The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-19

study that even the simplest effects can be
properly reached.
To be natural on the stage is not a mat
ter of casual mood. but of a trained habit.
A young woman may be exceptionally
well gifted. She may be pretty, have a
coed facial expression, a fine speaking
voice, a commanding stature, and have the
necessary physical conditions, and yet be
unable to portray the emotions of the hu-
man mind in such a manner as to be enter
tanning and ineligible to others.
Let any one go upon the stage before an
audience and say the same things and act
the same deeds which ordinarily occur in
everyday life, and he will appear wholly
stupid and uninteresting. 1t will be no
more entertaining to an onlooker than is
any commonplace visit into any ordinary
family, such as occurs every day. No one
is particularly interested or entertained.
People must bs Taught how they should
act, move, walk, speak and sing, if they are
to do these things as perfectly as to please
Others.
Long ago, nature might have been so
lavish with her children that each man and
woman said and did exactly the right thing
at the right time, and with exactly the right
expression. But all that has passed away.
We are taught in etiquette books and in So
Ciety to conc cal our emotion. A ladyllke
monotone with smooth and even accent and
a yoics that never rises or falls beyond a
certain pitch, are things ordinarily to be
cultivated. Never, in ordinary parlor con-
versntion must the face express extreme
emotion. Passion, rage, anger. disgust.
contempt, pleasure and sur. rise, must oil
DO yelled beneath an outward mask of
serenity. The woman OF breeding will
never show by the lifting of an eyelid that
kline or even cruel. At all times a beautiful
calm overspreads her features; she walks
slowly, speaks deliberately, and whatever
effect sho may wish to produce she does on
tirelY by means of little ways and actions
that are pretty, rather than effective. In a
upon the stage the effect is lost and the
woman would appear insane and ~lifeless.
It is because of this that theatrical man.
ayers dread the society woman who goes
upon the stage. She may in the first place
have prestige and name as a social leader,
and il she is connected with fine family
and has gone upon the stage because of do
mestic or other disturbances, this fact goes
far to arouse curiosity in advance from al
indulgent public who, having heard of her
previously, are willing to go once to see her
behind the footlights.
All this very well es long as the newness
and f eshness and novelty lasts, but there
comes a time When the society woman, hav-
ing been seen once by all the world, must
sink into oblivion in the minds of the fair
minded public. They see that, actuated by
motives other than those which should i'm
pei any one choosing a vocation, that the
actress is either frivolous, vain, lndolent or
incompetent. They notice that she does
not improve, and having seen her once. and
gratifying their curiosity, they have seen all
that there is to be seen. The pretty little
mannerisms, sweet voice, style and figure,
which in the first place made my lady at
~tractive uIon the stage, are not sufficient to
keep them interested beyond tho first
nights performance. And that is the
reason that high standard schools of acting