Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-18
The Art Of Acting.
Henry irving In the English illustrated Magazine
for July.

The Art Of Acting.
Henry Irving in the English illustrated Magazine
Tor July.
ACTION OF THE ACTOR
To do and not to dream, is the handspring of
success in life. The actors art is TO act, and the
true acting of any character is one Of the most
difficult accomplishments. challenge the
acute student to ponder over Hamlet's renun-
citation of Ophelia-one of the most complex
scenes In all the drama-and say that he has
learned more from his meditations than he
&c Soald 6e taught by players whose indel,Genee
Ing aloud Is the most difficult achievement OF
our art. Here the actor who has no real grip Of
with certain grace and Intelligence will be
untrue The more intent he is upon the words,
and the less on the ideas that dictated them;
the more likely he is to lay himself
open to the charge of mechanical interpreta-
ton; 1t is perfectly possible TO express to an
speculation, doubt, wavering, which reveal the
nfeditative but irresolute mind. AS the varying
SHADES OF fancy pass and repass the mirror Oh
stndious playgOer than he Is likely to get by
diiigent porting over the text. In short. as we
Understand the people around us much better
by personal intercourse than by all the revela-
tons OF written words, for words, as Tennyson
says, "half reveal and half conceal the soul
nitely more Suggestion when It is we'll acted
than when it IS interpreted by the unaided
Judgment OF the student
ELocUTIoN.
In the practice of acting q most important
point is the study Of elocution; and In elOcution
one great difficulty is the use of sufficient force
to, be generally heard without being unnat-
mraily loud, and without acquiring stilted de-
livery. The advise Of the old actors was that
you should always pitch your voice SO as to be
heard by the back row Of the gallery-nO easy
task to accomplish without offending the ears
should tell you that this exasgeration ap-
plies to everything on the stage To appear to
P pc natural you must IN reality be much
Que really would IN a room would be ilref-
fective and colorless. Inever knew an actor
whS Drought a ae tSe Of cSas e
whose utterance OH the stage was SO natural
that one was surprised to tind when near him
There is great actor in the United states to
whose elocution one always listens with the
utmost enjoyment-I mean Edwin Booth. He
famous father, Of whom have heard it said,
that he always insisted on a thorough use OF
the ''instruinentsr-by which he meant the
teeth-in the formation OF words.
PLAYING WITH WORDS.
On the question of pronunciation there IS
something to be said, which, / think, in ordi.
nary teaching is not sufficiently considered.
Pronunciation on the stage should be simple
and unaffected. but not always fashioned
iess otho1ity than ceef9 points ont that
broken or cut, With a !afying or direct sound,
and that 1t serves for the actor the purpose OF
color color to tue PALMER, from which a, to draw his
variations: Take the simplest illustration
The formal pronunciation of"A-h'' Is "Ah," of
oh is "Oh;' but you cannot stereotype the
tions are words of one syllable, but the spcak6
who is sounding the gamut OF human
feeling will not be restricted in his pron!naca-
mund kean that he never spoke such ejacua-
tions, but always sighed or groaned them.
ia Fancy E, an W actor SAYING my Dfsdemona! on,
inss and ideas, not to bind them in rigid fetters
the accents of pleasure are different from the
cSrstely expressed as in nature by vara e
of sound not provided for by the laws of pro-
nunciation: then such imperfect laws must be
dlsregarded and nature indicated. The word
should he the echo Of the sense.
THE EMOTIONS OF AN ACTOR.
With regard to gesture, Shakespeare's advice
is an-embracing. Suit the action to the word,
the word to the action, with this special observ-
ance that you over-step not the modcsty Of ma
very material part Of the actors buSiness-by-
play. This Is OF the very essence of true art. 1t
Is more than anything else significant OF the
eXtfnt to which the actor has identified himself
with the character he represents. Recall the
scenes between IagO and Othc!lo, and con-
slider how the whole interest of the situation
depends on the skill with which the gradual
effect of the poisonous suspicion instilled
into the Moor's mind is depicted in look
buting to the intensity Of the situation. One
Of the greatest tests OF actor his CAPACITY for
listening. By-play must be un0btrusive; the
student should remember that the most minute
expression attracts attention; that nothing is
lost, that by-play is as miscnievous when it is
injudiciQus as 1t Is effective when rifhtly con-
ceiyed. and that while tribes make Perfection,
perfection Is no trihe.
DRESSING PLAY.
Garrick did his utmost to improve the me-
chanical arts of the siage-so much SO, indeed,
that he paid his scene-paintor, Louthenbourg,
$500 a year, q pretty considerable sum in those
days-Ahongh in Garrick's time the importance
Of realt1n III costume was not sufficiently ap-
preciated to prevent him from playing Mac
beth In u bag-wig. To-day We are employing
all our resources to heighten the picturesque
effects OF TIC DRAMA and We are still told that
this is a grtss error. II may be admitted that.
nothing is more Objectionable than certain
kinds OF realism, which are simply vulgar
but harmony of color and grace of ont
hne have legitimate sphere in the thea
adjuncts may claim to be las wholesome as
sweet, and by very much more handsome than
fine" Dor the abYse Of scenic decoration 1he
overlooking OF the stage with ornament the
subordinatiOn OF the play 10 q pageant, have
nothing to say. That Is all foreign 10 the artistic
purpose which should dominate dramatic
work. Nor do think that servility to arch
zoology OH the stage Is unniXed good. Cor
rectDcss OF costume Is admirable and necessary
up to a certain point, but when it ce;rses to be
las wholesome rs sweet" IT should, ! think, be
sacrificed.