New-York tribune., 1903-01-07
BERNHARDTS NEW Play
1herolgne dc Me,icourf. a Par
Drama Of the French Reuolufion.
Paris. December &c.

Paris December &c
Tnerosne &c Mericourt," the historical recon,
etitution OF fhe French Revolution. which NJ,
Paul Herviea has condensed into six acts did
not secure the unanimous enthusiasm OF dilet-
tanu and OF critics the first night but is
being now received with outbursts Of acclama-
ton by the paying public. NJ. Paul fervieu in
his captivating panorama OF the Revolution.
aroused the dissatisfaction Of royal and clerical
reaction by presenting Louis XVI as a fat
selfish. vacillatng monarch, incapable of learn
ing snything OF forgetting anything. This
partly accounts for the reserve shown on the
occasion OF the first performance 10y mundane
satellites, always more royalist than the king
for il must he recoliected that in France the
principles Of the great Revolution stun evoke
personal invective and mutual incrinination.
ple.ent at the first performances and also
at a subsequent matinee. when the spacious
Theatre Sarah Bernhardt was crowded with a
typical Partisan holiday public. largely composed
of students schoolboys and children some of
whom occupying cheaper places pihbled away
sugar plums oranges. IT was an audi
ence made up Of the descendants of the populace
that stormed the Bastile. 1t was instructive
observe the ovation accorded by the great
public 70 the young Academ.cian's play. bris
ting with maxms OF the rights Of man. and
Nine. Sarah Bernhardt's innpersonation Of
the great Revolution. This reclamation of the
rough and ready public establishes theatrical
success.
'TheroisTe de Mertcourt' will. according to
present arrangements. he produced in English
3n the United States and Great Britain Ameri-
cans may form correct idea of the play if they
bear in mind that il Thsroigne NJ. Paul Hervieu
has accomplished in prose for Nine. Sarah Bern
hardt what In ''LAigIon' NJ Edmond Rostand
did for her ir verse Theorigne, a woman of
the people, inoarnates the French Revolution,
Just as rAiglon. the young prince imperial, in
caraates the Napoleonic legend. Theroigne en-
bodies the human vitality and intellectual free
dom that occasionally recall the impractical
utopianisrn of the Russian nihilism of our own
time. She is at the outset mystical soft and
persuasive. like a graceful goddess OF reason
like youthful Liberty. She soon gets to be
ferocious and bloodth:rsty. like the Committee
Of Public Safety: and finally becomes insane,
like the Reign of Terror (wRs there not some
thing Of the madness of grandeur in the period
preceding that of imperial glory?l and in the
last act Theroigne appears in the Salpetriere
Iunatic Asylum surrounded by the ghosts of
Robespierre. Danton, Marat. and of those who
were both leaders and victims of the Revolution
This superb categorical conception is magnif-
3oently developed by Mime. Sarah Bernhardt in
her double capacity Of actress ana stage man.
ager. Mime. Sarah Bernhardt makes NJ Paul
Hervieu's idealized heroine stand forth as the
living genius Of the Revolution. Apart from
JAiglon. the only character in Mime. Sarah
Bernhardt's repertory that resembles Theroigne
IS that Of Jeanne d'A~c. which presents the in
carnation of the French people that during the
first half OF the fifteenth century threw off the
yoke of English invasion. Jeanne dare.
'LAiglon" and ''Th6Toigae" are ali reconstruc-
1ions-rnore or less accurate. but accuracy is of
no Importance from theatrical standpont-of
The rnest dramatic epochs of French history.
In aIl three authors and actress make stirring
appeals to French patriotism. AS stage
ager Mime. Sarah Bernhardt has mounted the
play with exquisite taste and accuracy and with
lavish expense.
The first act passes in Vienna in 1892. in the
library of Emperor Leopold Joseph II. brother
of Queen Marie Antoinette. The famous Min
sster Kaunitz Is present TheToigne ce Meri-
court disheartened by The ferocity that IS being
manifested at Paris. has left the capital to re-
turn to her native town c. TAege, but has been
seized by French roy2-ists and brought to
Vienna accused by su,aau, a French journalist,
of having. pistol III hand. led the women Of
Paris to attack Versailles. Tharoigne is Gues-
Hioned by the Emperor. who releases her o.
condition that she inform the people Of Paris
that II a hair of the heads of the King and
Queen are injured united Europe will invade
France and cure the revolutionary nation OF its
,nadness. Theroigne urges that such mes
the death warrant of the King and Queen.
The second act shows the Court OF the
rTuileries on the night OF August 8, 1892. Queen
Marie Antoinette. surrounded by ladies and
noblemen, discusses the situation. Il is the
evening before the storming OF the Tuileries.
Louis XVI appears, and by his imbecile stu
pidity throws away his last chance of successful
resistance The laundering alarm of the tocsin
bursts forth with thrilling effect from the bel
fries OF Paris, summoning the populace to the
assault
The third act takes place in the house of |
tTheroigne in the Rue Tournon. Danton. Marat,
Fabre d'Eglantine, Robespierre, Desmoulins,
Chenier, Pelion and Sieyes met there, and draw
up q document declaring Louis XVI to have
forfeited the throne. The parchment bearing
the revolutionary signatures is intrusted TO
Theroignes care. But a company OF National |
Guards faithful TO the King. and under the
command Of Suieau, break into Theroigne's |
rooms, and after a desperate struggle the in
eliminating parchment IS wrested from her by
she ferocious pamphleteer. Here again the audi |
ence is stirred by the terrific reverberations of
the tocsfn sounding the death knell Of the mon |
archy-
In the fourth act we have realistic glimpse !
o. louis XVI Queen Marie Antoinette. the |
yoxre Dauphfn and the court, including the |
Trtncesse de Lamballe and Nine Campan, walk /
ing through the garden of the Feuillant TO the /
National Assembly. The King is insulted by 1
the mob. Cries of ''The Austrian woman. The /
Austrian woman resound all sides In the /
confusion the little Dauphin is lost and is found
on the back of q fighwoman. Boys in the trees /
yell and throw stones. Suleau, denounced by /