New-York tribune., 1912-01-28
By Andre Tridon.

William the Second and Sarah the First
have two qualities in common-unexpected-
ness and versatility. Both surprise the
world AZ regular intervals by new ac-
complishment which is seldom. II ever. a
: logical consequence OF previous accomplish
! ments.
! Unfortunately. the quality and quantity
Of the thrills which the Hohenzollern can
lnAict upon tho world IRE more or less lin1-
/ tied by decorous traditions and the awe
! inspiring gneers which might emanate
! from the iconoclastic sections Of the
Reichstag.
, Sarah however. docs not Chafe under
such restraint. Thus she may, after her
aiding with the loudest tubas Of press
agentdom London season, neglect the
season I'm order to organize an exhibition
/ Of her sculptural works. She may, after
jeering at matrimony marry Greek dip
lomst. After berating soundly the passee
ladies' who die by inches between footlghts
/ and back drop. she may, al the age of
sixty, lease playhouse for fifteen years.
/ And now she Is writing plays. Plays Is
what she calls them. Her friends call
them dramas. Her enemies The baby
blue cover between which they are served
Ia the public Is attractive. but more at
tractive stil is Sarah's own opinion OF
! her work. boldly printed on page one.
. thus:
: ITO Paul Hcrvieu ] inscribe this work.
which has been cruelty criticised by the
; press. but Is very fine Just the same.
SARAH BERNHARDT."
/ This Is not exactly Sarahs maiden voy-
age across the stormy sea of playwriting.
She dramatlzcd once the story Of Adrienn"
/ Lccouvreur. This time. however, the sub
/ feet. the plot, the Incidents. everything, is
! hers. and Will. we trust, remain hers for
/ ever
! Ibscn the modern woman, Wagner, prob
lem plays. problem novels. newspaper clip
! pings have been drawn upon for the shap-
| ing Of the first play. a drama in four acts
| called "A Mans Heart"
And action, There is enough action to
make the reader dizzy Seventeen male
! characters pursue or are pursued by, tort
ure or are tortured by. seventeen female
| characters The cast is an alluring one:
| A playwright, a female poet, an actor, an
actress. a male dancer dying from con-
sumption, several theatrical managers. an
! American impresario, Cuban and YANKEE
boys, a priest, "A purple lady, cartoonis''
| etc And then everybody I'm the cast is
some one from real life.
There IL lie Bargy, Nine. Simone's hus-
hand. who bewails loudly the lack of tai
ent of his stage struck wife and is AFRAID
lest her amateurishness impair the market
value OF his name. And then people dis
cuss Rostand and the Countess of Noailles
and Frohman.
paul Sarnois is violently in love with the
forty-year-od female poet Jeanne de Val
real Cof all romantic namesl, his young
wife's most intimate friend Jeanne de
Valrcal however, is too deeply attached
IN Sabine Sarnos ever To think OF be
traving her" Thereupon the willy Paul
informs the long pursued Jeanne that nm
less she listens 10 his passionate pleas he
w,,I abandon his wife and behave much
lilo ,rannhauser in the first act Of GER
tain opera.
when this sentimental hold-up proves
futile Paul bethinks himself of lady,
Ninon by name, and whose profession Is an
unht subject for drawing room conVersa-
uon who Is Jeanne's physical double. To
Niron's Venusberg our modern Tannhauser
ranairs and the third act Is enlivened by
"A modern Udtilbliti ~ '''N'' -
u,oh disports itself to strains of dance
r,usic and in the light of Chinese lanterns.
But hark!
WIN ia she whose velvety footsteps steal
down the gravel path? Who is the woman
Of mystery who merges her form In the
darkness Of proptious bushes? Who' ah'
who is she? Who could she he but Nine
Il. valreal. she of the romantic name.
Determined To reconcile the lifemateS
whom her fatal beauty caused to driit
anart she has tracked Paul to Ninon :
lair and she has made up her MIND 10
drag him away. to reclaim him ana ieau
him back to pining Sabine.
All. but the course Of true devotion u
anything but smooth when disciple Oh
sardou ties girders to the track or pre-
pares explosions productive of landshdes'
A Russian prince who rejoices in the name
of Darnidoff collides with Paul at the very
minute when the latter is being reclaiheu
and led back To duty by the magnanimous
Jeanne de Vareal. \ duel will have 10
be fought on the following morning Anu
then. as the last wishes OF a man VINO may
die on the morrow cannot be dehieu
Jeanne de Nalroal consents TO accompany
Paul TO a house which is not Sabine s.
1t goes without saying that Pau comes