New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-22
IN THE LONDON THEATRES
Sarah Bernhard Brings Early
the Season to Its Climax.
TURNING POINT EXPECTED
Censor Rouses Ire for Things
Passed as Well as for
Things Excluded.
fBv Gable to The Tribune. J

London. Sept. 21.-The event or the
dramatic week here has, OF course
been the reappearance Of Sarah Bern
hardt nj the Coliseum. The great ac-
tress had almost a triumphal process
sion from Folkstone, where she landed
70 London. and since then has been
receiving nightly alteration on inc
stage. She will remain for six weeks
This week she gave the third act OF
Hugo's "Lucrece Borgia," and the
critics all agree that while her wonder
full voice has lost some Of its mellow
moss and richness with age her art has
90 constantly improved that it Is now
hovond hone for any one to copy her.
Her present bill will be succeeded ny
two weeks of "Phedrc," In which she
has always been particularly appreci-
ated by English audiences. After tna'
comes two weeks OF elisabeth, Rene
d'Angleterre" during which 1t is to DC
hoped that the unfortunate actress
now sustaining the role OF the virgin
Queen in Sir Herbert Trees produc-
ton of Drake" will not feel too utter
" ecraste) and. finally, one week OF
"Une Mutt de Noel by the actresses
son. Maurice Bernhardt, in collabora-
ton with Henri Cain.
Sir Georges Next.
Bernhard has thus brought 70
climax n London theatrical season
which had hardly more than started
but there Is still much 10 come. The
most important thing in the near nut
ure is Sir George Alexander's produc-
ton of The Turning Point at the ~.
Iauos's Theatre on October !. This
play (Which will also be produced IN
America) Is an adaptation OF the
French drama. La Fiambee.' "hich
AZ the Porte Saint Martin literally set
paris oblaze with discussion and
which seems well calculated 10 do the
same thing here regarding the two en-
,irely different questions which the
nIav raises. VIZ. % how far murder
may be justified by patriotism. ana
-, whether the strlctest possible d.
vorce laws arc not advisable both
from tho viewpoint OF morality and OF
the ultimate happiness Of both the so
called victims.
The story Is that - French officer
who has become deeply involved In
debt. partly through hls lavish devo-
ton IN his wife. who really loves him,
though they have been cstranged on
account OF his overbcaring temp"ra-
rnent The wife has entered on a
friendship with brilliant lawyer and
ex- Cabinet minister. who proposes TO
MARI. her " she can get a divorce
but she IL a Roman Catholic and the
Church refuses IT, sanction 10 divorce
The officer. who is now a colonel Is
inspecting frontier fort when ne
finds himself in the power OF a pre-
tended banker. who is really SPY and
who has bought up the coloners debts.
Tho spv threatens 10 ruin the colonel
unless the latter turns over the plans
OF the fort. The colonel blazes up ana
in n spirit Of patriotic fury Kills the
SPY. Then AT midnight he goes to his
wIfe's room. where she Is expecting
her lawyer lover. tells her Of the MUIR
der and instead Of speaking 10 her
IN his former dictatorial way. he
makes a simple appeal for protection
Confronted by the terrible situation
in which her husband has placed her,
the wife realizes she loves him.
The week brought with IL one dis
appointment In II. " Esmond's play,
"a Young Mans Fancy" at the Cri-
terion. II is four years since Mr.. Es-
mond produced a play. and his work
in the past led TO the highest hopes
being formed for this comedy. but 1t
proved almost puerile.
Again the Censor.
The censor has got in his work again
on a play which was expected 10 pro-
duce almost as much Of a stir as Stan
ley Houghton's "Hindle Wakes" This
/ Is Miss Gwen Johns one-act drama.
Edges Dark" produced at a private
performance In July. and Laurence
Housman recommended its inclusion in
a triple bill at West End theatre this
| autumn. The play Is described az "a
tragic and somewhat sordid play writ
ten In dialect and set In n mining VII
lage: a tale Of bullying men and women