The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
FRENCH DRAMA. TAKING ROOT.
IN NEW YORK STAGEDOM

to be, and, casting aside all other con.
sideratiOns, she returned to Paris to
study. The Conservatoire Ii a wonder
full school Of acting, the finest In the
world. Yet Nine. Yorska claims that
all OF the instructors there put together
did not give her what she received from
Sarah Bernhardt. whose private pupil
she was for two years before being
engaged In the great tragedienne's COM
pany.
All that is worth while In my acting"
she says. Il owe to the nl::nlnative
teaching Of Nine. Sarah. She 10 as won
derful in developing whatever talent
there may be in others as she is In her
own art. Some people say that she
makes her pupils copy or Initiate her
own methods, but nothing ID less true.
On the contrary. she has a peculiar gift
Of finding out the personal sides Of ones
talent, and she takes great palms to ac-
centuate and refine those. She Is the
kindest, most considerable teacher, and
one profits more rehearsing one play
with her than studying q dozen Of them
at the Conservatoire.
zone Of the things for which am
particularly indebted to her Is to have
learned to speak verse In classic
tragedy. She was the first to break
away from the conventional declama-
tory mode and to make the heroes Of
Corneille and Racine speak with sim
plicity like human beings without
| thereby diminishing in the least their
| poetic grandeur; on the contrary add
ing to it
1t was evident that Nine. Yorska
had we'll learned the divine Ssrah's les
| sons when the other day she interpreted
at the Harris Theatre the title role Of
Racine's tragedy "Britannicus." In the
costume Of the young Roman prince.
rival Of Nero for the hand Of Junie, she
was extremely human, Of no particular
time, though thoroughly Roman in her
walk, her attitudes and the restraint Of
her emotions. And that is why, for the
first time in the theatrical annals of
New York. there was an audience
that understood, loved and applauded
| "Britannicus"
Nine. Yorska's training in Paris and
also her very real Unborn talent have
| made her an actress Of astonishing ver-
satility. Up to now she has been seen
at the Harris Theatre Monday matinees
| Of the French Drama Society in the
most varied parts-as Zdnetto In lie
PEASANT" that lovely boys part In which
l
nifty years ago: as the wife in THE
Foolish Virgin,"in which Patrick Camp
bell failed to stir her usual admirers the
season before last: as Helene in THE
Whirlwind," played here and In Paris
by Mime. Simone as Britannicus. and
as the FGirie in Theodore de Ranville's
delightful bit OF mischievous poetry.
A number OF other parts are to follow.
for aside from the special cycle Of
classical matinees on Wednesdays-at
the Harris Theatre alsO-the French
Drama Society has been requested To
prolong its season until the end Of
March.
OF each production only one perform
ance 10 given, following q dress re-
hearsal on Sunday nights before the
press and some invited guests. The
amount Of work necessary for these
single performances Is quite consider.
able. and It il good to see how toyously
morning and afternoon for the coming
performance and every evening for
that Of the following Monday. Nine.
YOrska Is present morning. noon and
night, rehearsing her part, coaching
each individual player In his. directing
the whole. never shrinking from the
smallest and most tiresome duties and
always cheerful and friendly. Every
| one in the company loves and admires
her and follows where she leads. 1t is a
pleasure to watch these rehearsals,
where real work Is done just for the love
OF 1t. SO it seems.