, 1881-02-27
Salvini on American Theatrlc-
al Taste and Acting.
T. W. Keene's Engagement-A A
Popular Success.
Madame DOlarO Reaches for
Mike Leavitt's Scalp.
Coming observation-disclosures Dramatic
Chat from All Quarters.

Ql1GE uNys AEE CEfIA1uIy Fo1y 4oA0 u sAS sae"
tsc. Butt" ho continued, speaking OF the tpstc
Of our theatrical public, ''whIle playing III Amer
leu, not only during this tour, but during my
first engagement, one thing has struck me very
forcibly. The cultured part OF the audience II
they see anything done by tho actor In way
that is aguinst n;ature,-that is inarttstic,-wiH
make no demonstration, bur tho cutlery will
applaud. So If iii artist only waits he will re-
ceiye admiration for inurristtc efforts"
1.-The result Of this Is seen in tho work Of our
best ActorS.''
"Yes, naturally. The consequence is that a
great many American actors when they do
something inartistic, receiving this applause.
think thoy have made good point, while they
are violating nature. I noticed this tendency
on tho pNrt Of the public most forcib'y when l
lately saw 'lngomur,' play with which nm
very familiar. Miss Anderson was tho PaTNentI.
When she did something very fine and very ar
tstic the public were silent; when she did some
thing very" innrtistc and came outside OF her
character, she received loud applause. would
like" suid SaiyInf, to see the actors form the
taste Of the public for what they ought 10 up-
preciate, and not the public to form the actor.
"The generality OF your prominent American
actors, continued the ttaEcdinn, "hayc great
genius, but they study very little. Tint philo-
snphcal and historical study necessary to por-
tray great characters they pass very lightly
eardens, but uncultivated. I have been told
that some Of your actors often pIay great parts
after studying them two or three weeks. l
could not do that. would not plny 4 great role
unless had studied it for two years In TWO Or
three weeks all actor cannot dig deep into the
meaning OF d character, and IT your actors
studied philosophicully the work they under
take they would not he e1ated with the applause
of the gallery. Every night I play go to the
ho,.t ho,, "a t1a ni1rfpir
rises, in order to dress and get iuto the atnos-
phcrc OF my character. SEQ actors coming to
tho theatre half m hour before the curtain
rises. They dress hurricdiy, and rush on tho
stage. They cannot in this way do justice to tho
characters they assume"
Salyini spoke OF his conceptions OF his Shak-
spearcan characters. II Think said he. " that
in Hamlet adhere closely to the poets idea in
this sensc,-thnt Shakespeare wanted to make
man weak in purpose but with great mind.
Hdn.let Is undecided In his resolutions. Some
critics in this country have said that l am too
violent In certain scenes. Fe,mlcrs speeches to
the Queen would give the idea, md it has, that
the character is violent one; but thfnk my
treatment of the role s very subtlned. | have
seen HosS!, Davenport, Mecnc, and number OF
good actors in the parj, and tzcy we're fur more
objection from tho II that my voice is
sonorpus, and when speak my voice may sound
Tho writer remarked that in tho Gladiator
Salvini, iu the makeup Of his face, presented
striking likeness to Forrest
suIyini smiled II M had no iaea Of this ! when m
ever, thnt my Gladiator does resemble that great
actor Tho facial ,mnke-up Of the Gladiator
Kolne bcAorc knew anything of Forrest"
,."ion I'VE going to play -nocostA before you
Yves" In regard to his idea Of this character
Salvini safN "Iho character Of Macbeth is that
Of Il great Warrior, who would nt the same time
havc been | nun Of noble heart If ambition had
not bruught him to the commission OF crimes
Before he commits the first crime he Is war
rior, proud. bold. and during. Fntc in the
form of tha witches ~ appear before 1a nini and h
glory Of tho warrior disappears. and ambition to
become King takes its .plnec- He couccires the
Of his ambition. Lady Macbeth feeds this a.n-
bitIon, gives him cotruse, prompts him to other
crimes from tho onHlission OF which his nat
ural nobility OF disposition shrinks. AL throueh
tue play, even after tho commission of tho first
crnc> he retains his pride: and when he Is be-
siegcd on every side with difficulties NO fccls like
liou IN II den struck ut By people he cannot
reuch. lie resorts to the witches. They tell him
to be bloody, bold. and rcsoiute .tor none OF
woman born shall harm -Nac;Icih- THIS encour-
ages him, und this cuurage is first broken down
BY the news Of the .euth of his wife, and, when
1iucduy tells him that ho from his 1nothor's
'shriu|sIng from deserved opprohrjum.
"Sonc III tho critics have found fault with
your dressing III the partT
modelled upon sketches u1ude by GustnEe DOre,
who went to Scotland for the purpose of Illus
1rAtng the play"
in rcgaru to his engagement in this city, he
sud his Ut|seliD seemed to be his most popular
role. He regretted he could not play it oftcncr.
Were he to do SO tho performance would not s,c
so effective, the physical str:sin to reach some Of
his ELECTS being so grcut. lie spoke of the kind
ly manner il, which he t'nd been received by the
people of Now York and Boston particularly.
and touched fcel[ngly upon tho wRruth Ut his
reception by tho profession in Anerica.