The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-01-05
ABOUT STAGE TEARS.
Fanny Davenport Claims That They AKA
the Genuine Article.

Fanny Davenport Claims That Iney AXE
the Genuine Article.
Of course shed real tears on the stage
writes Fanny Davenport in the Ptnladei'
mia Press. So do other actresses
But they are by no means any moa-
cation of real feeling, and do not possess
The significance they possess in real lie.
occasionally my sympathy with the cnafaor
ter am playing has been SO Keen 1nas my
ewes have filled with tears ana nave peen
unable to restrain them. But TINS snouM
not be so, and it is not commonly the c"ss
with me- The shedding OF tears WIN s.n
actress is simply q matter OF art. MO"
two prominent actresses VINO can 'etn oIs
the waterfall at moments notice' ano VI
course impress their audiences through tne
operation. Bernhardt, know, mas a. nao.Ia
Il, her most tragic scenes, where she IS scn~
hing until her whole form shakes convnk"
sivelv. of guylng people who stand in TAG
wings and Of making funny side remarks
for their benefit and indulging in grotesGus
or;naces which would do credit TO q low
comedian.
For the effective stimulation OF grief, hos9s
ever. much prefer sobs to tears, en all"
d;ence can hear you sob, but 1T can NOS se6
Won weep. On this question agree 'Sseh
Rachel whom I consider tins greatest traglo
actress who ever trod the stage: Her soos
had q wonderful effect upo,: her audienceaa
She used to say that it had taken five years.
constant study to reach perfection In thts
line and to get The sobs so they thoroushly,
suited her. She could crescendo and dimin,;
nendo these demonstrations OF grief With all
the power Of G. piano yirtuoso over the 1Vos..s
keys.
As have said, an occasionally CARRIED
away through che force Of my 'nlas;lnat.cn
50 that am in the keenest sympathy WIN
the sufEerings OF the character porsr"ys
and em Tor q brief period OF TIME: pefha|'s.
actually the character. But, as 81 geueisss
thing, I am entirely mistress OF myself.
do not believe IL is Il possible thing to d'eea
actually the same as the person Whos@
feelings you arc depicting. lake my EN-
perlence i'll sIa Tosca" for an iilustra.iosL
In the fourth act l murder q 1nan. is it 10
DO supposed for one nlomunr that have this
same emotions as the woman had who
actually committed the czi1nee How can ~
never murdered man. Yet 1 believe 1t
is perfectly possible for ne, through tne
devices OF stage art, to set clearly before an
audience picture Of the mingled renorsa
and terror which ovcrtcllcs the woman fVno
has done the deed.
To demonstrate how absurd this theory
is, that player is actually possessed %atks
the emotions of the character he or she 10
enacting, consider for g moment how 1t Is
possible for player TIC appear in che same
part night after night for forty weeks and Dc
Wrung with anguish for the Two or 1aEeea
hundred dimes thus made necessary. 10
ATTEMPT this one would die CT mental ey'
hauston before half tho season was over
1t is true that the:c arc parts Of ''IAa iosca'
where am so wrought upon by the dras
matio situations that my hands shake @nds
I grow cold aud rigid, but this is esse2"
TALLY physical and not mental or emotional
I have ccnae of the stage after one Of these
scenes trembling and weak, but there Vyas
no depression Of spirit;s such 50 woulo havss
resulted from NY passing through SUCH
emotions in life. Ii had ever felt as ss:.ss
Tosca" must have done at the end OF the
fourth act, should not have been abs TO
finish the play.