Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-31
tpaily except Sunday.
Criticism of Beruhardt's Acting b
BOuCicault.
THE wETMoRE SCANDAL.


IL seems TO have become the fashion, and no
wonder, for newspapers In the states &c preface
any reference 10 sara b. with al apology, aud L
Deg 10 90 likewise but heard Mr.. Boucicault
make such clever references 10 Nine. Bernhlrtt
at dinner party the other night that feel II
my duty 10 the EeTdld'S readers 10 repeat them
verbatim need not tell you that the great
Dion is brilliant oonveTsat1onallst and such
an unsparing. and, wiibal generous critic. that
IL must be pleasure for artists 70 be- Nno ,kef
down 10y hirn-he picks them up again so gen
lily. Mr.. Bouclcault does not conceie II Mne.
Bernhardt the lost art or tragic acting Il
never saw but two great tragedanS.' he said,
lone was Rachel. the other Frederic le-
maitre: they used altogether different pro-
ceSSeS from those in vogue nowadays I
watched one performance OF Rachells very close
ly on many occasions, and never was able TO
understand how she arrived at her effect. I
only knew that she got II as no one has ever
done since. Take. for example, one scene OF Les
HoraceS.' Rachel was the heroine and she was
seated I'm chair listening 20 the recital OF her
brother touching the death OF her lover and her
two other brothers The latter were slain by her
lover, one or the SabiDes, In battle, wbereup0n
the remaining brother rushed In pursuit and
Killed him. In this episode Rachel had only TO
listen, out so eloquent was her Silence--she had
10 speak but the one word, 'Hrl0S that she
absorbed the undivided interest OF the specta-
tor. That was what call great acting. Nine
Bernhard simply does not know what IL
means. | could see by her performance G OF
Adllenne Lecouvreur that she had followed
some of RachelS business. which, OF course
passed into tradition; but, whereas Rachel was
Sara became by comparison the domestic cat
The best thing In Nine. Bernhardt's performance
OF Adrtenne was, 10 my mind, her recitation OF
the fable OF les DeuX Pigeons uhis had earned
her admitaDce TO the conSeryatoire as a Crib;
indeed. | am not prepared 10 say that her read
ing on LaiontaineS lines was not better than
kachel'S, for the reason that IL was more play
iul and less heavy; but, after that, the delugei
The manner in which Nine. Bernhard plays
the death scene Is vitality wrong. She seems
10 he Chiefly concerned with the fact that 1t
because
viii tear her from those who love her. but
because lie is sweet for its OWN sake, and
she might have Jolly time IN It. The young
man who loves her, and the old man who
is her devoted friend, stand by very much as
though they were servants SO far as she is
concerned, and, Indeed. according 10 Sara's
lights, servants would do as well III that had
been the intention OF the author, however.
Maurice de SAKE and Micbonnet would not be
pAsent at the scene OF the dissolution. Adj
e1he Shouid convey TO the audience that She
shrfnks from death because II viii tear her
from her lovers arms and dream OF happi-
ness with him. Sara seems 10 ignore this fact
altogether; she is TOO much occupied with her
self ana her physical Sufertngs and the sug-
geStion that she could have a high old time IL
she lived"
THE HERO OF TTR wETMoRR SCANDAL
the Marquis OF AIgleSey, has been residing
since his marriage TO the lady who was Miss
R eiccaGi hing OF Se1a In Aeermare street
ally blushing bride at one OF the Palais ROYAL
PERFORMANCES at the Gaiety Theatre shortly
dltcI "a lew weeks ago. 10 may
have been happiness, or IS may have been the
d0hbtes ertefdFes OF the shocking comedy tn
course OF representation that brought the vivid
color SO often TO the fair Cheeks OF the new
marchloness. She is pretty. plump woman,
with blue eyes, blonde hair decorated on this
occasion with diamond starr and mild and
amiable expression OF countenanee; her evening
dress OF black gauZe was made SO as to disclose
her round, white arms and the neck. She
seemed In a state OF perfect bliss, !" crowned
With the roses OF the honeymoon. As for
the marquis, he has the sensual look OF
most OF the Pagets, and as a type. In appear
anee at least, OF 1.-THE bold bad man. the ele-
CANT polished villain or } society drama He is
apparently nearly 80 years CT age and is well
built and inclined 10 fulnesS or figure. His
crisp, glossy black hair is closely cut, but sin
eurls over his bullet-Shaped head his complex
ion is pale olive, ana he wears moustache
and Slight side whiskers. His teeth are white
his hand small ana arfstocratic. He looks more
like a Spanfard than an Engllshman. Little or
no notice is taken OF the Wetmore scandal by
Tie papers here and paragraph in Truth,
Which mentioned no names, condemned IL as
an attempt TO eXtoit money, but the censorious
world Is inclined to condemn the nobeman
when il chatterS In clubs and boudoirs Ger
ta!nly. IL is regretable that such scandal
should bring pain TO such an amiable lady as
the 10 arch!oheSS.