The San Francisco call., 1906-05-18
BERNHARDT DEPICTS
THE UNHAPPY LIFE
OF GRECIAA QUEEN
Famous French Actress Gives Artistic
Portrayal of Raeine's Heroine,
Phedre, at Greek Theater.
Host Of Auditors Hangs on Sound Of
Her Voice as She intones
the Noble Lines.
SkiHfuIly Lifts the Curtain That Has
Been Drawn for Centuries Over
Story Of Misguided Love.
AZ cEoRGE EREY.

BERKELEY, May I7.-Sensation-
loving Sarah .Bernhardt has added a
new experience to her repertoire Of bi-
zsrre emotions. She has played Ra-
cine's ''Phedre" in the open air. In the
hills Of Berkeley, on the stage Of the
Greek Theater, in the year Of our Lord
1906 10 a crowd of Californians that
pressed the 5000 mark tremendous
crowd. Eenceforth the ordinary up
holstered playhouses should seem
stuffv and absurd to Bernhardt. She
Is likely TO retain the memory Of this
days doing in Berkeley TO the end Of
that life of hers. which has been so
full Of extra ordinary things. Certainly
the host OF auditors that hung today
on the sound Of her voice, as the noble
lines OF Racine's age6y were intoned,
VIII grip fast for all time the thought
Of that which they saw and heard this
afternoon in the Greek Theater.
Bernhard lifted the curtain that has
been drawn for centuries over the
story OF an unhappy Grecian Queens
guilty love Cor the son Of her own
husband. ana for two hours gave a
lot or moceups. who crouched on the
stone eeats Of TIE Greek Theater. an
isca q what Grecian tragedy when
given the stamp Of Raclnc's genius and
.t.'ti MAJ INNS c-4 ACe-A ~ A-''~
greatest actress Of tli-e last century, is
Ike.
There were shir. waists and pink
para sois by the hundreds in the crowd
of folk that decorated the bulky
benches Of the theat.r. On the stage
there we're Grecian iobes. some odd
ola. simple furniture. and leopard
skins Tor armament. Nineteen hun
dred ani six took q p''ep at what Ra-
cine first wrote thre- hundred years
ago. and gave the stamp Of its ap-
nrovsl 10 10th Racine and Bernhard.
Fortunate Racine and Bernhardt,
Skepiica people, doubling the gen.
uineness Of the enjoyment that evil
Gently Was the portion Of the mighty
crowd when the classical "Phedre''
was the bill, and al the little host
Of sneerers who alleged that the
low was Greek TO most of 'em and
French TO tic rest" and so smiled
fis6ainfully at the signs of satisfac-
tiOn out in front. forgot that "Phedre"
was being PLAYED IN Berkeley. on the
university campus, AMI not in Grand
Rari1s. Mich, or Duluth. Minn. The
appreciation of tPhecre' was real
enough The librariee, have been be-
sieg@d f0. copies of "Phedre" during
ihe last Few weeks: the story of her
loves has been acquired by the public
Of the college town and the study of
French has buzzed nlerTiiy along. so
that there was better than an even
break for tho crowd u get all the good
out of Rscine's heroine this afternoon.
and 10 take from Bornha-6t all that
Inc actress could give. in light and
shade. In her task Of making "Phedre'
live again st this tine of day.
Ana what cid Bernhard do with
f1hpFrn7 Nothing ranra m
Urrect her and make 50e0 persons ap-
preciate e. great dramatic character
and me genius OF the writer who
clothed the old story Of her CHASTITY
love FOR HipPoiyte Wit, splendid WORDS
Uc-cs Of such nobility and power as
10 suggest comparison with the i'm
mortal lines Ct ShaI1espeare's own
tragedy writings.
There is LITE but gloom to the
Greek Queens story. and Bernhard
vas fuHsreaily true to the demand for
misery in picturinz the sorroRs Of
Phedre- The wall tha- came with her
first suggestion OF criminal love for
her own husbands SO; sweiied into
note Of direst anguish as the strength
OF that passion drove her to confess
sion. a confession that inevitably
brought disgrace and ruin and finaIi,
0eath TO all who were concerned In its
fUrtEerance- The deep chords OF the
soul that chine when sorrow comes
Vere al touched by her and made 10
give forth that which seemed the ex-
preston OF all despair, OF tortured
love. of hopeless. deadly misery.
But little attempt WAS made by those
in charge Of the production TO make
The spacious ana massive stage OF the
Greek The2ter accord, in the matter
% furnishings. witt the time and place
% Phe5re's life. 4 few misguided
plants and potted ferns. scru5by
tarone Of uncertain vintage, q dais Of
oregon pine and a cfair or two, in
completely md imperfectiy draped,
We're about all OF Bersl hardt's Grecian
stage settings. The actress art was
just powerful enough TO make the
anachronisTns seem worthy of no more
attention than Z spot or two OF mold
on the stem CT q Perfect rose bloom,
but no hanks are due the stage man
ager for that circumstance.