, 1879-06-22
THE STAGE.
THE DRAMA.
CHICAGO.

-r,,a n,o.oement Of the Madison Square Thea
ira comnauy Just closed at Hooie5's has mol
bean ne preat success financially as II ought 10
h,ve heen. Business however, has been mod
.-,te1r roou. and whatever the troupe have lost
in financial appreciation has been more than
co,n,-rbalauced by the universal 1asor
with which the performances have been
received by thinking play-soers' ls
;e r,,mored that the company VIII
rc,nnear in this city some time during the fall,
,n,i :, IL moro than likely that the memory OF
+h. nerfect ensemble witnessed, during the per
formances Of avon at Last :" will make the
ne1t visit here rs successful from flnancial
noin1 OF view af this, the latest stock orGan1za-
ZION from New York, ceser5Fs. The individual.
e~ceiIencies of the artists have been
sn,kco Of by THE TRIBUNE already.
We may only soy that the pre-
scn.ation Of the play is characterized by bar
rnoniousuess worthy OF Wallack's Theatre
Undue prominence is not given to one part OF
1,,e elimination of business in the other roles,
-acn cesture. zone, and act Of the various per-
sonaces has due effect; no more The result IS
on unusually truthful and spontaneous picture
steele Mackaye is the director Of the troupe.
h is q pupil Of Delsartc, and II
this is the practical result OF the
De1sartcau system Of acting, about
which much 1las been spoken and very little
known. the sooner II. Delsarte and the average
American actor,anll manager become acquainted
4hc better it VIII be for the drama. We say
there is really very little known concerning Tue
system, and so It: is. There is a9 absurd Idea
nrcyailtnr that it is purely mechanical; that Il
lands to make . an artist: more mo, me
chanical c than he really is. The same
ides nreyails in the minds Of many people hefe
rerardinE ali French. systems which have been
instrumental in producing the nDest acLnEs anu
actresses the world has ever seen. ~ ,f = +he M
actor than the study of nature from models N
school ff fine, arts would tbe to the 'palntef'
enh ,ye viii endeayor to show this BY explain
;nr what Delsarte:s system really ls-
When m actor undertakes to play part upon
4ha "us s+nee he naturally says to himself, What
would do If we're this particular person unaE
+,aea narf;cular circumstances In order tn:at ne
sho,d interpret his role IS necessary
tint he should hare knowiedge OF numan ma
+ure Al and lie enough 20 enable him to Judge OF
- ,ctions of the particular type Of character
h. is. tn present when face to lace
With the circumstances which the dramatist
has thrown around him. He must nave soni
enough to feel the emotions OF que pcssonass at's.
The manner IN which those emotions would
manifest themselves Thus it is necessary tnat
1he ACTOR should have native capacity to
feel, imagination enough 70 @uins, ptesu1e,
and knowledge OF l1e anu +,a sumelarS in.aarS
,rorljncs OF the human heart under the Varying
c;rcn,nstanccs Of human, existence. tce1ne.
sud Imagination arc the gifts or nature, Auo"r
edgc OF life and human suffering are the lesult
Of experience; but n as1or eommand 9 Of The m
etrument through which he has to man1iest 1ls
fcelin,r aud imagination which is absoiuIelv
essential to the: dramatic artist -
Now, Delsartc's system is the result OF 1ofty-
five years. devoted STUDY o. eItas - -
sunp,y the artist with aspecles OF mentai cu!t1Ie
which uiH exalt and enlarge the power OF inc
student, both to feel aud to lmaglne: itIultnel
more supplies system OF pngs3cai tlatuns
which will tend to do away with the Gaucnel.e
or awkwardaess winch mar be the result either
of an unfortunate NATURAL Development or, OF
careless habits OF lfc.s The natural expression
of emotion In different individuals vary accord
ing to their Temperament, tne.r oeeles
ti,tir occupation. An actor is called upon con-
stantly to portray different types OF character.
In t,rder to do it with Justice and truth TO
nature, he should remember that he has 10 SUD-
ettute the nature OF his role LOT ms o~H nat9!e'
he must bear in mind that the occupa-
ton Of the man will naturally influence MS
physical bearing, and his gesticulaflon as mucn
as it will his speech. II he has TO piaT an aftlsl,
his whole manner must differ Is completely
fro,n rt,ar of tho BLACKSMITH rs the occupation
Of the one differs from the other
The difficulty with the majority OF actors ls'
that they have little or no variety OF manner III
the various roles they play: Jhsy nave @ fa, Ger,
With s. kich they fill out each part. Inc cos
timer and the coiffure do more to distinguish
their pcculiarities than the knowledge OF the art
which the actor himself posses sses;, Uelsarte's
obserration o}ets1 Of the Influences Of tenn
perament, race, social position, eouca-
ton. and occupation over the manners OF man.
1t is broad. practical, rhiiosophlc iormulatlon
Of the great natural laws Of emotion and us e1-
preston. but like any other course OF study,
it's benefit to the student is entirely dependent
upon the native capacity and eaInestness OF inc
man or woman who studies. 1t does
not assume to have any miraculous
way OF making an actor,-o1 convets'hg t
nature to become art.st it will supply him IN
tcw years with the knowledge acquired by
torty-lirc years. practical study by 0reat man.
and thus shorten the road to the practical per
fection OF the students abilities.
It's system Of physical training tends to make
those who submit to its discipline more grace
ful, easy, md natural in thefc movements: It
MINIS to destroy the construction which att1fcts
the large majority OF men and women,
social life. it broadcns and liberates both
the faculties OF the mind and the muscles
Of the body; in word, Dclsarte's
eystela, like all French methods. presents
course Of training the tendency OF which is TO
the student, and to give them more complete
and spontaneous command over their faculties.
1t differs from other systems OF training
simply IN th laet .o that tharongS + is Is
influence is not only to make the student q bet
ter artist, but also franker, trues, 1eer man