, 1888-05-03
FACES FOR THE STAGE.
what Was Said by Actors OF Note ~
Recent Benefit.

what was Said by Actors OF Note ~ .
Recent Benefit.
Behind the scenes of theatre is not an
interesting place, usually, and its inac.
feasibility Is good thing In preserving
the air Of mystery and ideality SO essen.
tial to stage work But on the occasion
Of the Couldock benefit the actors em
Iloyed were 80 famous, and the rules so
'elaxed, that u moderate company keenly
tujoyed the meeting Of Edwin Booth,
Lawrence Barrett, John Gilbert, Joseph
Jefferson, G.. w. Couldock and number
Of lesser dramatic personages. Much OF
their talk was commonplace, of course,
but Mt length somebody spoke of an &C.
count, published that morning, Of Richard
Mansdelds attempt to represent the dual
character Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde.
The former is good and rotund man In
the story, you will remember, with
benevolent sort Of face, while the latter
Is q wizened scoundrel, with IN ugly, evil
visage. 1t was said that Mansfield had un'
dcrtaken to show the contrasted faces by
means OF contortion alternated with calm
placidity. In the slang of the stage he had
''mugged it." Mr.. Booth remarked: ~ re.
member that my father always urged
actors OF character parts to rely as little
as possible on make up and to practice
the right expression by an artistic control
expression was one which had to be stead.
lily maintained throughout the play. He
did so very generally himself. As Sir
Giles Overreach he did not line his face al
all, and about the only paint he used was
for the production of the desired com
plexion-not for expression"
"That is good art, certainly" eaid Mr.
Jefferson, who stood there in the guise OF
Bob sAcrcs, ready to appear in "The
Rivais," "but when you play juveniles at
my age 1t is the Obliteration of lines, not
the making of false ones, that requires the
brush. Speaking of your fathers idea,
though, reminds me of an actor in hia
company who found it extremely difficult
to obey the rule. He could put his mobile
face into the correct grimace ut the outset,
before the glass in his dressing room, but
could not hold 1t persistently. He would
be most atrocious villain at first sight,
but when the audience got well acquainted
with him, and the action of the drama re.
quired him to get wickedcr and wickeder,
his face would steadily smooth out Many
time your father scolCfed him for this,
and ut last permitted him To paint on the
necessary lines
"My experience has been singular" said
Mr.. Gilbert. 81 began to play old men
right from the commencement of my ca
reer, and, being boyish then, i had to paint
my face for age very thoroughly. 1 am
now made up for Sir Peter Teazle, as you
see, but, alack! the wrinkles are all natu-
raj. One after another, during about
half u century, l have left or the artif.
cial lines, until at last have caught up
with my stage age"
Mr.. Barrett told about an actress whom
he would not name. But she had a
pretty as well as mobile face,n he said,
''and that is combination not often
found Strong expression does not COM
monty go with lovely features. However,
II was so in this instance. The lady pritletl
herself great deal on her facial delinea-
ton, but she had the same difficulty men,
toned by Mr. Booth--she couldn't be
sure of just what she was looking like
when away from ner glass. So she al.
ways had tiny mirror about her toilet
In fan, as an adorMnent at her wrist,
or in some other place where the audi.
ence would not detect It, Whenever she
would become in the least uncertain OF
her face she would glance into the mir
ror and readjust her features. 1t was a
good, practical idea. New York Cor.
Chicago Herald