Punch (86.1884)

May 31. 1884.1 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 255

SARAH MAC-BERNHARDT.

The Parisian Correspondent of the Times, or one of its Correspon-
; dents, who evidently Hatters himself on knowing- a thing- or two
about the Drama, sent a glowing account, last Thursday, of Sarah
Bernhardt’s Lady Macbeth in M. Marchepin’s version of Shaks-
peare’s Play. Of course she can do the Sleep-walking Scene ; cela
va sans dire, in fact, the less said the better. Ristori was
immense when she played that scene alone, but a failure, here,
when the entire Drama was performed. The fact is, if the whole
Play is given, there is very little for Lady Macbeth to do, and if the
piece is produced for the sake of the Heroine, it ought to conclude
with her Sleep-walking Scene, and when she has gone off, after
making the most of her stertorous breathing, and her gasping and
guggling, and her turning up her eyes till nothing but the ghastly
whites are visible (a very clever, but monotonous trick of Madame
Sarah’s), then ought to rush on Macbeth (for whom no one will care
twopence), who, before he can utter two words, must be encountered
by the Physician and distraught Gentlewoman, who will at once
exclaim, “ Mourante ! elle est mourante ! ” and before poor Monsieur
Macbeth can slap his forehead twice, and exclaim “ Mon Lieu !
mourante! _ Ma femme! ” Lady Sarah MacBernhardt should
stagger in, give one last convulsive struggle, one last good turn which
doesn’t deserve another, and then fall down—whop—with her head to
the footlights and her toes up the Stage. This is what our French
version would be, and, on second thoughts, we will have ours ready
and out next week, just to show what ought to be done, and give Mr.
Marchepln rauteur de “ Blasphemes ” a lesson in adapting our own

Immortal William. Who over here at all events wants Shakspeare
in French ? And if we don’t happen to have a Lady Macbeth by us
just at the moment, we will be quite content to wait till we get one
in English. Let Sarah B. take a few Ollendorfian lessons, and play
Lady Macbeth in. the English as he is spoke.

TURFISH ATROCITIES.

Dear Mr. Punch,

I grieve to see a paragraph, too frequently, in the papers,
headed “Horses struck out of their Engagements.” Now, I can
imagine a horse itl his engagement requires occasionally, for the sake
of discipline, to be struck. But a man who would lift his hand to a
horse out of his engagement, save in the way of kindness, is not
worthy of the name of British Trainer. I trust you will use your
unbounded influence with the Jockey Club and the _ Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to hinder a repetition of this bar-
barous brutality. Yours sorrowfully.

Mildmilk Park. Sensitive Plant.

Khartoum Competition.—There is a rush to get the Mahdi over
here. This, says Mr. Cook, of Cook’s Excursionists, is the way to
relieve Gordon. Mr. Gaze is on to it. Madame Tussaud would take
him in wax at so much a pound. Barnum and Farini have started
incog, to secure him, and. both hope for success if Mr. Augustus
Harris has not already nobbled him. A real prophet at Drury Lane
—spelt of course differently. By the way, No one must trust any tip
for the Derby from the Mahdi.

A DANGEROUS “ CONFERENCE.”