The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-07
SARDOU'S LA TOSCA."
Madame Bernhard in the Impet.
uous Role of FlOria.
"TheodOra" TO-Nfght-on Friday Evening
Next the New Play Pauline Blanchard"
Will Be Given With New Scenery.

Sardou's terrible drama, "La Tosca."
was the subject of Nine. Bernhardts per-
Torrance at the Grand Opera House last
! evening. There are but two characters of
account in it, FIoria, the heroine, and the
Chief of Police, Baron Scarpia These
two embody in themselves the fierce PAS
sions of love-because unbridled-lust, jeal-
ousy and revenge. They become denounced
as it were, under their influence, and all
the interest there is in the five acts and six
tableaux is created by the fiery Italian
nature running riot when spurred on by
one or the other. 1t is curious fact that
Sardou should have made the historical
Lady Hamilton a factor in the construction
of this play. In the first act Angelotti, the
Republican friend of the painter Mario, an
escape from the Castle of San Angelo
(and of whom Scarpia is in search,
has taken refuge in the Church of st.
Andrew, where his friend is at work. He
tells Mario that he ascribes his presentposi-
tion to creature, who, when as young
man he was in London. he found proving
around the VauXhall Gardens seeking prey.
He tired Of her after short time and re-
turned to Rome. Many years having elapsed
he was, much to his astorAshment, intro
duced again to his Vauxhall beauty, this
time as the wife of Sir William Hamilton,
British Ambassador to the Court OF Naples.
Lady Hamilton saw that she was recognized
by her former lover and took her course,
which was his destruction. Admiral Lord
Nelson fell iGto disrepute, it will be remem-
bered by Welding to the wiles of the same
woman. Napoleon, who had high respect
for Nelson, used to say that his connection
with Lady Hamilton was the only stigma on
his character. George Romney has lett a
splendid painting of this siren In the Ma
tiOnal Gallery, London, labelling 1t Emma
Harte Qady Hamiiton)" She is repre-
scented as woman OF surprising loneliness.
THERE ARE TWO DEATH SCENES
In this CHASTITY drama, and in the delinea-
ton of such events Bernhard, having made
the art Of dying as well as OF living special
studies, is an adept We suppose there
never was such an effective scene conceived
by dramatist as the interview in the fourth
act of La Tosca," between the Baron
Scarpia and Flora. 1t is lurid with lust
and murder, and when she slabs him in The
back hoping to save her own honor and her
lover MariO's life at the same time, the
bloody climax causes a shudder. In the
business that follows Bornhardt must de-
light on account Of its grotesque wierdness.
1t IS so entirely in her way. Having taken
Searpia's life she is seized with qualms
of conscience. not for her act of homicide.
but lest Scarpia'S sudden passing
without any of the rites of the church may
peril his immortal part in the other world,
and so improvises around his stiffening
corpse. as far as she can, by means Of lighted
candles the usual DEATH bed formalities. Her
own death is artistically arranged to avoid
too great tension of the horrible. Il go
of my own free WILL" she cries to Spatella
and his myrmidOns, who were about to
seize her, and leaps from the windOw-ledge
into the space beyond.
THIS EVENING
Theodore" will be presented; also to-mor-
row and at the Wednesday matinee. On
Friday evening Nine. Bernhardt's new play,
Pauline Blanchard" which she has already
aired in Australia will be given in place of
"Adrienne Lecouvreur."