New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-15
COWPERTHWAlT'S
RELIABLE PRETTY PATTERNS PREVAIL.
CAXPERS. Long Credit. IO% West Jlth Ssrsst.
One.quarter cent a day Is the ex.
penSe of using Woodbury'S Facial Soap.
Don't economic on Soap.
SARDOU'S NEW PLAY.
AT A REHEARSAL AT THD
RENAISSANCE THEATRE.

4
THE OCCULT PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUAL
ISM IN THE PRODUCTION IN WHICH
BERNHARDr Is NOW APPEARING.
Paris. Februaryi
1t has been known for some time that spritualism
was the motive OF the new play by Sardou. written
for Bernhardt and on account OF the subject the
play has been the OF even more than the usual
amount OF advance comment and criticism. Could
even so clever playwright as Sardou steer clear Of
the Scylla Of popular scoffng prejudice and escape
the Charybdis OF hppancy impossible TO conceive OF
in the emotional environments Of the Renaissance
Theatre? Knowing Sardou to be an ardent spirit.
uast. although he confesses that 1t has been ten
years since he has personally received any mani
festatons Il does not need the additional fact OF
the play being written for Bernhard to convince
that his dramatic sins against popular taste VIII
be in the direction Of the farccal scoffer; but
how he Is to make popular even with his skill and
the aid Of his coworker a subject that Is seriously
considered only by few. and that no longer has
even the dignity OF fad. is matter for surmise
by the few who have been privileged to witness
the last rehearsals. TIE date OF the first produce
ton is not yet announced. but will probably inter.
rupt the successful of "I.orenzaccio'' in q
weeks time. and. as understand a New ork pro-
duction is to follow description Of the purpose and
action Of the play. as gathered from a private re-
hearsal. may be OF interest
1t is a modern drama with a conventonally happy
ending and one must not think OF Fedora" or els
monda" in considering Bernha rdt's role Of simone.
a young wife married to an elderly savant. who ID
firm believer n spirit Manifestations The wife u
the usual type OF the French woman. demanding
the best Of fe aectionae. and II honest. from the
French point OF view only. She Is also rich In BE-
right and, although sincerely forgetful Of this
fact considers herself neglected while her HUSBAND
pursues his Investigations Cuban ADVENTURES
comes on the scene. His name is Manuel and be
hoo fOr milf Sfrta hal -
called. The lonely estate Of a wife possessed q
600o0W francs appeals TO them both. and. although
the spritualstc doctor Is too engrossed to perceivO
the direction OF his wfe's wandering affections, her
cousin Valentine the good deus ex machina OF tho
incident, IL not so blind
AN ELOPEMENT.
The first opens with Simone and her maid
starting for the station under the escort Of Manuel
1t is understood by the audience that tho maid
alone will leave the city. although the wife prom
ises her husband TO send telegram her arrival.
She leaves the doctor and his friends at seance.
which has for its purpose the conversion OF valen-
tine. There are table movings and rappng replies
promise that Valentine shall be finally converted.
and as an important incident In the story that the
The last message from the spirit world is a com
mand to open the window. which being followed.
servant rushes in with the news that the railway
simone had Yielded evidently to the opportunities
Of the Cuban and left her maid and her friend. his
Austrian accomplish on the fatefu train. for the
second act opens the next morning at his home.
Manuels servant enters with the papers telling Of
and the suggestion Of a tragic scene is interrupted
Sy Of of his % a%% the
person who left her at the station. Simone has had
sao t.. in Which sayns dcy hs
he left Smone on the tran and the situation Is for
hs d III SiS the
travelling bag containing certain jewels The doctor
quietly that he has no need to seek his Cousins dead
body. for she Is there in that house. In the next
cousin.
THE SITUATION OF THE PLAY
The following scene is the most dramatic one Of
the play. Simone says she Is dead: she will leave
Paris with Manuel, and her husband shall nevse
know that II is her maids body tina: has been rec
ognzed as hers. Manuel refuses to take her to
Cuba under these conditions. when. by confessing
her disloyalty to her husband. she may obtain Q
divorce and become legally his wife Simone. who
to his grief by presenting herself alive under such
conditions. and II is Valentine who suggests that
with her comparatively poor lover Manuel picks
up this cue and continues In the SEINE strain: Il u
cannot give her that she must consent to divorce.
But II my husband forgives me. may return to
lover perforce accepts this s cont but Il
Valentines influence that Is In control at the end
the street following the body supposed 10 Be thai
Of Simone. to her husbands home an ending Of the
actress even al rehearsal. but hardly realistic or
to French modern customs.
the chateau where the savant and Simone passed
their honeymoon. The husband remembering that
II has been promised to him that he shall become
medium. has gone there. hoping that In these sur.
roundings his wifes spirit may best return to him.
The stage settings In this act are particularly at.
o.d,,imed Brittany hall with la.ss
that always so conveniently opens an act and ex.
plains a situation is skilfuy managed Before
audience understands by this method that the mas.
Ter Of the place shuts himself into his adjoining
hear him talking apparently to himself, late ints
The night.
THE DENoUEMENr
To run rapidly over the following Incidents: Val.
entine has interview with the doctor. who 10
almost happy because his wishes have seemed to b
fulfilled The evening before the spirit OF his sister
,ame to him and promised that the next night he
should see his wife He also finds himself beyond
he necessity Of table rappings and Is reading mes.
'ages slate. When he goes to his room the
'ousn urges Simone to appear to her husband, and.
She remains alone In the darkened rooms liz only
~ the great log IRE and hears her husband in the
watch and not being able to read MESSAGE Sv.n
o him on the slate bursts into the room and rusheS
o the nrelght. The message reads. your wife
o be her spirit. They speak: she confssses ~
ault and asks forgiveness The scene Is dramstio
md ensctvs n spite Of liz sIgeeston OF seightof-
would you not open your arms to me!' and the
husbands last answer Is that he would "OuyreSss
he play. There is no explanation nor snv l hir,
ss 10 sss Ss
TODD the test in the rst act and Sss smsS nss
means Tor reunion In the last. 30 m,Sch fos az