The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-05-15
No HONORS
FOR ARTIST
AS OF OLD
Bernhard Finds Very
Unusual Greeting
This Time.
Plays The SoroereSs''
to Serious Throng
In Oakland.
Her Powers Undimmed
In Drama Which Is
New to West.
BY ozoaos EsE.

BY GEORGE EeET.
OAKLAND. May 1&.-n Sarah
Bernhard. to whom homage is due.
both as actress and as one who comes
from very far. from across seas and a
continent 10 bring her own and Sar-
oous art to a Western people, finds
that the grand opera-house IL not gar
nished and swept and lighted for her
coming: that the lopg line OF carriages
is pitifully meager in front Of the thea
ter; that the foyer IL not crowded with
dandies Of the town end critics OF the
country' that the boxes and orchestra
seats do not CLEAN for her with the
traditional 3ewe's and sattny-snow
shoulders OF e Bernhard night; that
the house cannot be said to overflow
with enthusiasts giving welcome to
stranger and g very great actress, per-
haps she viii not give judgment
quickly against Oakland and San
Francisco. nor swiftly smite this peo-
pie Tor q lack Of apr eciation.
The wires may have brought to
Bernhardt, as to all others. in these
last few days. stories OF g cttys fall
and ruin The people Of fashion and
wealth, that host which. would have
greeted Bernhardt with such ceremony
as San Francisco knows becomes the
welcoming OF great star Of the
stage, Is scattered.
Bernhard is informed that desoIa-
Ion has come to the place where for
months preparations have been max
ing Tor the Bernhard engagement. Re
pleased TO be told then, Nine. Bern
harot, and all you OF that band from
France which tonight played with
such art and skill and dignity drama
new 10 the West. with Sarah Bernhard
as your premier, that there is no
Grand Opera-house. There are no
jewels and silks and fluff to parade
in an actress honor. There are no
carriages. The lights Of gladness have
burned very low, the wine glass that
goes with feasting is untouched. The
huzza that swells when great actor
folk come Is stilled- II is time with
most Of this people here for such seri-
Gus thought as weans the minds from
brilliant theater levee, even q levee
In 4-olor OF Bernhard.
L. brief, we are a stricken folk, able
10 build city from a foundation Of
ash, perhaps. but not so versatile as
fire and wonderfully gifted actress
all IN the most approved manner, and
all within the short space Of a fort
night
I VIII Bernhard pardonf
The stiffness Of company manners
was upon the audience OF San Fran
cisco ana Oakland people who came
to Ye Liberty Theater tonight to see
Bernhard in a new play, The Sor-
ceress." by Victor!en Sardou. There
was no such stiffness upon the band
OF French actors with Bernhard The
facility and sureness and perfect
and mastery OF ones work and con-
fdence in canons long since approved
and measured up to show In Bern
hardt's people on the stage.
/ II those who listened and watched
from the orchestra tonight were not
always sure that the proper need Of
applause or the right measure OF tense
silence came from them at such times
as the situations Of The Sorceress"
may have called for the manifesto
tons legiamately due from q wise,
knowing audience (and Let Il be
9 thoughtfully admitted that there were
as many as several points overlooked
I by the Anglo-Saxon folk who sat
/ down to a dramatic bill all IN French)
no symptoms OF disda1n OF amuee-
ment were In evidence among the
stage folk For those whose intelli-
gence, temperament and instincts per-
mitted them to enjoy pantomime on
a stage, although ignorant OF the
French tongue there was q spectacle
+ provided by smart actors showing forth
a series OF pictures that came from
Sardou's box Of colora-
Lacking so skillful q hand as Sar-
dou's to cunningiy put together and
deity color with flesh tnts a series
of big, human interest events, the
pantornsme might easily have been.
for the folk ignorant OF Bernhardt's
tongue. ninety minutes OF intense
boredom
Credit then 30 much OF the assets
Of last might, the gold or gilt Of pleas
ure that was coined by the players
for the people, 10 Nj. Eardou.
For those happy persons whose
parents and teachers advised them
early TO acquire the French tongue
and who accordingly drank In TO the
full all the rich spell OF tone and
thought and feeling that came with the
words from Sarah Bernhardts bps. 50
that no part of the Bernhard draught
was wasted or spilled on the sand.
there was 10y plus the pantomimic
ecstacy. Credit that to the divine
Sarah
There may be more opportunity for
the casual play-goer II that genus has
survived the temblor and the fire. 70
CLEAN enjoyment from Bernhardfs
matchiess art IN those more familiar
plays, la Tosca," Camille Sap
pho" which all are to be played In the
few days Of that the French num-
ners linger In Oakland The crutcheA
the ibrettoe. the whispered interpreta-
tons OF passages and phrases from
friend to friend IN the audience that
were in such evidence so commonly
tonight may perhaps be Thrown
away when those tolerably hackneyed
heroines with their familiar stories,
the stories OF Ia Tosca," and Ca
mile" and "Sapho" are told How
ever that may be. II IL TO be an
pounced that Bernhard gave her
public here last night the latest work
a =. 4