The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 24, 1901, Page 1

ock T thirty a few or- and off the stage i we are dismissed, k,” says the stage man- the scenes at an ordi- but stage with this repre- lle France, with is particularly ts attractions fia b as star the great stage at the 4 Vous Grand Opera-house is cleared, the lights are dim, the hushed silence of a deserted use is broken oniy by the desul- conversation of a few u:u*gel.urds, m tosses up & © we're here til 12, t before 1; ‘talls’ win in #nd confers rkeeper wk rician comes manager: the ¢ which s immed:s back, “No strangers aliowed on Bernhardt’'s orders.” There 1s a side and the names at the door, where the list in his band as th parrow winding stairway to t dressing-room. Soon I am jolned by the other four girls, mostly students and nov- feces in this atmosphere The wardrobe woman takes us in chatge FRANCAISE"/ and gives each a costume for the first act. We put them on as quickiy as possible, then find a place that ovérlooks the stage. “There she comes,”” whispers one of the girls. The flash of white silk ¥ith trim- mings. of ‘sable, and the queen of theat- who_has ‘swept the whola comedy and tragedy with sov- ease, ‘tralls her soft draperies s the stage. Dr. Calssarato walks by her side and together they” consulf s to the possibility iughts. Evidently the madame is in excellent spirits, for she smiles a greeting e, graciously extends a hand there, as he various leading members of the com- pany make their appearance, Again the door swings tp and Coquelin, the great comedian, enters. “Madame puts forth both hands, which he takes In his 2s he Lestows the customary saluation of France, lightly kissing “her on efther cheek. A"moment of lively conversation, then each to tHeir dressing-room. The stage 15 in'the hands' 6¢ the workmen and of A MOMENT OF LIVELY CONVERSATION THEN BACH TO THEIR. DRESSING ‘RO0M, MMAGAZINE SECTION the: mcepe for the first act goes up Ifke megio. Soon the orchestra plays, & murmur comes. from, the audience, for the house is alrgady half filled. We leave our place on the stairway and slip, down to the little peep hole in the curtain. Ah, what a satisfaction, to all unod- served, criticize to our hearts’ content. Scon three dull raps signifies the rising of the curtain and we go on. “Stroll on in groups and pretend to be talking, act natural,” said’the manager in the wings. “All right,” 50 on we strolled as-per direc~ tions and acted, I imagine, about as “nat- ural” as dummy figures in a show win- dow. Pretty soon a girl brings us & dish of ice cream which s deliclous, but we no more than taste it when some one in the center of the stage says “bing,” or something equivalent, everybody looks startled, the attendant takes away our ice cream, and all but the principals leave the stage. That concludes our act. Bernhardt has entered, only one round applsuse, cold house, DUt Wall—she speaks! The tones reverberate; they Feach the topmost seat in the gallery. The witchery, the silvery rippling mel- ody of a perfect voice. These sweet tones would stir & heart of marble When the curtain comes down, a maid stands in the wings with & wrap, in which she envel- ops Madame, who passes quickly with a springy step pecullar to youth; her form is slender, the wealth of golden hair gils- tens under the light, the illusion Is com- plete until you scrutinize her face. Young? Certainly, for a grandmother; but that everlasting press agent rant about eternal youth is a question with two interrogation marks. Perhaps, after all, personality is a greater factor in the life of an actress than either youth or (o Now WE RUSRH AWAY TO DRESS FO®R F FOURTH AT EVERYTHING 1S HURLY BURLY.* \ X beauty. We don’t go on agaln until the fourth act, so we sit down and watch. As soon as the curtain rolls down. all 1s.in wildest confusion. An army of work- men spring up from somewhere, men slide down ropes from the flles and seise pleces of scenery, which are lowered by means of pulleys, whole sides of rooms, windows and doors included. come down by this method; in five minutes the room Is com- plete. Mr. Latham, the manager for Grau, stands, an Iimposing picturs In evening dress, calmly giving orders as to the adjustment of this or that plece of scenery or furniture. Bernhardt's man- ager takes his place In the wings with a prompt book, which, by the way, is much needed In this production. Everything is hurly burly; orders are given in French, English and patols. A dainty Paristan with flashing eyes and siender ankles glides by, holding her skirts high In order to clear the dusty floor. At last the stage is once more set, the act is on. An extra girl tiptoes over to peer through the crack {n the door. I am about to follow when a French stage hand gruffly orders her away. WIith American independence and a fine disregard for