Middletown transcript., 1883-01-26
HOW ACTRESSES KISS.
THE BLIssFUL METHODS ADOPTED BY
ENCHANTING HUMAN STARS.

engagement in st. Louis the oLneF udy
because the star insisted upon kissing
her in manner too natural to be con-
genial, induced Times reporter to seek
through the channels Of professional
authority, some points about the prae-
tices of prominent actresses and the
peculiarities which mark their differ
enees of opinion as to the most effective
and expressive sort of kiss to bestoW
upon an ardent lover on the stage.
q Love scenes, y said an old actor, yes
terday, who in his young days was a
famous Juvenile, !" though they may
seem SO congenial, are recognized by
actors and actresses of ability as es-
pecially hard to portray, particularly
before American audiences, who will
not endure them if they are at all maw-
kish or gushing They require them
to be played by the actor with manly
vigor and strength, and by the actress
with a natural earnestness and grace.
The slightest imperfection, resulting
from inexperience or awkwardness, Will
mar the attempt and change the tender
wooing into a ridiculous farce. The
point of equipose at which the actor IS
required to maintain his delivery and
movements is such nice one that 1t
needs years Of experience to acquire the
necessary tact. No scenes are SO care
fully rehearsed as these. 1t will doubt
less seem strange to be told, continued
the Thespian, with a twinkle in his
eye, "that very few people have any
idea how to embrace woman grace
fully and effectively. At the first
thought it would appear that no in
struction is necessary to show fellow
how to put his arm around a pretty
girl and print a kiss upon her lips.
But let the amateur stage lover try it
before spectators, and he will be very
likely to find himself entangled in a
train of delicate silk that must be nei-
ther stepped on nor stepped over he
will stagger under the weight of a
healthy female whose arms are clasped
tightly about his neck, and when she
walks he will step out with the wrong
foot, and the gait will be anything but
a graceful one.
$50 the art of love-making and the
art of kissing,'' y continued the old
stager, "have been carefully studied
by the leading actresses Of the day, and
each of them have their peculiar method
Of meeting lips with lips. Pretty Miss
Nelson used to hang about Romeo's
neck with an ecstatic abandon that was
almost frantic at times, and when the
kiss came it stayed a long while.
Mrs. Langtry, it is said, does not i'm
press the spectator with the idea that
she wants to be kissed, as she allows
her leading man to touch her lips re-
spectfully, and seems very i'll at ease
while she ID in his arms. Miss Mary
Anderson is rather difficult to kiss
nicely, because she is too-tall to nestle
: down upon Mr.. Downing's broad chest
She kisses in a good, straightforward
r way, however, as though she ISM
. ashamed of it, and there is no nonsenst
J about the performance. It's in th'
part, and she does it, without putting
< any very delicate touches to it.
[ "Miss Catherine Lewis, who's,
: sprightly ways in opera bouffe wins TO
her hosts of male admirers in every cit,
= she visits, has evidently given a goo'
4 deal of thought to the art She wrap
: her arms about the neck of her moe
e lover as if she wanted to make them g
e twice around, and when she is sure o
e her grip she gives hungry snap, an,
y then all is still for few seconds. Sud
It denly there is loud pop, and the ope1
n alton is over. Her sister, Miss Jeffrey
y Lewis, is something like her, but he
!. methods are more subdued. A favorit
bit of business of hers is to have tn
: lover sit in a chair and she comes be
q fore him. She walks cautiously aroun
: him first, as though she were watchin
u for a place to light on. With Will
= she falls on her knees and bends bach
e ward over his right knee, tossing he
q arms about his neck and drawing hi
T face close to hers. For moment sh
: looks into his eyes, and then proceed
L to business. The kiss is long, quie
y and dreamy, and means whole volume;
:, Modjeska kisses in an intellectua
e fashion. She prefers to be kissed rathe
u than to kiss, and her graceful move
a ments make her an easy person to &C
n with. There is no unnecessary clutch
: ing and clawing to hold on to her lovel
9 She rests upon his bosom in pictures
e que way that is very pleasing to tn
5 eye. Lotta just pecks at fellows fac
! and is liable to strike any where betwee
IS the eyes and the chin. There is ajumI
u a smack and that's all. It's the wors
e kind of kiss, because it can't be an
e ticipated, and the actor only realize
y what it is when it's all over.
Janauschek has very little kissin
to do but she never tarries over it whe
it is to be done. She places her favor
= on the forehead in Il maternal sort {
way and doesn't appear to elicit nc
give much satisfaction. Sarah Jewet
le the leading lady of the Union Squal
= = Theatre, is said to bestow kiss as so
l. as velvet, and has become noted for Il
grace with which can pose within
5e pair of manly arms. Her scenes wit
y Charles R. Thorne, jr., were alwa.
r. pretty, because she has about the rigl
to relative height to his. Maud Granger
kisses are generally bestowed with h
10 head reclining languidly on the should
v: of her lover and a pair of magnificel