Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-02-16
ABOUT Stage TEARs.



the Genuine Article.
or course ! shed real tears On the stage.
writes Fanny Davenport in the PIlads.
p.ua Pr,s4 So DO other actresses
Bur they are by 30 means any Indi
cation of real feeling, and de- not possess
the significance they possess 90 real nc
Occasionally my sympathy with ihe giarac
ter um playing has been 80 Kern tIat hit
eyes have flied with tears and ] EavC been
unable 70 restrain them But this should
not be so, and 1t is not commonly thy r,t5c
with me. The shedding Of tears wtI an
actress is simply a matter Of art. ] Eno..
two prominent actresses who can turn cu
the waterfall at a moments notice. and -
course impress their audiences through TIC
operation Bernharit, / know. has g habit
iu her most tragic scenes, where she is SOP
bing until her whole form shakes cOnvul-
sIvelv. Of gUvng people who stand lu tic
wings and Of making funny Size REMARKS
Tor their benefit aud indulging N gruiesqge
grimaccs which would do credit to a low
comedian.
For the effective stimulation Of grief, how
ever. / much prefer s0Os - tears. An au-
dieuce can hear you sob. but il can MOI ~,
you weep. On this question ! agree wits
Rachel. whom consider the grcatcsttragic
actress who ever trod the stage. Her s0bs
had o wonderful effect upon ber audiences
She used 20 say that il had taken five years
constant study 10 reach perfection in tins
lIne and 20 get the so5s 50 they thoroughly
suited her. She could crescendoG and G.Iau.
uendJ these demonstrat Of grief with g J
the power o. Cd piano yirtuoso over the ivors
seys.
As have said, am occasionally carried
away through the force Of my imagination
80 that am in the keanest syrraf aY trI,l
the sUfarings of the character portray.
and am fJr d brief period Of time pgr...p..
actually The character. But. ss gonnI.i.
thing. ! am entirely mistress q irv~g.f
do not believe il Is a possible ti..u- g.. f,,H
actually the same Is the p'--su whose
feelings you arc depicting. Take my cx-
perIcucc 90 La TOsca' for an Illustration
In the fourth act ! murder man. j. IL to
be supposed for one moment that / nave the
same emotions as the woman had VIII.
actually committed the crImet How can Il
! never murdered man. Yet / believe il
IS perfectly possible for me. through the
devices oi sage art. 20 set clearly Dcf0rc an
audience "a picrure u the mingled remOrso
and terror which Oyertakcs the woman who
mas done tine deed.
To demonstrate how absurd this theory
i, that Is player IS actually possessed Ulll
the cmp.uus of the character He lr she i~
cnactiug. consider Tor a moment how it Is
possI0 'Jr . player 20 appear 20 re same
part night after nigh, for forty weeks and be-
wIuug s.tIu anguish for the ty8 ur three.
uuldre times thus made necessary. I.
attempt 'hI, one would die Of mental ex
LaustUn before half the season was over
IL is true that there are parts Of LA I0sca'
where ! ann so wrought upon by the dra
matte situations that my hands shake and
grow cold and rigid, but this o. essen,
Sally physical and uoJ mental or emotional
have come of the stage after one OF these
scenes trembling and weak, but there was
ua depression OF spirits such as would have
ra-gird from my passing through such
emotions 10 life. II had ever felt as La
Iu~eA' must have done at the end Of the
.llrth act, | should not have been able to
Eal>h the play.