Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-10


art. bat What shsll We cay u s&fdoa
and has drama, which - very French.
Frsnch ia the senss ~ u v Understood
10 espose inimofaisty. The intrigue Of
wsmsu End mel, ia i'csptioas dirsc-
ton. SCENE ~ b. Tie motive at every
French play. The esteemed dramaiiss.
who 10 = lnAster Ut cousssuctsop. - not
To blxine Il he followers IA La Bclie
France applaud that which smiEks Of
inndvisty. that winch iAughs NJ and
ridlcuIss. and mscks - wrakness the
very endearing ties OF iIfe. Act this
fsenehn,an must be pardoncd, brcausc
ne - 10 the manor born. lie - =
Frenchman. and IN "ia Tosca" he re-
ilscts French life without the I'D OF
Max o'keifs glassrs. lilo sees his sub.
jecs with tho naked eye. Ne matter
About the place and location OF this
great drama = II 10 Frenchy.
strong aud powerful dramatic
ally, bus Infused with lspld
pulse and the psssionato urging OF
the laad OF grapes and champagne
which looks asksuee ct the fever OF Tie
blood when 10 moral temper - guagcd.
The story Of LA fosca" 10 we'll known
aud we'll told by this grea. French
dramatist. II must he granted that the
stage performance OF II gwen by Sarah
Bsrnhasdt last night Was superb.
Through the earlier acts the huctuating
emotions OF love. hate, pity. aud de-
spAir are all depicted. Toe actress con-
trols the audience WITH her personal
magnetism. The perfection OF her art.
Every gesture and infection Of the
heroine carries the play forward ~ the
great climax, tbs murder OF 6carpia.
This scene can not be described. IL is
dominated BY intense animal pas-
sion and the struggle for the
saving Of virturs and aeif-in-
stinct for the moment separated
from the control of thought aud brain
stands ilIuned. In almost m instant
Nine. Betnhsrlt portrays the whole
ganut Of feeling. Fear, horror. wo.
manly repulsivenees. diplomatic plead
ing aud feline ferocity are seen at
g.ance. A picture OF . sOnl that a.
most offered itself TO impuls .. Many
women have thua boon tried. the pic
turo 10 not overdrawn. Who could not
understand Bernhardt in this scene;
She seems moved entirely BY the anl-
NAL impulse, swayed by PASSION and 1T
the supreme moment by direction of
the dramatist resents it all. This is
sometimes human. II 10 possibly uatu-
raj. Who 90 hard that could not 10
touched by the sorrow, the pstousness
expressed in her voice and 40 consis-
tentiy depicted in her action In the two
last scts Of this play. There is much
that is gloomy in this play. In its end
lug love 10 unhappiness and despair
and passion stands = issppointment
and q wreck. That this great and IN.
comparable Frcnchwoman coinpre-
hends And feels every interest In every
phase OF humanity, OF the character
which Sardou wrote for her, there can
be no dispute. The wide world has
doifed its hat 10 Bernhardt: critics,
cynics. cranks aud all who can look
upon the stage intelligentiy or with >
prctsnsc of intelligence. Her company
all spoke French--if need be . transla.
ton may be coming in tho future. For
the present this 10 all. Adieu, Bern.
hardl!
General Mention.
The great theatrical plunger. Henry
z. Abbey, wac about the lobby OF
Powers last night. In the meantime
Mrs. Henry E. Abbey saw "His Nibs,
the Baron? 1T Redinonds, while her
husband received his reckoning Of the
receipts Of Bernhardt. Neither Of
them saw Manager Burroughs after the
theAtere were closed.
The niueic lovers in Grand Rapids.
who number among the thousands,
need not be told but once about the
appearance Of the celebrated cornetist
Llbcrati and his concert company at
Powers' next Sunday evening. Some
prominent local musicians. vocal and
instrum sntsl will have . place on the
program.
Inc next attraction ct kedmond's
~ill be that OF Annie Ward tiffany,
who 10 unequsled in the dclineation Of
legitimate female Irish character parts.
Miss Tiffany his = new. play, 1.-The
Stepdaughter."
DO not forget that the continuous
shows At Gcary's are permanent. He
has the greatest show OF his career hero
this week.