The San Francisco call., 1906-05-16
BERNHARDT'S
MAGIC LIVES
Genius of Actress Shown in
Old Play From Pen.
of SardOu.
la TOSCd" Made to Seem
Real When Artist Has
the Role.
BY GEORGE EBEY.

story of Sarah Bernhardts anger at
the production in this country. by
Fanny Davenport, of Sardou's La
Toscs," when that bit of Turkish bath
atmosphere was new thing under the
sun. and Bernhardt was first titillating
the palates of the Parisians with its
sensations. If memory serves, the
French actress preferred TO be La
Tosca" in America before Davenport.
How futile such fear as that legend
airy objection implied! There was,
truly enough. Davenport as La
Tosca' in this land. There was also
Blanche Walsh. the latter inheriting
the Davenport parts, the Davenport
jewels and the Davenport husband.
Melbourne Mcdowell. That much is
of record, but when the mere circum-
stance OF the existence Of Davenport
and Walsh on the stage in America as
La Tosca" is admitted, all the oppo-
sition that Bernhard troubled herself
about, is all described.
Bernhard in the old role at Ye Lib
erty Theater tonight, made one smile
at the fancy that there really could be
more than one La Tosca" The trick
Of tone, the subtle incubation, the art
that speaks through fingertips, as the
great French actress employs those
things, make La Tosca" the latter as
machine-like a heroine as Sardou ever
made in his workshop, seem tolerably
real. Fanny Davenport. regal enough,
but not French, and not La Tosca,"
made nothing more than an excellent
melodrama of the material Sardou
provided in this old play. Bernhardt
need not have been concerned about
the American actress starring tours in
La Tosca." Her monopoly upon her
magic was in no danger Of disturb
ance.
If Bernhard ever gives what mum
mers in this country call professional
matinees," performances where fellow
actors have the chance to see things
from the front, what mighty strain
ing there would be by despairing yet
aspiring, budding tragediennes to get
something Of the secret involved in
Bernhardt's reproduction of her effects.
That marvellous, rich, speaking voice
that CLOSES over the tawdry dialogue
of La Tosca" and for the moment
almost convinces one that poetry is
being spoken. Is there no trick in it
that a close watching actress might
ape? Simple it is and miraculously
effective Should the secret die with
Bernhard? The indications are that
such certainly is to be the case. Bern
hardt is unique and when there is no
longer a Bernhardt such imitators as
there may be of her methods will be
turned from with impatience by all
who have slipped at the feast set by
the Sarah who charms still, though
very old as years are accounted on
the stage, and whose play is messy
old stage furniture.
The feast that Sarah sets is a feast
indeed Of wine on the lees, we'll re-
fined"
Barrie once made Sentimental Tom
my write about the ennobling effect
a brass band-heard on the street.
invariably had upon him. 1t is not
an uncommon effect. The strings of
the soul of the common folk wait to
be touched by that sort of harmony,
and the response is usually swift
enough. There are much deeper chords
waiting for the player who has the
skill that genius gives and in whose
hands the hearts of people who fancy
themselves subtle are like water. That
is Bernhardts genius.
Il would be counted now as very late
in the day to say many words of judg
ment on La Tosca" as a play. The
drama was classified, labeled and put
on the shelf long, long ago. Il is some
thing OF a tribute 10 Bernhard, and no
inconsiderable tribute. that a lot of
smart persons are willing to watch the
work taken down, busted, refurbshed
and once more put through its PAGES.
Only Bernhardt could compel wonder
ing attention while the performance is
on. And when that wondering atten-
ton moves TO the point OF cldmorous
admiration, and is finally swallowed
UP in rapturous ecstacy, expressed in
long drawn out, mighty applause then
the measure of Bernhardt's triumph is
seen.
Marvellous Sarah.
The tricks OF Sardou do not greatly
vary in The Sorceress, in Fedora" in
La Tosca-" There is anything but
Infinite varsity in the Sardou plots
Always there is a hectic heroine. who
is always baked in a love affair of the
carminne sort. There is ever a splen-
did villain, a beautiful. manly man
upon whom Bernhard may pour the
molten love lava of the Pelee that
burns within; always there is treacb-
cry, intrigue, a shifting OF Snowy ma
rlonettes, who serve as foil for the 1.-THE
Sarah, and, finally, audacious murder.
the suicide or beauty made wretched.
ana then curtains on a gorgeous.
bloody sunset of a stage queens loves.
If there is only that, and nothing
more, in "Gismonda,' or The Sor-
ceress,' or i'll Ia Tosca, for Bern
hardt to use in the pigments where
with she paints ravishing stage fig
ures, Should one, then, object? Cark-
ing objection would be futile. Rostand
with "L'Aiglon" did not "ft" Bern
hardt. Shakespeare and Bernhard
did not mingle suitably when Ham
let was borrowed TO make a Partisan
holiday. Only Sardou with his eter-
nal procession Of passionate, flushed
ladies, gives Sarah the fit that tall
ors call perfect. There is, then. for
Bernhardt only Sardou. and Sarah un-
questionably is his prophecies.
If we may not ever have this actress.
who suggests Modjeska's powerful,
polished art, in great, dignified and
worthy poetical or dramatic setting.
but must have our last memory of her
tinctured with Sardouese tinsel. then
we are to that extent unfortunate. But
in the scale to be weighed against that
suggestion OF i'll lucL are all of the
Partisan actress arts. and an electric.
velvet touch. which turns even dra-
matte shoddy into cloth of gold. There
is no lack OF a public tina. is grateful
for so much.