The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-22
BAB'S BRIGHT BABBLE.
SHE BEwAILs A LACK OF GOOD
ACTING,

p.ime1tS 20 w omen VINO DISCARD
Corsess-Wta. Is Noticeably Lack
ing in Many CT Our Actresses of TO-
d y-Incongruities CT the Stage-The
Frerca Method and the American
style-The Am erican Actress is Care
less of tn, Little Tim OF Her Art.
" hat We Endure at the Theater,
When Woman Dlscards Fer Stays.
s me Things Forced Upon Us.
tCoDvri0ht.l
NEW YORK, Jan. 21.-As a people, we
are the most patient and long-suffering in
the world As a people. we patronizs the
theater more than any ether nation in the
world, and yet. although We consider our
selves civilized, we endure more miserable
acti g, more miserable actors aud worse
stage settings than any people in tho world.
We pay our money and sit down and ere in
suited. And l will tell you how.
A LACK OF GOOD ACTING.
We start out to see a so-called society
nlay; the men come on, looking like the
walters in French restaurant, wearing
their clothes like dummies, and walking
as If they were used TO the sawdust rather
than the drawing room. The women may
wear their clothes better, hut the average
actress is entirely lacking in what may be
called distinction, and which is an art in
itself. Sometimes she swaggers, sometimes
she struts, and again she walks like a pea.
cock, proud of its plumage, but horribly dis
tressed about its feet, When something
very tragic is to the fore. she may rise
equal to the occasion; but when it Is ques-
ton Of doing nothing, or behaving as any
wellsbred woman might, she acts like AN
BuJomatou. l know nothing whatever
about schools Of acting. but il there is any
school that will teach the average woman OF
the stage to look, move and have her icing
on the stage as lady would, it will be
great boon to the public q large to let 1t
be known We are overload just now of
talking about realism, and yet how many
actresses can quietly brew cup Of tea on
the stage as woman does in her own home?
How many of them can walk across the
stage with any grace! And how many of
them can do such sample thing as bow In
way that does not seem studied and stiltedi
1t IS just possible these things may seem
small TO you, but as long as we are con-
tinually told that the theater is a sort of an
education TO US, it is right and proper that
we should have the bsst of everything.
INCONGRUITIEs OF THE STAGE.
At this very time in New York city there
Is play running in which scene, supposed
10 be, in the daytime, has for lis figure a
young woman 10 q low bodice. Isn't this
as absolutely incorrect as il a man had ap-
peared in dress clothes in the afternoon?
And can the beauty of the gown excuse the
absolute mistakes Yet people go to the
thea'er, admire the actress and never notice
her inability to make her gown suit
the hour. 1 remember another play
where factory scene is intro
duced; the daughter OF the proprietor
visited it ons morning, and. when she
threw aside her coat, she had on lace
gown, cut low, and elaborate enough for a
dinner! Fancy French actress doing that
When jane Hiding played "rherese
Rscquin" she was exact in representing
her as a woman Of the middle class that her
costume never for one minute. or in any
respect, suggested a woman of refined in
stincts, and so her brutality was under
stood. Instead of appearing in a soft,
artistic night-dress, in the much talked
OF undressing scene, she submitted
30 having her dress taken Off,
stood before the audience in
muslin petticoat trimmed with cheap lace,
the plainest and commonest of stays, and
bodice having a frill of Hamburg edginI;
thess were removed; and underneath was
an ordinary chemise made of muslin, trim
med with knitted lace, and reaching, as
does this garment among the bourgeoise,
quite to her ankles, With awkward puffed
sleeves. She looked neither ooquettish or
nasty. but simply woman of her class in
her awkward, ugly undress. No critic ever
took this up and objected to the scene; but
instead it was praised, as an evidence on
she art of the woman to be exact, and to
make seconda y her own grace and beauty
TO the clumsy beast she represented.
THE FRENCH AND THE AMERICAN.
But to return to this subject of distinc-
ton, for can find no better name for it. l
can give you the names of innumerable
uph {ptaliira,t xthn
well, who are interesting, but who never
get this subtle something that disting lishes
them, and which when they play the part
OF a gentle woman makes them seem born
IN purple, So easy are they in their manners.
And this is worth having Somebody says
tits matter of birth aud education; it is
n0t-lt is a question or art Mile Bartet
OF the Coincide Franchise has it to
perfection, has it so perfectly
that last year when she was introduced to
some English people who had never heard
her name. and who didn't approve Of
theaters, they eagerly asked, after her de
parture, What princess is thara Her
manners are superb" And yet the birth of
THIS actress is shrouded in mystery. Jane
fading possesses this art, which the divine
sarah, with all her genius, does not. She
can De magnificent as a princess. but she
always suggests to me a princess VINO
ma mas been beggar girl, or, like
ueOuuFh, Deen raised TO the throne
from the circus. People who admire the
great beauty of Mrs. Laugtry aud regret
That, according to their ideas, she is incap-
abe of acting, would do well to contrast
ner methods of walking and wearing her
clothes with that peculiar to many who are
undoubtedly better actresses. Among the
2iuer women, Mrs. d. P. Bowers and Mrs.
Fnullps have distinction most decidedly,
while Agnes Booth, a thoroughly good
actrens, Is decidedly lacking in it. Indeed,
y Is much easier to think of the women who
~ not possess it than of tho women who do.
hot very long ago saw clever comedy,
ln which, as the curtain Tell, the entire COM
Sauy we're supposed TO be in q
SSFa"lng room Immediately after
99lnner: They were well grouped, but
aour OF these people, who were close to-
setner, could have walked off that stage TO
Snybody,s house, in fact, as a critical
woman, might say. they bore the hall
L LiarH OF gentilty. These people were Mrs.
nil'lps. Elsie de Wolfe, Gorge Giddens
eIu Lee Finpey. If you happen to be
t Tuere Joseph" Is eing played go and see
luis and agree with me-
BAB's TEST OF AN ACTRESS.
Among the younger women. Sadie Msrt-
iO "I essentially distinguished, and always
rOnNs as II her beautiful belongings were as
ES cn part Of her as her dainty manner.
@Sluo Shannon IahDSfOna Ram