The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-06-12
BERNHARDT.
Her Appearance Here Last Night at the
 Hyperion.

Her Appearance Here Last Night at the
 Hyperion.
 If last nights appearance at the Hy- perion was a really and truly "adieu forever" one for Sarah Bernhardt, as the billboards said 1t was, she will not carry away to her sunny France to brighten her days the feeling that New Haven was entirely appreciative of her efforts. The announcements of the per forrnance said the curtain would go up at S:SO sharp, but at that hour there dred and fifty people in the theater. To those who remember the long line which waited wearily through the night for tickets to her first performance here in the fall the change seemed difficult to explain. A reasonable explanation may be that the people went out of curiosity the first time, and, having seen, went their various ways and were content with one evening of French. There were probably few repeaters last night. but probably most of those who went were real admirers of the Divine Sarah and wanter to hear and fall again under the charm of that wonder full voice.
 The curtain didn't go up at s:So sharp and the audience began to wonder whether Madame Bernhardt would con- descend to play to so small house. At | five minutes past nine the orchestra made it's appearance. and five minutes later the curtain went up for the first scene of the quadruple extract bill-a scene from Hamlet another from Ca- mille, third from LAiglon, and, for the finale, an act from Frou-Frou. It was an exceptionally good compa- lny throughout, but in a company where Bernhardt plays one thinks only of Bernhardt The others are mere incl dents. Indeed, most of the scenes were arranged to this end.
 One would have difficulty in finding parts more entirely different than those of Hamlet, Marguerite Gautier, the Duke in L'Aiglon and Gilberte in Frou- Frou, yet Bernhardt gave them all a distinct Individuality. The Marguerite Gautier, it appeared to the writer, was less powerful and touching than in the performance last fall. Perhaps its in- completeness had something to do with l this apparent lack. One lost the per- spective. In splits of the cutting it was still wonderfully done. The most charm I ing thing of the whole evening, and which served to show Madame Bern hardt in a different light, was the scene from Frou-Frou, a comedy of the brightest character.
 Mime. Bernhardt grows old in spite of all her art. Her checks have lost their plumpness and begin to hang. Her neck is wrinkled and deep creases set in around her chin, which show, not withstanding the carefully arranged collars and scarfs. In repose her face is the face of an old woman-a very old and very tired woman. But her voice is forever young-that is the marvel. It caresses, coos, gurgles and sings with murmuring monotone. Occasionally | it flashes forth in the very power of youth. And then, when she responds to recalls, we'll away from the sharpness of the footlights, who can connect that feline grace and smoothness of ac- Acknowledgement with old age, with all her beauty and seductiveness?
 We trust we have not seen the last of this greatest of actresses. Perhaps we may have her again when the nip. of the Partisan wolf is felt at the boudoir door. Let us hope so.