Morning journal and courier., 1885-06-05
BERNHARDr IN .srHEoDoRA.,,

A Look From An Actress That Is A
 Miracle or Tragedy And Uasurpass-
 ed By Rachel.
 From the Paris Correspondent to the Boston
 Traveler.1
 Sarah Bernhardt in "Theodora" is one of the events of the season. It is fine drama by Vietorien Sardou, in which we have the old story of the beautiful daughter. of the bear-keepsr, born-let us say, in the year 500, and destined to rise from the spang1ed slipper of the dancer to the imperial purple of the empress. The enigmatical character of Theodore, who held Justinian in her power all her ife-this beautiful, clever, imperial, bad creature-was never so well illustrated as by Sarah Bernhardt, who goes from the empress to the daughter of the people with bound as impressive and powerful in both as was the original. She is woman of re- ma1kable reading and intelligence or she could never have mastered so completely this historic role. August Marrast says of Theo- dora in his 'sVie Byzantin au VI Siecle:" ''The empress joined to superior mind rare culture, an audacious and indomitable character. She put an enormous energy in- to the accomplishment of her purposes She divined the intention of her adversaries, while she remained impenetrable. No one was more faithful friend, nor a more pitt less enemy. In the luxurious life which her invalid condition rendered necessary-for she could only live by sort of interminable hot bath-she found still the time and ener- gy to interest herself in all the cares of state She rallied the wits, disputed the doctors, laughed at fate, but compelled it, and i'm molated her victims with the superb calm with which Apollo fayed Marsyas. Justin ian loved this vagabond Phryne with one of those overwhelming, absolute passions which are peculiar to laborious and concentrated d men. Theology and the Pandects had their day, but his love for Theodora endured for ever" Such are the stormy couple and their more stormy history which Sardou has taken for the hero and heroine of one of the most striking of all modern dramas. ''The inevit- able Eros' found them out, and Theodore, in the drama, is carrying on secret Intrigue with an old lover who is at the head of conspiracy to kill the emperor. Andreas does not know that the beautiful merchant whom he has rescued from an earthquake, is the hated and wicked empress whom he de- aounces. Tine scene is in Constantinople, where women are always yelled. He has never seen the face of the empress nor that of his adored Myrta. Sarah Bernhardt has here grand and unusual opportunity for her splendid dramatic talent. She first appears m splendid salon, surrounded with Byzan- tine magnifcence, receiving, with naughty non chalance, the homage of the world. After the necessary time given to public duties she bounds off her couch and is the dancer, the daughter of the people. It seems scarcely a moment before she appears in the most clas- sic, simple, and perfectly artistic dress, ready to go yelled to the house of an old magician, who sells love philters. Here she dnds some tigers ssnd bears chained, and the daughter of the bear-keeper plays with them through the bars, teasing her old play-fel lows. This is wonderfully pretty scene. She gets her love philter, and goes to the young Greek, her Andreas, whom she loves. Her love-making, her sinuosity, her creeping, insidious charm, recall the serpent of Old Nile. ''The honest and pure passion" of Andreas for his unknown Myrta makes him forget his somber intentions, and Theodora forgets her greatness-au is exquisite like two young lovers of the golden age listening to the ightingales-when Andreas suddenly, after promising her that he will abandon con spiracies on general principles, mentions his horror of that infamous empress, that wretch ed Theodora, the worst and lowest of womenl In his wrath he looks away from her, al though she is lying with her head resting on his knees. She raises her veil for air-the audience sees the face that he does not see, and what face! Rachel never surpassed it. It is a miracle of tragedy. Then comes 8 superb scene between the emperor and en- press. The crafty, cowardly Justinian, obedient to her light caprices, is troubled by the rumors of disaffection and revolt. Theo- dora counsels patience, and promises to save him. The part of Justinian is played by Q young actor, Philippe Garnier, who has been trained to the part from his extraordinary resemblance to the old Roman face, that of the young Augustus, of the many busts, which recall to us the straight brows, the perfect nose, the retreating mouth, that for nal and strong chin. He is perfectly classic, modelled after the antique The costumes, the simple crown, the earrings, tEe purple robe, and later on the Byzantine costumes, make this actor perfect picture. He plays the part sufficiently well, too. But the dramatic glories of the piece are all with Sara, whose costumes are the wonder of the eye, whose incomparable talent one must acknowledge as the formadible events go on She kills two men. She saves the life of the emperor. She is mangled on the body of her lover, to whom she gives poison in mistake for the love philter. She gives us cup full of horrors, and she looks positively beautiful from the beginning to the end. It is mar velous creation.