The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-08
METHODS OF MAKING UP
THE ART AS PRACTICED BY DIFFER
ENT STAGE CHARACTERS.
Effects of Wrong Use of Rouge or
Faoe-TransfOrmati Produced.
New York Commercial Advertiser.

| New York Commercial Advertiser.
| People in a general way know that ac-
| tors are Obliged to paint, but to what ex-
tent and in what way is a sealed book to
the uninitated. The average theater-goer
does not recognize in the decrepit old man
tottering beneath his mimic woes, the
smooth-faced youth whom he passed but a
| short while before in the theater lobby, and
in the ingenious golden haired maiden who
dances and sings for his pleasure, he does
not see the mature and settled mother
whose children at that very moment may
be playing in the dressing room. This is
what makeup does for the actor 1t IS the
secret which restores youth, the magical
lamp which creates transformations as
wonderful as those Of Aladdin.
| The idea of making up is not new. When
artificial lighting was introduced into the
theater it became necessary to find some
means of counteracting its effect. Actors
appearing on the stage without makeup
take on CHASTITY appearance, and in comic
opera, burlesque and spectacular plays
where calciums are used the people are
obliged to use the darkest kind of rouge
and apply it in large quantities. The art,
ike everything else connected with the
theater, has made decided advances. At
| ''Sadlers Wells" the actors makeup con-
sisted of a bit of whitewash rubbed from
the walls, a touch of paint and a smudge
OF SCOT from the chimney; it is no uncom-
mon thing to hear an old actor refer to
PAD makeup as "a SadlerS Wells make
| up. To-day every detail is carefully cOnSid-
| cred. While the juvenile or as it is profess
sionally termed, straight makeup is by
no means SO difficult making up for
character; 1t is not easy to do we'll without
study and practice
The use Of colors has such peculiar eff
| fects under the light that the novice's eff
| general appearance. Many a pretty face
becomes homely in the glare of the foot
lights For example, rouge is used in the
tneater not only to give color but also to
Ill out hollOWS. Now, il a person with
naturally plump face applies rouge to the
cheeks the result is an exaggerated appear
| ance OF fairness. So too, a dark line over
the eye drswn in a certain way indicates
nerce or savage temperament. and the
| gentle heroine is transformed into a virago.
| STRAIGHT MAKEUP.
In general, however, the straight make
up consists of a skillful application of
grease paint 20 the entire face, a few
touches of rouge where fullness is required
and lining of the eyes with blue or black
| to add brilliancy to them. For the char
acter makeup much more is required. Here
! the actor must efface his own appearance
ana practically paint portrait with his
! own features as the ground work. To do
! this successfully requires skill, intelligence
and appli cation. The actor becomes painter,
modeler and anatomst. He is obliged to
study the facial peculiaritieS of the man
he seeks to reproduce, and frequently where
he has no model at hand he must make a.
scientific study of the effects of certain
| lines of conduct and certain phases of tenn
| perment. Thus, if he would represent an
! opium eater or man given to strong drink,
the anaemic patient or the sedentary stu
dent, he must know their general physical
| characteristics in order to make the por-
traiture typical.
Considering these requirements, it is hard
! ly necessary to say that the artist in make
up is rare. j. l.. Dodson, of the Empire
| Company, is probably at the head Of these
| in America. Mr. Dodson's make-ups are
| like finely painted miniatures, and do not
need the glare of the theater to be effec-
| tive. The closest inspection fails to reveal
| the paint lines, and the make-ups and char
acterlzations are true to life. Joseph Jeffer-
son is hardly obliged to make up at ALL
though as Golightly in Lend Me Five
Shillings," he DISCUSSES his age under a
| blond wig and an occasional touch of rouge;
so, too. in the earlier scenes of Rip" but
sons age lends itself to the character, and
! only the addition of white wig and beard
is necessary. e. M. Hollands make-ups
| have long been considered artistic and
Richard Mansfield is a master
Mr.. Mansfield has many original tricks
which he guard jealousy, and it is an I'M
ing the time he is on the stage as Mr.
Hyde. For this part Mr. Mansfield closes
his own eyes, then paints false ones on the
| lids, representing the glaring eyeballs with
| little pieces of tinfoi stuck in the centers.
| For the transformation it is an easy mat
ter for him to raise his lids and reveal his
own eyes, and the effect is remarkable. His
| makeup as Baron Chevrial is a rare
] achievement and while many actors have
/ sought to initiate it, it still remains the
| most effective representation of the ravages
| of dissipation and fashionable vice. Reuben
| Fax, formerly of A. M. Palmer's stock
| company, is another actor whose make-ups
| are artistic. One of his best was Aud
! Robin Grey in Maud Banks's play of that
name at the Twelfth Night Club benefit.
| MARY ANDERSON'S SKILL
remarkable makeup was Mary Ander-
sons Meg Merriles." AT the time she was
little more than a girl, and very beautiful,
but her representation of the old gypsy was
painfully real. Robson and Cranes make
| ups as the two Dromios are well remem-
| bered for their effective similarity. Actors
ike e; II. Sothern and John Drew rely
upon their personalities to great extent,
but when either is obliged to put on a char
aeter makeup it is well done.
or New York actresses May Robson is
| best known for her character make-ups.
| Actors of the present time use what is
known as grease paint, though some of
| them try their effects first with the old
1 in sticks about eight inches long, and vary
in color from light flesh to dark red brown
| anu DlueS. Inc latter are used Tor making
! wrinkles, and these are shaded with white
| or light flesh color. Before applying the
| colorS the actor covers his face with cold
| cream, which fills the pores of the skin
| and prevents them from becoming clogged
| with paint After the paint is applied the
| rouge is added with hare's foot, and the
| whole is covered with powder. Powders are
| made in various shades to match the colors
| of the paint, and their effect is to soften and
| improve the makeup. peculiar kind of
putty is used for changing the shape of the
| nose or the general contour of the features.
| In making up, the actor is obliged to con-
| slider the size of the hall and the amount
| of the light, as what would appear effective
| in large theater would seem overdone in
| a smaller place, and vice versa.
1t is interesting to see what results can
| be had under very adverse circumstances
| Not long ago a well-known company was
| obliged to play one night in a small Cali
| fornia town in order to break a long rail-
| road journey The theater was a ram
! shackle affair with three small dressing
rooms. Two of these were given to the
| women of the company and one was util-
| lied by six men. The others dressed behind
! an old piece of bunting which had been
| stretched across one side of the stage. The
| actors trunks filled every available space
| and were used dressing tables and
| chairs. The only lights were candles set
| before bits of a cracked mirror, used by the
| actors sitting on their trunks. The scenery
| 0f ha wa he