New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-17
THE DRAMA.
SARAH BERNHARDT AS CLEOPATRA.

shrink from te public attention instead Of seeking H.
This compacency no doubt is an amiabe weakness.
Nobody complains Of Il. The public which often ia
pleased and occasionally is benefited by the minstr7
tons OF actors, certainly has no reason TO object IN
it, Yet this complacency, which has its pleasant side
has also Its comic side and its painful side. These
latter aspects OF 1t are illustrated in the professional
proceedings OF sarah Behadt, whose emcrgence last
night, at the Garden Theatre In the character OF sar
dous Cleopatra, again claims for herself the admirng
attention Of the public and again seeks to substanas
that claim by presenting set another type Of egcgos
vanity and morbid folly. In Cleopatra, precisely -
in La Tosca, this accomplished French actress dis
played herself and her faculties and her peculiar.
tiles with liberal prodlgaity and with abundant and
often admirable technical skill. But the chief i'm.
preston that she conveyed and the essential drift OF
thought that she stimulated were phosophic rather
than professional There may be persons TO whom the
stage embodiment Of centioIs and fcrocious female
is impressive and delightful thing worthy TO be
achieved and desirable to be seen. 1t was noticed by
the philosopher Locke that the world has people Of
all sorts. Iu for and thoughtful Observer the
impression left by sarah Bernliardt's performance Of
Cleopatra is an impression OF regret that a woman
so clever should make herself trivial ard that
actress Of so much talent should not be able
to lind better FOR her power, than
the paltry and ignOminious employment Of
presenting ideal OF womanhood tnat dcgradcs
il to tire level of tiger AID the ape. For this dis
crepancy there can be bit one cause The statement
OF it goes TO the root OF the subject OF sarah Bern
haTdts acting. The menta! constitution Of this actress
is devoid OF every element OK greatness and while her
temperament is dramatic and her executive faculties
arc brilliant and extraordinary the anmating spirit,
the identity, the individuality is frivolous and in
feror. The line upoa which she walks Is the line 10
which nature has restricted her.
No impulse other than that OF colossal vanity
would prompt, or would permit, any woman to come
into the public view in such character as that OF
sardou's Cleopatra. The part has not shred OF de-
ccncy to it, and, worse stu, IL has not one hbre
of nobility TO exalt it one touch OF poetry 10 beauty
II. or one thrill OF heroism TO redeem it. In
rho character OF Cl,opatra which has commonly
been known upon the English stagc,-that is 70
saw in the character as drawn by Shakespeare
there is a tremendous animal appetite but also
there are many grand and splendid qualities OF heart,
mind and Imagination mingled WITH H. mat great
poet does not seek to concentrate attention simply
upon an erotic fool. lie maSrihed MS historic
original and invested it with glory which IN actual
Iifc IL never possessed sardous Cleopatra. on the
contrary is the mere futile incarnation OF VAN, vo
npuous wantOnnessthc sleek, supple shameless sem
suaty Of the cat together with It's crafty vigilance
It's selfish caprice, its treacherous spte and Its pes
ferocty seeing this parsonage you see Womahhood
al it, worst. on every side OF the picture the Limit
is the carnal limit. No great word is spoken. No
great action is performed. No high impulse Is ind-
Gated No sweet or fine feeling is entertained In the
niece or awakened in the auditor. Eitrontery ana
depravity sprinkled over with gewgaWs, MAKE up lhs
sum OF this matter. An unchaste and unprincipled
woman. successful by means Of her physical iaseihS
ton and her lewdness is depicted triumphant over
an infatuated old enough 10 know better ou hos
strong enough according to his knowledge Thae
Is the total substance OF this drama. The Dog OF
sensuallty is opened before yOu and upon that you
are desired TO gaze and moralze. You Denod coarse
Partisan tablcau OF Samson and Delllah, decked out IN
Roman and Egyptian garments, and you Watcn 'hs
process of vulgar sub,ugation of man by Woman'
Man and woman are alike ordinary. There Is noth-
ing splendid about them except their furniture
and their clothes There Is nothing great aoouo
them except their concet Soon they are aS
feast together, and presently they agree
TO part for awhile and then Cleopatra, who mas De-
come ply scay enamored Of her burly captVe' Is seen
to be longing for him and to trample on
bearer Of the nl-news of his marriage little later
you observe her jealous fury when she sees her errsns
lover In the companonship Of another woman, ana you
listen 70 her insane invocation that tempest may ourso
forth and waste the universea tempest which obedi-
emily burst forth, but wastes nothing except your
time for the chief characters din the play are Just as OBJ
vous and Just as garrlous when the storm is over as
they were before Ceopat ais again pos session OF
her playhing; and then she ruins him soldier III
order TO show her power over him as an animal Lass
of all YOU see her application Of nal reptile to her
pcrson-and the silly spectacle Is ended. All tius
while your mind has been liberated from the
confines OF dismal treatist the lowest instincts OK
human nature the meanet aspects OF human con-
duct You have gazed on good scenery-a thing which,
In this capital long since ceased to be a marvel You
have observed clever stage management; for In this
although French actors are apt TO be Photographic
literal prox and tedious in their inmate accuracy-the
French excel. And you have seen an experienced
actress represent with absolute fidelity, modern Frencb
coouette bedizened to look like Something that size
suppses TO be Egyptian. Neither in the historic nor
in the dramatic point Of view, however, has anything
been gained You are neither correctly informed nor
nobIy agitated, nor finely impressed. The story OK
Antony and Cleopatra, ft is told in TINS piece Is
not the authentic account Of them that may be read IN
Plutarch but garbed version of It, The only telling
dramatic passage in the play is that obviously,
was suggested By familiar and much better passage 10
shakes pearc-the which, probably, was remotely
based on Pluarcs narrative OF Ceopatras assault on
sceucus And. finally, Antony and Ceopatra-char'
acters that Shakespeare's glorious Imagination ana
splendid treatment have subnmated and haI redeemed
are made by the French author TO be Trivial Vapid
and basea pair of modern story paper lovers sohcitous
for nothing but their conductive loves. and, to any
person having proper comprehension Of the dignity OF
human He. vulgar and wcarisome impertnence.
II is not material that Sarah Bernhard dresses the
wanton, expeditions H:d tnriulu0u' Cleopatra N gor'
gcous rament and embOdes her with theatrical SKILL
She is an old and experienced actress. and it would
be strange indeed IL she not able TO present in an
effective manner a part so simpl as that OF the
posturing. picture makng heroine OF tbs tfei'en
spcctacle-drama Effective although II be, however.
her performance OF Cleopatra Is, IN one aspect OF IL
comlcal. A woman must be exceedingly beautiful
and-more than beautIful-shc must lie POLITICALLY en-
chanting il she would cause Such character as sar'
dou's Cleopatra TO be accepted seriously. such
woman, in appearance, Louisa NisDett must ha'o
been might. perhaps, have made this part po'ehuai'
by the luminous aud intoxicating charm OF hcr per
sonal loveiness. sarah Bernhardt. although she Is
woman of striking physognomy. great nervous V'ay'
insinuating ways, and above al, wonderfully clear
flexible, melcdious penetrating and expressive voice.
cannot be said dstlnctively to possess beauty, ana
surely she is not TO be accredited with the quahy u
enchantment. Formidable and aggressive natures may
command and that way they may prevail; but they
never entce During tie whole OF Sarah Berhharo's
almost nterminable performance Of Cleopatra there 10