The times., 1898-05-08
FRIENDS OF LAST WEEK

Why IS II that stage villain must ale
ways act and seem like a scOundreI long
before he is supposed 10 reveal himself?
This appears TO be an unanswera5ls
question. and certainly is in 50 far as a
combination of art and nature is con-
cerned. Assuredly if any real person
frowned. made faces and twirIed his mus
tache. as all theatrical heavy men do.
one of two things would happen Either
people would understand his true char
acter at once and have him put carefully
out OF harms way or else he would De
adjudged insane and sent to a Govern
mert hospital And yet the very clever
est men we have in the theatrical busi-
nesS-men who would De surprised at
the accusation of making a comedy role
gymnastic or a heroic one bOmbaslic-
viii take 10 themselves distinctive per-
sonality when they are fntrusJed with
heavy parts. Not only is this true Of
their manners but frequently of their
make-ups, a hearty black mustache evil
IDENTIFY being as much the sign Of al bad
men as are kid gloves and cigarettes.
There are never any blonde women who
do wrongful things or the stage, all ad-
venturesses having very dark hair and
generally dressing in red. ScOUndrels
who do not answer to the above descrjp-
ton are invariably either hunchbacks or
hypnOtists. the ordinary. hyPOcTitiCai
blackguard Of everyday life having no
place on the boards. Nor is there such
thing as mediOcriJy for stage villains
they must all be direrully and frightfUIly
bad without hope Of redemption or
single good trait that dares 10 show itself
before the pivotal moment in the last aer.
This is not because good roles have not
been written for the cur of the mimic
world. for some of the best parts that
exist are in that line. hut for the simple
reason that the ordinary actor refuses
to be Il villain unless he can seem 4 full
fiedged one. with habit OF knitting his
brows and OF getting between the leading
lady and the nearest door Just in time for
her TO say stand aside and let me pass
He has 10 let everyone know OF his das-
tardly prOciivities long before he begins
to accomplish his secret mission. and
would consider the average meek-manner-
ed. gentlemanly. gallant. kindly scoun-
drel of ordinary existence a milk-and-
water parsonage only fit for a Sunday
school or captainCy in the Salvation
Army. 1t is seldom that he considers
that a man who fell into a trap as visible
as that he has set would have 10 be an
idiotic. half besotted dolt.
Henry Jewett who played the part OF
Capt Hammersly last week in Charley
O'Malley." is an exceptionally good actor
and an Intelligent one. too boot. He has
been seen here in several excellent I'M
presentations and has made a cOnsidera-
BILE reputation for himself within a few
years. But no sooner did he begin the
part of Theodore Sayre's villain than hs
forgot all the requirements OF nature and
common sense and began the usual man
nerisms that have formed the trademark
for stage scoundreis during the last half
century. No sooner had he entered into
the play and long before ne had been
introduced everyone in the audience knew
that he was the villain and expected him
TO prove it. And he did, to the abso-
Lutte satisfaction OF every small boy in
the gallery. but nevertheless in a very
ordinary. unreasoning and unreasonable
manner. 1t seems too bad that so bright
a man as Mr.. Jewett cannot do something
unconventional with a role like that OF
Capt Hammersly. and il is earnestly TO
be hoped that is he presents the part
next season Il will be in a more sensible
and worthy manner.
Frank Harvey and Company-Unlimit-
Id fof, hsa tha