The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-07

HE actor has hard lot. His
%wav is paved with obstacles
and difficulties. Think of what
~ he must be and what he must
"a accomplish to achieve success.
He is first of all an inter
prefer of characters other
minds have created and an imitator of
actions others have performed. He
must have intelligence and rare dis
cernment in order to perceive the de-
tails that make up the character he as
e,1r,as. He must describe and picture
that character to his audience, not by
means of language, but by tone of
voice. gesture. expression of cOunte-
nance and movement. This requires
skill and genius. He must possess an
intuition which enables him to express
the innermost sentiments of his soul by
a movement or a tone. More than this,
he must do these things to the salts
faction Of a critical and unkind public.
Audiences have little sympathy with
neGiocrity on the stage. The public
favor which the actor courts, is a
heeting and tickle thing. But added to
all other qualifications, the actor must
have the genius of adapting his inter
pretatiCn and execution Of a part to
The public taste. He cannot differ with
the public. TO oppose public opinion
is to court certain failure 1t is not
easy 10 do all these things and to ac-
0uire all these accomplishments; so
difficult in fact, that of all the thou
sands who have aspired to histriOnic
honors, the few who have become real
" great may be counted on the fingers
of one hand.
The hoodium who as a Roman soldier
marches on the stage with a tin spear
never is applauded by his companions
in the gallery. The imitation is too
apparent; the Lying lie is too evident.
So il is with the actor. His imitation
known 70 be sham, a false hood
must be perfect; more than that. it
must excel the real or IL does not please.
ii the real and living Hamlet should
appear and act his part as he actually
did in life-if he ever liVed-it would be
8 poor show. TIE critics would advise
him to get job on the dump.
Then the actor must also bear the
criticism of the dramatic editor. The
dramatic editors are for the most part
hard to please. They delight in ind
ing fault. TO show wherein a per-
Torrance is imperfect is much easier
than to snow wherein it is perfect or
approaches perfection. The critic fol-
lows the line of least resistance. The
actor strives to excel the real and rep
resent the ideal Public favor is the
most valuable of all his properties. The
ordinary critic seems to care very lit
tie as to what he says so long as his
criticism is readable. His chief aim
appears to be to entertain If he can
say something funny he says it al
though it may tend to destroy a really
good actors means of livelihood The
actor cannot reply His only recourse
is 10 bear the insult and the injury
and by hard work and long toll to re-
cover. if possible, the favor he has lost
through the senseless babbie of some
thCughtless man.
There are many plays that are not
good and there are many actors who
ought to be following some other voca-
ton, but these plays and these actors
will find their level without unneces-
sary abuse from the critic. The public
patrOniZeS only such plays as ere
known TO be good. The law of the sur
vival of the fittest will operate without
the aid of the critics pen.
There is much genuine ability on the
stage-mOre than ever before. A vast
amount of capital is invested in
theatrical properties. The merit of the
performances excels that of any other
time. The theatre is great institu
ucR which exists solely for the purpose
Of entertaining and amusing the pub
Hc The poor actor who strives to
please the passing whims of the pub
10 is engaged in a trying task. II we
had to share his trouble we would not
try to make him more.
Last week 7 stated that the purpose
Of the play is to amuse; that the stage
is not serious factor in our social or
ganization; that the play is to the pub
lie what the toy is to the child. That
there is some dissent from these prop
osiJiOns is shown by the following note:
'D-aTnaLic Editor. Ierai5 You seem
10 have some peculiar ideas in rela-
lion 10 the mission of the stage IN \
Greece and Rome the theater was