WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1508, 24 January 1901, Page 60

WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH

The divine and only Sarah Bernhardt is setting out for a six months’ tour through the States, and the announcement of the venture has been liailed by the Parisian press as a kind of crusade for the upholding of national art —“le drapeau de l’art francais,” they call it. Let us see how the “drapeau” has been appreciated in some of the States where it has been waved by Mme. Sarah Bernhardt on previous occasions. A Fargo dramatic critic said.“We have seen Sarah. She’s all right, even if we - didn’t understand a word of what she said. The liar that said she was thin don”c know thinness when- he sees it. She ain’t one-half so thin as' some of the editorials we see in the Minneapolis ‘’Tribune/ We wish our home talent could have induced Sarah to come to Fargo, and play somethingi homelike—'Black EV’d Susan,’ or ‘Life in New Fork/ We got back on the 2.20 accommodation.” A Duluth writer is broader: “Wiry isn't English good enough for the stage if it is good enough for street talk? This charging 4dol to hear a. woman jabber French to free Americans simply shows what we are coming to in our ailing if foreign customs. Washington was right when he said we ought to keep clear of entangling foreign, alliances.” The Anoka critic is brief : “We went with the crowd to see Bernhardt. We won’t do it again if we know oursleves.” The man from Casselton is appreciative : “The only thing we liked about the performance was when Bernhardt hammered the door. Gee ! but she did pound it! We are not up on French, but tbe love scenes caught us right. On the train we met Frank Waddell, who said he’d rather go to a variety show. We’ll tell somebody on you, Frank.’’ This wail from Bismarck: “When a. play of the character of ‘Fedora’ can be given, before Christian people the authorities ought to be ; called upon to stop it. Even if we did not understand the language we could discern the gross immorality in the play, and shuddered for the consequences. We would like to see a return to the days of ‘Hazel Kirke’ and 'Uncle Tom’s Cabin.’ ” Sioux City is personal.“We read somewhere tyst Bernhardt’s shoulders were like saw-blades, but after having seen them we can testify that they are as round and plump as those of any lowa girl we know about. In her walk and gestures slie makes us think of a pythoness or a cobra—so smooth, so easy to get around. The elite of St. Paul filled the boxes and the partieres (sic).” The following from St. Paul:— ' “We saw the Rices at ‘Fedora/ the O’Briens, and several City Hall celebrities. We do not think that French plays would take well in St. Paul. We can say 'Au revoir,’ but after that we have to stop.” , Less cautious is another judge: “I was disappointed in Sarah Bernhardt. She screams, raves, and rants. I noticed several Scott County people in the crowd, but they did not appear to know what was going on. The purpose of the play I do not understand yet, but we ail went to see Bernhardt only. She looks like a rail, andHier forehead is poor, and covered with straw-coloured hair. People .were coming* away from the opera house after midnight, but I did not hear anyone say he liked it/’ And that is how the '‘drapeau” of French art is waved on errands similar to those divine Sarah is about to .undertake.