New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-08
ACTORS AND ACTING.
MRS KENpAEs VIEWS ON DRAMATIC ART

and so pounds would only adequa,chn 6aye actors
and Actresses salaries, as well as authoIs a"t
creased salaries were deSn, even ,SeT T %ern when the
management Of Messrs. Hare ana hendai Doss' hen
nine seasons ago Inc SAM Meek Would probably now
ssk 90 pounds ,,,o n.vs r. "a Cor a
,f Which Is considerable increase on formr prices
Then too by doing away with pits and chargns iO o
Sd for all the seats in the body OF the 'heauc' w"
naturally can pay more TO your artists ,.. g,
In the provinces they do give more applause, l
actor who is in the company, whether it IS a. tndci
Gus moment or whether il IS not 1t IS thc iesins
with more heartiness than dlscenment But, on II IS
very nice l like IL to be lavish and indScrmma,c'
In London there are what they call the first
ss me When ne PRSF do ' mot
believe in their criticism more than any 9'ner
tell you who tie first nIghiers7 are but know that
among them i have got some friends and therefore, |
like them They people who attend every hrSt
night at every theatre. ] myself have peer 10 onN
nSu csrr a. ana NSen 60 10 the theatre then
invariably ask for the stalls In me sst row. soa va.
INV Se Te nf ia the pt and its Verdict have seldom
The pleasure Of acting depends Of course to certain
feels some Authors to be more syinpahec on n
Should say the same me- of Mr.. pinerO.s' love
to play. in Mr.. Pneros pieces One ne. has "a
the line seems to halt Mr. Pinero writes, 10 my idea.
Sa, ONE cannot SPEAK wrong word Tie lines he
gives women especially. in his plays are so subtle and
p ndeS cure rec Of mind ' IN
study Of part ME The sqgiTss asd IN that that play
Forgs' he gives you an opportunity, II you can con,
yey It, Of suggesting and underlying sentiment in al
act of The SQUIRE The poor heroine has to par
with the man she adores the only man She has ever
loved In all fe crucial points OF orr lives he most
commonplace remarks rsa 70 our lips Mr.. Pinero has
written scene in which he makes this woman say /:
Sunday" foolish Commonplace and All the While
running down her face ana She is suhoring agones
Now have intense delight in playing that scene-it
believe to be The inner and under current of woman's
life and feelings Ones outer life Is so different TO
sort Of exquisite PAIN IN playing that scene never
cen play II without crying.
much. cry so much that perhaps do not do my
author justice but that scene In The Squire" is 80
the eno ana see Ss On
eommonpace. fnnny point of view, sometimes they
eraly-for women feel the truth of woman trying to
DO funny under such circ9p s'ances.they CRY .o,.
due to personal qualities-pesonal appearance We wiz
say. But II must imply some talent. The public arc
favorable start. but / doubt If any woman. however
beautiful. could draw an audience for long unless sle
ale upon this point do rot believe that beauty only
would hold the public for ovor month. There must
~
must be talent Lots of people that there are
beautiful beau women va he public 60 to See only for
too discriminating and TOO quick, and although curiosity
might lead them 10 90 and look at beautiful person.
man or woman, whose beauty only might draw them
there. II would not male them 60 more than once,
beautiful 2m s ReS s pns s be- In s ne
that e. is her beauty, and her beauty
ought to have the credit Of it's being sg her brains
and her intellect as well. One may say OF certain
people who say something dsagreoab'e declare,
"oh, II is only her beauty whilst, IN my humble
r ons She ba mot s se 3 ea ns WQS hey
beauty Is ovefpowerlngy exquisite that people
should say that the sympathy of an audience IS
more readily awakened by woman than by man.
ras dramatic artists aT have been Nhep
that nor the reverse would be true If Ral to make
sympathy into a play, and man more intelligence
II one were TO make list Of the snae ha arS
sT eve divided between the sexes. A !chIioi,
instance of the way n which keen inteie es
in the play Diplomacy The whole piece is wonder
fully clever, but the most wonderful thing about It
was that its great scene was played only by three
A discussion arose when that play vas first pro
as the great scene in It was viii meh only But ii
was an enormous success, and that scene was one
would be a success where all the actors men.
do not say. do not think il would be interestng
theatres company were composed only of women.
have often thought that in conraistnction to the
with three women only, whore they might discuss
men. l would not leave the men out Of The question
between three women could be made as powerful "a
of course. every dramatic artist forms sone
what different ideal OF art. Mine IS that everything
, SSsn be- s9 v QUEEN Kaane is dy se
IS SUPPOSED TO see vision OF angels. l believe
ot.aiv ff
glory glory was passed from hand to hand, until
IL came 10 the angel nearest 10 Katharine. and The
angel held It the dying Queens adj Katharinc
wakes up with this lovely vision IN her mind. My
notion OF such death is that it should b. ,'reney
hearing the voices OF angels call ne her. showing
tho last moments of noble womana suffering grand
into such bssful visions OF the future that She dies
with smile Oh her lips There arr artists who would
grge in their throat and try d. with death rattle
IN II, showing the public the realistic and horrible
Bnt this would not be my idea Of good art. The
only suabl; occas ons for representing the horrors Of
PLAYING the villain. or tho woman hal be n bad. 50
that there wOuh be moral in the fact that he or
N Shs s""'f The AO artist has realize before
the public good and noble character. and has
ry 60 bring before the mnds Of the audience a
venou.ly peaceful aud beautiful death. as tie one
be my teaching through dramatic art. There are so
many things taught on the stage. Let us sometimes
the striving aftor the highest. Even If we do not
succeed lei be the humble votaries Of that shrine
! find that people are often surprised at The way
in which actors remember their parts. but this IS
net so wonderful as it seems The memory can be
cultivated. like any other faculty, up 70 a certain
pitch. Practice works wonders. II YOU have not
played part for years. the rercading OF H. three
or four times only. will bring It back 10 YOU We
have so much 70 help our memory on the stage. We
have what is called the business OF ths The
fact that yOu have TO do certain things brings a
certain line back 10 your memory Often, wbcl
enter your house. aud ST al the place and
at the same table. the memory of The past returns
"Ccst la meme chose sur la scene little DIT
OF business brings back a speech the remembrance
OF speech brings back bit Of business; the one
helps the other stil though an exceptional memory
Is not absolutely necessary, II IS enormous help
The most extraordinary instance Of memory that
personally remember was that Of old Mr.. Blackstone.
who used TO come upon the stage at rehearsal reading
his part, and not knowing a word but he would come
M nlChf. and ihe clnlhns Id