New-York tribune., 1900-12-26
THE DRAMA.
THE BERNHARDr-coQUEL1N SEASON.
ALAS. POOR HAMLET,

ALAS. POOR HAMLET
sarah Bernhardr's presentment OF Hamlet which
sss disclosed last night at the Garden Theatre
and which viii be visible there until next sa4uraax
night. can, with perfect propriety. be commended
70 the particular attention OF persons who - =.
terested in the study Of freaks The MelsncfNIv
Dane has first and last, been rather roughly han
died on the local stage, but a long remembrance
of his suferings does not recall a time when ha
was more completely and efTeetuauy crrcisea tn,r
be is in the French play and BY the French ac
fress The translation Of .'FIamlet" presented b,,
Nine Bernhardt and her associates is in prose II
wss made by Eugene Morand and Marcel scbvoh
ana Il has been published. with a preface and
notes. in handsome volume OF 254 pages The
French prose is level, smooth and respectable and
It imparts about as clear perception OF Shake
speare's poetry as might be derived from listening
70 the whistle OF the wind through a bunghoIe II
is not perhaps. quite such desecration as the
Italian Hamlet" that inflicted on this COM
munity some years ago by Salvini but as re-
marked by Mercutio. 4" Twill serve" It consorts
very well with HayWard's English prose transla-
don Of Faust and in that congenial category
Of sinful things it may be left
In Nine. Bernhardt's presentment of-Harnlet
there are OF course peculiarities Of apparel and
there are few paitry novelties OF business"
The dress consists OF black silk tunic embroid-
cred with fur; black silk tights; white ruff
around the neck: a jewelled belt: black cloak so
arranged TO depend from the left shoulder:
raper, steel-hilted, in black scabbard with orna-
mental chain; a haxen haired wig.-foIlowing the
lead that was long ago set by E. L. Davenport and
''bettered' by Charles Fechter Cboth OF whom were
wrong. since Danes are not necessarily blond
persons and Hamlet ought for every reason. TO
be dark);-and the usual velvet footgear The
face IS made UP beardless and pale. The figure is
padded. TO make II look as much as posi-
be Ike that OF a man, but in this respect no IL
lusion ensues.-the actress looking exactly Ike
what she is, thin, elderly woman somewhat dis
gUised The chief novelties Of business" are Ham
lets knocking OF the heads Of Rosencrantz and
GUildenstern together, in the course OF his talk
with them; his kicking Of the shins OF Polonius
and his catching Of fly on the nose Of that states
man: together with the transformation OF the dead
Kings portrait into e ghost, in the closet scene
and the Princes procuration OF the play-book of
The Murder OF Coinage" from the First Actor
who is made conveniently carry his whole roper
tory his belt There is also an electric light in
the Kings orstory; and there appears be silly
Intention on the part OF Hamlet TO use the long.
golden hair OF Ophelia a sort OF screen through
which in the scene OF 'the mouse trap play he
may observe the face Of the King. At the climax
OF that scene Hamlet is made TO thrust a lighted
torch before the monarch's face.-but this wonder
ful exploit has long been stale. In the presence Of
the ghost Nine. Bernhardt's Hamlet is as valiant
as a cable car; the business" indeed involves a
kneeling posture, some time after the spirit has
vanished but this IS a Hamlet who has seen whole
graveyaros OF spectres, and 10 whom the haunted
rampant OF Elsinore is about as impressive
The Traitors Gate was TO Arternus ward.-who
thought. as he gazed on Il. that many twen-
y traitors might go in abreast The counsel to the
Players is spoken by Hamlet on the little stage
where the play IS presently 10 be acted. That
business" also is stale: for Sonnenthal or some
other OF the renowned Germans. had the lit
lie stage, and IL was the custom OF his Hamlet to
deliver that discourse from the erninence Of step
ladder. The weapon exchange between Hamlet
and Laertes would seem tolerably fresh If Mr..
Sothern, copying from Nine. Bernhard had not
already introduced II IN his trivial and fncal
presentment OF this tragedy. At the climax Of
the duel Hamlet's sword hand shows a trace Of
blood. and the Princes face and person are made
70 reveal characteristic symptoms Of the approach
Of dea5h by poison: Hamlet dies standing. and his
reefing body IS caught by Horatio; and subse-
QusutIy II IS borne away.-to the general relief
upon huge shields. Much OF the business is tedi-
Qua and IN all OF 81 there IS pretension than
Simplicity The English stage has nothing 10 learn
from Sarah BernhErdt's Hamlet. The performances
Will perhaps profit financially, by reason Of public
curiosity: but Ito OF the Bard's sim
nesJ there Is no OF poetry IN it than there is
OF milk IN male tiger. Technical acUteness and
executive efficiency are apparent. IN abundance;
but actors who present Hamlet are expected-and
not unreasonably-to reveal something more than
the usual resources OF histrionic experience and
skill
With reference TO the character Of Hamlet fact
most essential consideration the reason that
indicates all the other facss the fact that this
prince, when first encountered, is found TO have
been contemplating suicide. OF temperamental
propensity. His prophetic SOUL has warned him
70 beware OF Claudius but his prophetic souI' has
not revealed him either his fathers murder his
uncle's guilt his seeming virtuous' mothers sin,
the ominous contiguity Of the dead Kings ghost
He Is the born victim Of meancholia. the preor-
dsined genius OF sorrow. He typihes misery. and
his misery is congenital and inherent. No circum-
stances are conceivable under which such man
could be happy. Whatever the conditions might be
he would react upon them and make them either
gloomy tragicaL His very smile casts shadow:
his laughter Is sadder than tears. preternatural
visitation, divulgent 10 him OF the affecting secret
OF a horrible and loathsone crime, shocks his al
ready detected and drifting mind, and thereafter
his VIII IS shattered, and anything ike steadfast
and continuous OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES his fever
fish and incessant mental actvity,-becomes innpos-
s,ble Il may indeed. be contended that Hamlet, in
the last analysis OF him, dehes question and re-
mains mystery: that skill Of vivisecton avails
define and designate him. but, on the other hand,
Il certainly is true that Hamlet is man, not Of
action but OF thought a man overwhelmed and
dazeo with the immensity and perplexity Of his
spiritual surroundings; q ravaged with grief,
self-disgust and disgust humanity; a man who
has survived love and become completely isolated;
man who continually resolves and continually
reasons away every opportunity Of executing his
resolution; man around whom. and somewhat be-
cause of whom. all things crumble into ruin, and
who ends in total failure: and yet 10 be
viewed with profound sympathy by all persons who
are capable OF thought
Now cracks noble heart; good night sweet
Princei
And fights Of angels sing thee 10 thy rest"
IN the tragedy Of Hamlet" obviously the dra-
matte values are secondary 10 the meaning of the
central character and to the solemn purport OF the