The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-04-13
HOW REJANE CHARMS.
Her Art Wins Your Applause in Spite of
''''f' q" Yourself.

Nine. Rejane is not beautiful, for her
features are Irregular Her nose has no
claim to beauty, other than the charm
which is so peculiarly her own. Her mouth
is no more in accordance with the usual
rules OF beauty concerning that feature, and
probably her eyes, which are something be-
tween blue and black, would be considered
her only beauty II she were measured by
the ordinary standards.
Her figure is not To BE- judged by the or
binary point of view, if one is TO find it's
beauties. Its outlines would never pass
muster. but its Athesomeness and grace,
allied with its suggestion OF voluptuous
curves makes its fascination as unique as
that of her charm OF face.
Reiane begins by disappointing every
ones preconceived Idea of what physical
beauty i'll a woman should be, and ends by
conquering the Most rebellious spectator
by force OF her own charm.
1T never occurred TO NE that l should
go on the stage" she said 10 reporter
the other day. My father was an actor,
and my aunt member of the company at
the Theater FTaucaise. We were all actors,
aud | never expected to lie any hing else.
began as a child to take lessons from
Regnier, and l was only fifteen when l
got an honorable mention for comedy at
ME to apply for admission TO the con-
servatoiTe, l Iecited a scene from Mollere,
Les Femmes Savantes," and l was adj
mitted, WhenI left there got only a second
prize, though, and did rot get into the
Comedy Franchise. | mace my debut at
the Vaudeville, the theater which my
husband controls now, and the one in
which / made my greatest reputation as
Nine. Sans-Gene.
Il am believer in the theory OF acting
which leaves nothing to the inspiration of
the moment" the actress resumed, when
she had settled down into her deliberate.
composed manner. "Of course. an actress
moods may affect her playing at differ
ent times, but the entire detail and plan
OF her playing should be setti ed before she
goes on the stage. ! seek truthfulDess
in the performance OF a role, and / think
/ arrive at what should be By what 1 have
learned myself by observation of people
and character l admit. of course, the
artistic eXaggeration which is necessary
to the stage, bat that does not destroy
the truthfulness of a performance 1 had
to dance in MA Cousine' a can-can. and
/ learned to do Just as they do at Moulin
Rouge by taking. lessons rrpmi Nini-Patte-
enl'air But the element OF truthfulness
does not preEent an actress fron putting
her own personality into a character. and
that l hope to do in 'Sapho' and in The
Dolls HOUSE, .,.5.
Mime. Rejane recalled to the reporter
some. OF the chief successes of her career,
beginning with her debut at the Vaudeville
in 1876. Her first success was in Pierre,
and she created a long line of parts in
Fanny lear" mime. Lille and
''Odette" before she left the Vaudeville in
1882. Then she played at the Ambigu and
the Varieties. and for while at the 0deon
III La Marquis, F" by Sardou, and n Edmund
de Goncourt's "Germinie Lourteux," in
which her success was great. Shortly be-
fore the production of Mime. Sans Gene"
she returned to the Vaudeville, OF which her
husband, NJ PoreI, is the manager.
Nine. Rejane expresses TO the Partisan
mind the very essence of the life of the
French capital. She has not been seen
here in role which exhibits this charac-
teristic Of her art She sings and dances
and there is a chance that she may do
these things here. She is a very inter
esting study of 1t herself, dressed in the
latest of Partisan fashions, playing some
of the most risque of French parts, trav-
cling about with her husband, her child
aud a goverriess, and interesting herself in
only them when she has left the theater.