The record-union., 1897-05-23

where within a block of the theater by
that time, and the costumes We're all
packed up and on their way to the
| train.
Another time, when I reached the
depot late at night, / found my stage
manager in frenzy. The railroad agent
had agreed to give me car for my
iscenery gratis. Now the baggage man
wanted to charge me $50 extra for it and
] threatened to cut it off the train If he
wasn't paid instanter. The railroad
iagent with whom had transacted busi
ness was nowhere in sight. They said
he was at home in bed. 1t was time
for the train to start.
Well, said 1, I want that agent
Then walked over and put my foot on
the rail in front of one of the car wheels.
Now, said you go and find him. And
you can wager they found him in short
order, and didn't pay that extra bill.
Really, though" concluded Miss Tay
lor, 1T was all very exciting and en-
ljoyed it immensely"
Sarah Bernhardts new play is the
talk of Paris. 1t is entitled 'Samari-
taine" (The Woman of Samaria) and it
is the joint production of NJ Edmond
ROstand and NJ Gabriel Pierne the for
mer furnishing the libretto and the lat
ter the music. 1t is in sense a mys-
| terry play, being saturated with the
Spirit Of the New Testament There are
three acts, and the leading figure
| thrOugout the play is the woman of
Samaria whom Jesus met on the plain
of Sichem, near Jacobs Well. The first
act shows us how they met-how she,
Photine, noted cOurteSan, went to the
| we'll to draw water; how a stranger
| asked her for water and was repulsed
on the ground that he was an unworthy
Hebrew. and how, little by little, this
stranger won her confidence and
showed her SO clearly the way to right
| eOuSnesS that finally she became, as it
| We're, inspired and went her way, glori-
flying the name of Jesus with great fer
vor, and resolved that she would tell
| everyone, even at the peril of her life,
of this new Savior of mankind.
The second act shows US PhOtine as
she returns to her home in Sichem. In
famed with enthusiasm, she tells the
| crowd around her all that she has seen
| and all that she has heard. AT first the
people regard her as a lunatic, but
finally they assault her and throw her
to the ground. Again and again she
rises to her feet and the more violently
she isaSsaulted the more fearlessly she
praises Jesus. AT last her boundlesS
courage produces an effect on the mob.
First they cease annoying her; next
| they give little heed to her words, and
finally they are swept away by her en-
| thusiasm and listen eagerly to the good
message which she has to give them.
Meanwhile, news of this gathering
mas been brought to the high priest, and
he fearing a rebellion and in mortal
fear lest the people should do honor to
this new man, who styles himself Messi-
ah, summons the Roman soldiers to his
aid, and the result is that a centurion
receives instructions to disperse the
mob. Photine is arrested, her hands
are bound, and the soldiers are about to
drag her off to prison when the centu-
rion suddenly asks:
What is the charge against her?'
They tell him that she has been utter
ing wild talk about Jesus, whereupon
| he remarks:
Jesus? That Galilean? Why. he's
| iOlHiilS Dul dH ODSCuIc IdHdtIC. hCAC
no use in making SO much noise about
nothing. Jesus doesn't amount to any
| thing. 1 know him.
| And he goes off with a self-satisfied
smile on his lips, while Photine. at
! tended by an immense crowd, goes to
meet Jesus once more at Jacobs Well.
| The third act shows us Jesus trium-
phant. 1t is sunset, and as he faces
| hn oh n hoy
the divine truths which have ever been
connected with his name. He does not
speak ex cathedra, but as man to
men. He answers all the questions
that people ask him, and he tells
| them in clear, ineligible language
| what they must do to be saved.
He shows them the virtues of pru-
dence, of resignation, of wisdom, and
he bids them despise riches, love their
neighbor and be ever ready to sacrifice
| themselves for others. Then many who
are sick are brought to him and he
heals them, giving hearing to the deaf,
sight to the blind, power of speech to
the dumb and health to the sick. FL
nally, all who have listened to him and
who have benefited from his touch or
his words fall on their knees around
him, and, with Photine leading them,
burst into a passionate prayer-a pray
er that their sins may be forgiven them
and that they may not again be tempt
ed to stray from the narrow path that
leads to righteousness.
This fine play has made a great i'm
preston in Paris. The critics seem to
| agree that the libretto and music are of
the first order of merit and, novel and
daring as the theme undoubtedly is,
| the realistic and artistic fashion in
which it has been treated has received
high encomium.
Nine. Bernhardt played the part of
Photine in her own inimitable style.
First We see her as the petted courte-
san, then as the victim of an infuriated
mob, and finally as an enthusiastic
prophecies and sincere follower of
Jesus. Photine's is surely a strong
character, and only a supremely great
actress like Sarah Bernhard can hope
to portray it properly. That she has
done so with consummate skill is the
general verdict.
The costumes and stage scenery are
in entire harmony with the events de-
scribed.
One poor little joke has survived the
political campaign. Whittle, the ven
triloquist at Tony Pastors, has this
converse ton with one of his dummies:
They are going to make the next
issue of silver dollars heavier"
Sorry to hear that. It's hard enough
to raise them now"