stage rules, she tosses her head saucily and says; “No parlez-vous Francais,” and calmly keeps her place at the crack. The man shrugs his shoulders and walks oft. The fifty Ten svpers now come down from thelr dressiug room, to represent the Austrian army. Oh, the witchery of the stage craft! “One short hour has transformed this miscellaneous lot into dignified col- onels and generals, who, at fifty cents per night, consent to flash thelr gold brald in the eyes of an admiring audi- ence. ‘We watch our opportunity and take an- other look through the hole in the cur- tain, - There, In the fourth row, Mrs Grundy leans over and whispers to her neighbor that “she does not think mo much of Bernhardt.” Then, leveling her opera glasses, she sweeps everything within range. Look out, Mra Grundy; you will dislocate your pretty neck try- ing to see who In swelldom is here. A few rows from the front a certaln hand- some artist sits in faultless attire. Know- ingly he follows the play, and many = round cf intelligent applause begins there and is taken up by the non-French-speak- ing and less critical element. Now we rush away to dress for the ~ fourth act. Pretty soon we come down, all dignity, most gorgeous costumes with traing two yards long thrown over our arms. We dance on the stage, sit at a table a moment or two, where we munch FEB.24 %1901 ecakes and talking. Sooh ons of the actors & loud voice, “Entre!” T} to £0 off, so we locate the trance and exit. Ber: have conquered the col/ recalled, bows, times the curtatn moes there is applause, ending thusiasm. We join the little group Madame. Somethinz Is wre < stamps her foot and gives T3 The stage manager with Infinite tact explain matters and sul which Madame's face Ind ing. What's the trouble? The platform upom which madame stands in the Afth act is & few Inches too low. It shall be remedied at once, sald the manager. “Is she an- sry?™ 1 inquire of one of the company. “Ah, mon Dieu; you would not wish to see or hear Madame when she is out of tem= per.” A stage hand sppears much interested in this seene. He turns to the man Deas him and says: “By jove! that's pretty mild for her. Thought maybde she'd tear about a bit. Remember when she was here eight years ago? No? Weil, she had a beautiful dog, & great Dane. One evening the animal was injured some way or other, but no one would dare te tell the ‘divine’ tlil after the show. Ehe might get mixed up in her lines and hurl & few cuss words or so at the audienca After the show she was told about it, and yeu should have seen her. The fellow that bad charge of the dog was found, sad, gee! but she gave It to him. Guess thad fellow thinks she’'s got & temper all right.™ “We see very little of Madame Berne hardt,” says one of the girls In the come pany. “Only at rehearsals and the play, and then she always keeps In her room until her cue is near. Madame likes not the cold. She declares that she canmot play ‘Camille’ 88 the temperaturs de= comes more m! One more act and already after 11! The tage hand who tossed up the coln says, T told you so.” Once agaln confusion g0 throngh a pantomime of calls in at s o ne upper en- ardt seems to s recalled ag s brew- icates and the sternal “take care™ of the scens shifters. At last the curtain comes down for good. Coquelin is congratulating the Madame, who seems much pleased at the reception she recelv. I am told that the demonstration is greater here than &t any place since the company left New York. So much for Frisco, Which generally appreciates art where there Is art. Madame has gone to her dressing-room; the stage is practically deserted ws hurry to the front to watch the audience come out. Ma drops her handkerchief: the opera-glasses on the sea steps down and tears Gwe A certain lleutenant is tellin leaves pa French for a enjoy this he was ent heard the w ft was sald quick meant “hat,” and he his applause—in he wa oore that word, it being the onl 2 the whole play that he understood. I wonder if he got his ¥ worth in that orchestra seat? - Angeline, comes out headdress, in wh enly were it not f You should not fre send you a box of car with a fluffy w ite h s jacqueminots in apology for your rival his side to-night. < At the door some take carriages, othe-s ears, but most walk. The play !s ended Those who eame anticipating d - ment went away happy. It is hurgas to like to hav Surely Bernhardt is not the numerous inter her, but che !s a w 4 years she has had, and have, the unantmous verdict of t n- nents that she is the z g, her only weal eccentricity of wi characters. one’s prophe /A atspateh to a L« m me Says that ti R red that - about 150,000 old h 3 spears and battleaxes n armory te melted a tron sold. A furnace for the yse has been erected in the Vatican gardens. The weapons are useless exeent as curlos and cost a great deal to keep them polished