Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12
-HE welcome extended by this
city to Bernhardt was nothing
short of an ovation. AccuS-


short of an ovation. Accus-
toned as the American capital
becomes to seeing men OF prom
Snence in fields of less picturesque but
,nore useful endeavors. it seems to reserve
Its choicest enthusiasms for some VISITOR
from far beyond the realm of political
activity or economic speculation; some
visitor from the world of art 1t is a
serious city, this washington. "i'h
scant ambitions to emulate the reckless
frivolities which make some of the EURO
mean CAPITALS such famous locales Tor
American musical comedies But as we
are warned to beware the anger of
patient man, SO We may expect Wohuei
when a city unaccustomed to squahoer
its emotions permits itself 10 De reaiiS
aroused
7, was Beruhardt week. The French
actress was saluted with conpl. ments and
bombarded with bouquets. Most demo-
cratic of actresses, she shook hands with
almost everybody in the city and met the
beautv critics face to face with a can
dor which many actresses of little more
than half her age would dare display. 1t
IN impossible to AVOID talking of Bern
youth. Some people remain young all
their lives. like Dion Boucicault or Mark
Twain or Stuart Robson. Others never
know an hours freedom from the sense
Of responsibility, that goes properly with
maturity, after they have learned the al
phabet. There were some years when
Bernbardt appeared to be trying to grow
old. perhaps as the result of an unsuitable
Rn
I'D. 1t was her one failure.
First impressions are sad tyrants from
whose shackles we escape with difficulty.
In two or her plays she encountered the
prejudice in favCr of native art-or IL the
American Joans of Arc who have ventured
forth be accounted, she found herseit
more or less anticipated in three of her
plays. Maude Adams portrayal OF l. Als
Ion was so sweetiy pathetic that later
the Bernhard performance by conpar 7!
seemed robust-almost rugged. Yet as the
Bernhardt LAiglon is more closely
studied IT reflects light from thousand
facets of suggestion, a polished gem
whose beauties are enhanced by scrutiny.
Her portrayal Cf La Femme X conveys
a wholly different impression from Doro-
thy Donnellys Madame x" The original
French title with its pitiful suggestion 'of
anonymous degradation. suggestion that
is lost in the English title, fits the Don
nelly characterization more closely than
that of Bernhardt. The French actress
prefers to give the play purely as an emo
tional drama, or even as tragedy, In
which the central role Is wholly ideallzed.
Her representation is all pathos. Miss
Donnellys is both ,pathos and pathology.
Mr. Wilton Lackeye made n significant
speech during one of his performances, ir
which he expressed qualification because
the public found enjoyment in plays writ
ten and performed in a language familiar
to them. The remark was applicable not
only to his expectations for THE
Stranger" the new play in which Mr..
Iackaye is again bidding for public rec
ognition,, but In a special sense to the
brilliant Shakespearean engagement at
the Belasco Theater. Shakespeare indeed
speaks the language of the people. and
his work is susceptible OF Interpretation
IN so many different moods that 1T offers
almost a positive guarantee OF reward to
sincere and intelligent craftsmanship
Shakespeare has spelled ''ruin. but only
for those who failed in the sincerity,
courage and Intelligence needful for ade-
Quate production. In the Sothern-Mar-
lowe series OF presentations all these
three qualities were manifest. 1t Is not
SO much the students Shakespeare that
they offer as the popular Shakespeare,
with plenty of pictures and liberal empha-
sis. Mr. Sothern is not a ranter; neither
n Miss Marlowe. The Sothern quietude
sc x>fc fp c<o II
control, but 1t Is the retrospective inten-
sity of a consuming zealotry. Miss Mar
lowe cannot conceal the graces of the
ideal Viola even IN the most tempestuous
scenes. Charming reader that she is. and
rich in experience gained in association
with some of the greatest players Of her
time. she lends to every role rare per-
soual winsomeness, whether or not she
succeeds In sounding its fullest poetic
depths The extraordinary patronage ex-
tended these two players evidenced a pub
No recognition Of them as leaders in their
hsld, the best equipped for the presenta-
tion Of plays whose interest Is as endur-
ing as English speech itself.
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
LAURA NELSON HALL-Since she
hegan In the Girard Avenue Theater
Stock Company IN Philadelphia In 1897
Laura Nelson Hall has q remarkable nss
Of stage portraits so her credit Her
nrst metropolitan appearance was In
Daniel Frohman's Lyceum company. IN
The Moth and the Flame In 1893. Fol-
Lowing this abe appeared IN the touring
companies Of THE Purple Lady ana
An Enemy to the King" For the next
several seasons she was leading Lady In
support Of prominent stars, and in stock
organizations IN the larger cities through
out the country. In 1so5o7 she alter
mated with CarlottA Nielsen as Rhy Nc
Chssney In "The Three Of Us" at the
Madison Square Theater. and the follow
Ing season originated Pamela Gordon In
'ViylA" Her most notable work was N
'.Ths Easiest Way" The Children Of
Destiny and THE Sins Of Society,"" In
edition to her experience In modern
plays, Miss Hall. as leading woman In
support Of the late Joseph Haworth.
played . wide range OF characters IN
tho Shakespearean drama, including
Portia, Rosalind. Beatrice. Ophelia and
Juliet Her last appearance in New
York was in tho Inflated production OF
New York" In which she scored an in
dividual artistic success
ROBERT HILILARDr6 CAREER
Robert Willard ana MIRA YY,,hor% xo~