(_To Mr. Punch._)
DEAR MISTER,--To you, who are a so great lover of the theatre, english
and french, I send my impressions of the first of the new drama of
Mister SARDOU. It is to you of to spread them in the country of the
immortal SHIKSPIR. Allow that I render my homages to this name so
illustrious, me who have essayed since so long time to speak and to
write the language of that great author. And see there, in fine I can
to do it!
It wants me some words for to praise the put in scene of this new
drama at the theatre of Mistress SARAH BERNHARDT. _Gismonda!_ It is
magnificent! It is superb! It is a dream! Ah! if your SHIKSPIR could
see this luxury of decorations, this all together so glorious! Him who
had but a curtain and an etiquette! And MOLIÈRE? And RACINE? Could they
make to fabricate of such edifices, of such trees, of such furniture?
They had not these--how say you in english--"proprieties," which
belong to the proprietor? Yes, I think that I have heard the phrase,
"offend against the proprieties." We never offend against them in the
theatres of Paris; they are always as it should be. But here, at the
Renaissance, Mistress BERNHARDT has done still more. Each scenery is a
picture of the most admirables, a veritable blow of the eye.
[Illustration]
I go to give you of them a short description. The first picture is the
Acropolis, under the domination of the Florentines at the end of the
fourteenth century. What perfume of poetry antique! What costumes! That
has the air of an account of BOCCACCIO, of a picture of BOTTICELLI.
One sees there the figures of ANGELICO, the colours of VERONESE. It is
an ALMA-TEDDAMA of the middle age. And when Mistress BERNHARDT and her
following, all resplendent of costume, are assembled upon the scene,
one can see realised a group from the _Decameron_. And the second
picture, and the third, and the fourth? Can I say more of them? They
are superb. In the fourth there is a cypress high of six yards, there,
alone, at the middle of the scene. One says he is natural. That may be.
In any case he is marvellous. But the fifth picture, it is sublime! One
cannot more! It is the last word of the modern theatre! It wants me the
words, it wants me the place for to speak of it. SHIKSPIR alone would
have could to render justice to this picture so ravishing.
As to the action of the piece, you will desire to know something.
Frankly I tell you I observed it not. In the middle of this luxury of
decorations there wander here and there some persons, dressed at the
mode the most beautiful, who speak in effect not too shortly. There
are veritable discourses--how say you _"conférences"_?--on florentine
history, of the most interestings, but a little long. The brave
Frenchmans pronounce the Italian names in good patriots. They imitate
not the accent of our perfidious neighbours of the Triple Alliance. Ah
no! They say them as in french. And what names! _Acciajuoli!_ It is
like a sneeze. And Mistress BERNHARDT is gentle, caressing, passionate,
contemptuous, and terrible turn to turn; she murmurs softly, and at the
fine she screams. And Mister GUITRY is severe and menacing; he speaks
at low voice, and at the fine he shouts. But after all what is that
that is that that? One thinks not to it. The decorations, the costumes!
See there that which one regards, that which one applauds, that which
one shall forget never!
Be willing to agree the assurance of my high consideration.