The times., 1897-03-28

unworthy It's weak man whoisashaihea
of his own face; it Is an indication ol sell-
confidence in actor who subofdiha'es
his capacity for fine acting to the oppo'-
tunity of wheeling the audience syIl'pa'
thy.
some actors rise above this consdera-
ton and they are artists. wilton Lachayc
tares act an unsympathetic role ana pre-
sanrs characreriZations in which dramatic
vieor and realistic reproduction are the
independent rccomm endations Richaru
Mansrieldis another. Neither or them sto"p
TO the trickery of confusing the audience
IN the roint of crediting acting for effects
which are achieved by the trend OIL the
story.
Mr.. Lackaye deserves credit for bis plr-
s,,i+ of characterization for its own sake.
In Belgraff he threw sympathy to the
wind As a sympathetic character, Bel
craft was dead as a door nail from the
curtain on the first act. when he pro-
claimed melodraBlatically SISTER Tor
sister, The sentiment was wrong; II was
iruo,llc; the author deceived himself in
writing it. and he placed BeGraff IN an
untruthful predicament in uttering It,
Forthwith the scientist went deeper and
deeper into the eXcesses which separated
him from the heroes of the story
But out of the ashes of our destroyed sym
nat hics rose the Phoenix OF Lackaye'S art,
noble, v:rile, impressive, sterling fact.
HIS daring brought him the reward OF APP
nlause for the artists sake, for his sake
oniy. for Lackaye, never for Belgraff, and
the tifnid actors who must have the sus-
tainment of sympathy because they lack
the sustainment of art, may find IN TINS
the proof of their position.
There can be no doubt of the policy "f
the actors of iudeviatingly sympathetic
roles. They are right Few theatergoers
are analysts. They don't ask questlohs
| OF what comes 10 them over the footilghtS,
| They receive impressions OF pleasure and
main hilarity and horror, without a queS-
| tion OF the process by which their emotions
are touched. Every actor is anxious TO
give his bcs5 possible. Pride and ambition
| impeI it, But his art is not an end. 1t
| should he for the freedom of spuntaneity
and for truths sake, but unfortunately 1T
is means.
The actor continually faces the contra
dictory proposition Of his art, which Is a
trade Doubtless gladly many OF them
would do the uuGdulterated artistic and
vearn to if they dared or were able. Atde,
not with the ability of personal capacity,
but of means Thus we see rich actors,
with the accumulation Of many years or
urospcrlty. throwing off the shackcls of
public demand and indUlging personal free
| dom bv acting what they wish to just
| for once. 1t costs heavily, not only in
| the cash when doesn't come to it, but in
the unfortunate criticism which dcrideS
! this little excursion of ambition, or even
| this little holiday Of the players art
| So! Smith Russell struggled under years
! Of conStraint at Felix MCCusSiCi., Hosea
! Howe and Noah Vale because the people
! demanded it, But his spirit fretted. His
artistic nature pleaded for expression i'll
a higher. more certain form The produC-
| tionS of The Heir at Law and The
| Rivals were grateful May days to his
ambition. So with Nat Goodwin Weary
! of the e1ernally bibulous good fellow and
the kiCdfsh clowning forced upon by
| his relation to the public he seized a res
ptte with David Garrick' and Bob Acres.
| Courtenay Thorpe played blonde boys for
| Rosina volies for years, but one after
| noon ne played oswald, in Ghosts, anh
his genius was proclaimed. Minnie Mad
| dern left the stage a kittenish souhrette.
1t was nauseous to her large soul. She
was capable OF better things, great things.
! she knew it, she has ploudcd through
| two weary years Of adversely, but her
reward is rich Her Tess of the D'Urber-
villes comedies to her first place among
the American emotional and intellectual
/ actresses.
az aIl Of n-l what is the HOTaItaTEI
| SccondaIily. that poseurs in the calciuns,
thatis. players who act for the sympathies
and preudices OF their audiences are
made np OF artists and those who are not.
and more often than not they are confused
| in appreciation of the heart breaking of the
real artist. But. primarily, that those who
have dared To come out of this artificial
calcium and stand in the daylight where
art is given for it's own uncompromlSed
self. and then succeed, are the certain
artists of the stage. Wilton Lackaye is one
of them Richard Mansfield is another.
Minnie Madden Fiskeis Il third. These are
the graduated class. Others there are, but
they have proved their title to place by
tests that have these.
Wilton Lackaye has for production next
I
Plaver.'' 1t is by W. 7. Price and Franz
| Reinau The title is taken from two OF
the leading parts, Louis XIV, OF France,
and Moliere, the great French dramatist-
The character of the king is doubled with
the Man in the Iron Mask. Mr.. Lackaye
IS very hopeful of the play. 1t viii he n
bright. cheerful drama, and the star Will
have an opportunity to appear in less
| reiudiced light than as Svengah and Bel
| graft. But he will seek far and long for
| greater opportunity for impressively ar
tistic acting.
Ry far the most interesting personality
on the local stage last week was c. w.
| Couldock. Of Mr.. Lackaye's company. He
is the old gentleman who played Squire
! Fenton in "Dr Belgraff' Mr. Couldock,
| since the death OF Mr.. Howe, of Irving
| company, has been the Oldest actor on the
! stage, the Nestor of the drama. The ca
reer of this venerable player has been ii
most interesting one He has been con-