The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-07
DEVOTION REWARDED.
But II was Rough on Those Who Saw
sarah and the Play.

When Sarah Bernhardt played camille at
Abbey's Theater, last week, the performance
moved along smoothly enough until the third
act was reached. As soon as old Duval en-
tered TO demonstrate with Camille for holding
on to his baby hoy, it became evident that
something was wrong. The actor was nerv'
Gus, the actress seemed 10 have lost her com
posture. and the prompter In the wings. who
started out bravely reciting every line OF the
actors part before him, collapsed completely
after a few minutes. and was only kept up by
Bernhardt's sdmonitions hurled at him in an
underione. That interview has always been
regarded as extremely trying TO Camille. hat
she did not suffer ans thing last -eek, in COM
parison with tho ordeal that the audience
underwent. 1t was supposed that somebody
in the company had been put in to play the
part at short notice, and tie name "Rudel"
which appeared on the program might have
been the actors or his substituted, and with
a sense Of gratitude at the fact that Duval
did not appear after the third act, the audi
ence tried to forget lin; and sarah helped
them do IL.
But tho spectators would have been much
moro interested in IN. Rudel' If they bad
known that it vas his debut as en- actor. He
Is not a young man. but stout, and apparently
middle aged: and no has seemingly set out on
a theatrical career late in life. The story OF
his appearance In Sarah Bernhardt's company
Is as curious a one as any advertising agent
ever invented about the daughter OF a western
milliona re- or the descendants Of g lire OF
Southern aristocrats that had decided tn
abandon their lofty walks OF life and 60 on
the stage. In Paris there was a NJ. Geoffroi.
who has been for some time an enthusiastic
admirer Of the great French .ragedienne. He
has frequented all her performances, fol-
lowed her from one city in Europe to another.
ana at last succeeded in making her acquaint-
ance. He was q prosperous broker, with an
office in the Rue du Quatre Septembre IN
Paris, but bis time has lately been taken up
with admiring Sarah Mt a greater or less dis
lance. When she arrived In this country, Nj.
Geoffroi was one OF her first visitors to call at
the Hoffman House. He lad decided that
separation from Sarah was not to be borne,
and he sailed to this country before the &C.
tress left France She concluded that such
devotion deserved its reward. NJ. Geofroi
was going TO travel around with the company,
so there was no reason why such a tribute TO
the actress art should not be recognized in a
way that would flatter NJ. Geoffroi and save q
salary. Sarah decided TO make an actor OF
him. The only trouble was about the name.
NJ. Geoffroi thought of his business friends in
Paris, and decided that his own name would
never do. Then the actress remembered that
half his name was that of the Provencal trou-
badour, Geonroi Rndel. who figured in LA
Princesse Loiptaine." a play which Sarah
gave at hor theater in Paris last winter. So
M Geoffroi took half the famous noet's name
and appeared as an. Rudel." with results
that do not indicate that he il likely TO aLd
any new lustre to IT. But Bornhardt has con-
fidence in him, and one of the principal parts
in "Magda" is to be the reward OF oil his
single-minded devotion in Europe and his trip
to this country. It's pleasant for an. Rudei,
even IL ii was rather rough on the audience
at "Camille." N. Y. Sun.