The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-17
ADJUSTMENTS.


al Albaugh's Grand Opera House, sup.
ported by an excellent caat in which
Mario Cdrdrcdossi, played by NJ. Fleurv,
and Lo Baron Scdipid, by NJ. Duquesne,
were the most effectively performed. The
incompatible llernhardt has lost none of
the qualities which have made her SO IA
nous, and her reception was what might
have been expected from 81 apprcciative
an audience. She could not have selected
a role more admirably adapted to show
the scope and resources of her art
and genius. When she stretched her
canvas and began TO outline the
mpassioncd character Of La 7oscu, be-
ginning with the girlish buoyancy and
fascinating abandon of her acting in the
first act, particularly In the inimitable
lovc-making and tender dalliance between
La Toscd and her young artist lover with
its wealth of feminine morals-one mo-
meut all love, their next all whiIn II was
difficult to imagine that the passionate
young creature depicted would under the
master hand of the great artist developc
into anything but the stormy and des-
perate visitor at court In the second act
with jealousy fast beginning its work,
or the tigress robbed of her young
portrayed in the third act with
its bloody dououomc,u. There is nothing
finer in the whole range Of dramatic cffort
than Sarah llernhardts magnificent acting
in that great third act in the terrible in
terview between lie Baron Scdfpid and La
T'ord The enforced desperate calmness,
the fierce revenge that breathed in every
line of the white face and burning eyes,
the expression of them when she first sees
the knife lying near her on the table, the
cat-like stealth of the movement of the
hand in grasping and secreting IL, the
drinking of the glass Of water and the
rattling of the glass against the teeth
caused by the nervous hand--these and
other situations were masterpieces of the
highest dramatic art.
From first to last the great actress held
the audience spcll-bound by the mighty
| force and intensity of her acting. The
! absence of rant, the ease, grace and 1.-the
| ness of her every movement; the wonder
| full facial powers and variety of expires
| sion that distinguish her conception of
| the character, were simply marvellous.
She was the incarnation of passion, devo-
| ton and desperation, and commanded for
| the unhappy La 7oscd, bcsct by cruel fate,
the keen and alert sympathy Of the audi
ence 10 the highest tension.
| There is u cult in this country which
| refuses to see in Bernhardt's acting any
| thing but accomplished talent This
hypercrtal and analytical school of critics
did not hesitate to examine with their
| penny microscopes the sliblimest forces
| of acting of Rachel and Ristori. They
|
cal and fault-fnding would be to confess
their ignorance as to what constitutes
| great acting.
| In the case of Madame Bernhard criti-
| cism of the captious and lofty kind has
been utterly disarmcd. Her genius
stands apparent and confessed. 1t can
not be matched or approached by any
womanat home or abroad. There has
been but one Rachel and but one Ristori,
| and II will be a long time before SO fin
| ished and gifted ;fwoman as this brilliant,
versatile and maddening Bernhardt can
| run the whole gamut Of human feeling
and play it like an instrument, sounding
all its depths and breathing tho glowing
| breath OF her genius into each character
with all of its salient and original features
illustrated
| The excellent manner in which the
play was mounted, the attention to all of
the little details of costume and setting,
peculiar to the French stage, went very
far towards enhancing the effect of the
representation. The beauty and elegance
OF Madame Bernhardts toilettcs of course
was a pleasing and gracious delight to
the eye, and served to emphasize the pic
turesque environment of the various acts
and make her stand out in bolder relief
from the canvas. The whole perform
ance was triumph Of dramatic art and
histrionic genius.
Margaret Mather in Joan of Are"
Miss Mather scored gratifying dra-
matte triumph last night at the National
Theatre in her new play, Joan of Are"
So far as the audience she faced, both in
quality and numbers, was concerned, 1t
only added to the triumph. IL was n com
pensation for the MANY years Of study
Miss Mather has devoted to her art. and
to-day she stands ON the top round of the
ladder as versatile and thoroughly ac-
complished actress. She has so long been
associated with the delicate femininity of
Juliet that the change to the robustuous-
ness OF such character as the ideal Joa,,
which she portrays is charming by con-
trast. Ihe transaction shows her versa
tihty and thorough equipment to accom-
plish whatever in dramatic fields she
chooses TO essay.
It's play that will not meet with high
lavor. IL is constructed OH such peculiar
lines that neither those who delight in
farce comedy" so prevalent and dear to
the average theafre-goer's heart, nor those
Mhoss tastes arc more elevated VIII accept
however as mis- Miss Mathcr Il Il s,,,e tn ssn,a
acceptabie to many. ~
The support is excellent. and together
with the admirable manner in which the
prS ~ ISe'isco furnishes hihsheu
P
L'gou and shadows at Harris.
hghts- and Shadows' flashed, faded
and flickered out at the curtains, final
i fall. much TO the regret of the large andl.
ence last ncht IN Harris, n;;on frhsstrs
who ~itnassaJ m aJn;r.t,is rr,dnat,n,
of TbarIes Gaxiors maio5ra,pn p,ouau.i,ou sa..iosi
ino crme nowsrf,,l and v;rt,,s uots0.
in the great metropolis. The scenery
used in the production Is q marvel OF the
SCeulC DallltcfA art. Tho WakpI
Susne Saa,t,. W sne uiiIa act where
endanccriSe tbe lives af tbe baro ''sui; eul;
! heroine. Is reaiistie in the oytrcmc md
worked the spectators up to a state OF ex.
| element. The cast Il cp,nnetent, EranL
4 Harrington and Miss Mamie Palmer. VIII
1 impersopate the leading roles. are carafui
, | nainstaLing actnrs Np Trhn hr,I'an =.