to cay that Mr.. Tom Taylor with all his
suppleness and versatility Of mind has many OF the
fixed notions belonging to the past generation Of
which he is distinguished representative. AS for
NJ Augustc Vtu, he is the critic whose brutal com
n
"I,Aventuriere" to the Grdnde Virginie of LAS
a..,.l. hnr into vii l6rnMlnp from tie