Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-22
NINE. BERNHARDT
ACTS At SAL TA|R
Her Death Scene Creates a
Tremendous I'M
preston.
MANAGEMENT MARRIED PLAY.
Audience Was Big and Brilliant and
Receipts Ran From $4,000
TO $4,000.

salt Lake has at last enjoyed the
privilege OF listening TO and gazing
upon the famous Bernhafdt, and has
recorded its mixed and yariegated ver-
diet upon her powers. That verdict, II
1t could be compressed into n few
words. would be one Of respect for the
traces of rare genius she stu exhibits,
one Of pain TO see nn actress on whom
The rayages of time are so marked, en-
deavoring 10 play . youthful role, and
one Of evaporation that an artist Of
her standing should be content TO al
low such stage management 70 bring
rldicule upon her presentation
1t was inevitable, the entire dialogue
being rendered IN French, TINT The APP
probation of the audience should fall
short. The greater part Of the gather
Ing came out OF curiosity not with the
expectation of reaping the full enjoy
fnent that would have attended pre-
sentation given IN English. hut Il was
something to be able 10 say u have
seen Bernhardt play Camille
Doubtless those present last evening.
now being able to say this, feel repaid
for their outlay. 1t did not require a
knowledge OF French, however, to see
In Bernhardt the mistress of her art
But little Of the rich voice OF former
day. remains. but the magnetism Of
her manner. her personality, her grace
and her individual charm with the
perfect mastery OF all the technique
and finesse which have made the
French school noted. these are still
with her and 1t was impossible not to
feel admiration for her ms these quail
tiles were displayed. The perfection Of
natliralness Ii the keynote Of the mod
eyn French style OF acting and 1t was
this In which Bernhardt and her COM
pany excelled. II was SO much the case
that IN the quieter moments Of the
play II was al like a prolonged com
versazione.' I'm which the character OF
Camille hardly seemed called upon to
do any acting The several big scenes
in the play. however. where Candles
opportunities occurred, notably the
episode with the elder Duval. the part
Ing from Armand the gambling scene.
and greatest OF all, the death scene at
the close. were the points where she
thoroughly shone, but II must be said,
In candor. that the only place where
she seemed to deeply impress the
audience was In the death scene Here
the terrible naturalness OF her work,
had an effect on her listeners almost
painful to behold, and II the applause
did not break forth in tumult, II was
due to the depression which her vivid
acting caused among her behoders.
One could almost see the shadows OF
dissolution passing over her counte-
nance.
1t is the tremendous effect She pro.
duces In this dying scene that justines
her in retaining Camille in her re.
pertoire. In the other scenes of tho
play. the difference between what Ca
mile should have been and what Bern
hardt Is, Is too marked 10 make the
delineation agreeable. Aside from Bern
hardt, there was little In the presenta.
ton to create interest. II Is impossible
rot to feel disappointment that the
famous French artistic should not have
presented us with group OF ladies' |
especially In the ballroom scene. whose |
looks and dresses reflected someth ing OF |
Partisan beauty and style. Truth COM |
pels tho statement. however. that the |
supporting company belongs decidedly |
IN the mediocre class. The Armand |
Duvai, while not O bad actor would be |
ranked as only an average leading |
man In the second grade stock COM |
panies In America, and hardly any OF |
the others are deserving af more than |
passing mention. As for the stage |
management which allowed one set Of |
battered and dingy scenery to do ser |
Vice for Candles drawingrooin, Ar |
mand's country home, the gilded ball |
room salon, and the cottage where Ca
mile breathes her last, to say nothing |
OF the slde-spitting performances OF |
the curtain-no words of condemnation |
are severe enough. How Bernhard and
her company maintained their compos-
ure in the face of such adjuncts, it Is !
hard TO Imagine. but all except Duval
Pere seemed entirely unrufded by all |
their untoward environments That
the stage conditions were not bettered. |
as they might easily have been. sug-
gests that while Bernhard and her
managers believe In Art with n big A.
they are equally devoted 10 the Dollar |
with big ID.
The running of the trains, the seat
ing arrangements, etc, were all ham
died N excellent fashion 1t took two
Dig trains to convey the crowd to and |
from the pavilion and the scene look.
ing out on the big and brilliant audi
ence was one of distinct beauty. How
ever, not all the vast area Of seats was
occupied, and after the first act those
seated In the rear Of the house. moved
by common impulse walked over The
ropes and took the best seats possible.
evidently under the impression that by
a nearer view they might UNDERSTAND
what the dialogue was about The ac-
cousties were surprisingly good In
fact low as the key was IN which
Bernhardt pitched her voice, she could
be heard AT the farthermost end of the
pavilion, Tho stage was erected on the
north side, out OF hastily lmprovsed
gathered from The scenery ami
prop rooms OF the salt Lake play
houses. Chrlsteuson's orchestra fur
nished charming music during the eve-
ming.
The railroad carried between 200 and
300 people the great majority of
whom naid SO for their seats. The re.
reipts we've thus from Sc 500 to Sc. 0oO, a
very satisfactory figure, an things con-
isidercd, though one less than the
Beruhardt management had hoped for
and less than thcy gave out to the
press In advance