The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07
THE PASSING SHOW.

| the latest aspirants for stage honors.
While the address of the actor was pri-
marily directed in general way at the
students, its range was decidedly broad
| er and he discussed some matters in a
characteristic and humorously satirical
fashion. For instance. he told the young
people that actors are born and not made,
! thus in effect Informing them that the
! made TO order type of players such as
they best illustrated can never hope for
any great honors in the profession they
hope to soon adorn.
| Mr. Mansfield trusted that the students
had not turned their attention to-
ward the stage because they could not do
anything else. MANY persons do this -
said the actor, seeming not to real
| ize that the actors art, above all others.
requires a variety of accomplishments.
! Women who have lost their characters
adopt the stage; men whose fortunes have
| been squandered take to the stage after
! failing in every other pursuit
Mr.. Mansfield failed to add, however,
that in great many instances the very
| type of women and men he referred to
make quite success, the feminine ele-
ment in particular.
! How to win success on the stage was
! thus discussed by the actor:
ITO Ne a successful actor one should be
! well bred. The manners of a sea cook are
/ not suited to the stage-particularly the
society drama. The actor should be ac-
| quainted with the conventions. He should
| be able to eat properly and 10 bear him
| self as gentleman. The details of good
| form should be closely looked to, for the
stage should be an educator. Perhaps a
| large portion of the audience will not
know whether the actor has good man
| ners, but some persons in the house are
sure to notice.
AT least you must speak decent En-
| glisn. Very few people do. but you must
| The accents must be correct, the pronun-
| citation distinct, and you must aot speak
| too much through the nose.
AN actor should be broadened by trav-
| Ell. Everyone travels in these days He
! should know French and Italian-certain-
! ly enough French to be able to pronounce
correctly. Almost everyone thinks he
knows as much French as that
According to the eminent player ma
tional theatre would be of particular ad-
vantage to the janitors, managers of the
aires throughout the country, and in edu-
eating the poor, despised super, for whom
Mr.. Mansfield expresses the profoundest
contempt, even forgetting that in his
time he, too, was on an artistic level but
little removed from that of the timid but
histrionically ambitious carrier of a spear
During the talk he referred to the ma
tional theatre idea il the following
! words:
Il don't like to see other nations out
foot us In these things. A national theatre
would tend to improve the conditions in
other theatres. 1t might shame the jani-
tors and managers of various playhOuseS
to better the conditions of their odorifer-
Gus pigpens. This would greatly improve
the status of actors and actresses who
travel about the country from one
drafty playhouse to another | some
times think that there is a good angel
who watches over players who come con-
tinually in contact with the dreadful wa
ter. and drafts and the awful supers
"Of course. national theatre would
( improve the literary quality of plays, and
would be school for audience, actor,
manager, and critic. 1t would teach us
to handle crowds with better effect. The
ordinary super has no ambition and is
practically insubordinate. You have
doubtless read of what happened to me in
Philadelphia. Everything seems 10 get
! into the papers. While | was In an i'm
portant passage | noticed one of the men
near me doing a sort Of pas de seul /
walked over and looked at him. but il
seemed to rather please him than other
wise. AS a means of bringing him to
order | finally tapped him with my stick
Ihe next day he had bump on his fore
head. ] don't know where he got it. but
il was there. and | had 10 pay fine I
think ] can safely advise you never to
strike a super.
Dramatic criticism. according to the
Mansfieldan idea. should never give the
novice any trouble or cause him to lose "A
lnuch-needed rest from the arduous task
of working a few hours each evening.
Mr.. Mansfield in his address gave the
dramatic reviewers this playful little
slap:
DO not let criticism trouble YOU. 1t
is only the expression Of the opinion of
AN individual. Where criticism is cana
BILE II may be an admirable thing, but It is
more with the object Of being smart than
sincere. Some of these fiippant writer's
come TO the theatre only to deride it,"
If Mr.. Mansfield had been really sin
cere in his address 10 the dramatic stu
dents he would have advised that they i'm
mediately return home and do all in their
power to get the stage mlcrobe out OF
their systems He would have told them
that the theatrical profession is already
overcrowded with recruits from dra-
matte institutions. that too many young
people with good homes and doting par
ents are destroying their future careers as
good, honest citizens of the United States
by being lea into the belief that there is a
crying need for more actors, while n
matter of fact 1t is the dry goods business
that Is experiencing 4 drought OF capable
help. If Actor Mansfield would but gather
together in some large hall all the young
men and women that are travelling about
the country with theatrical organizations
working for meagre salaries which the
managers oftentimes forget to pay. and
give them n good. earnest talk, he would
tell them to at once forget all they ever
learned at the dramatic schools put be-
hind them all recollect!ons of dramatic
agencies. lime lights, one-night stands
press notices, and the like, and engage In
business or professional labors like other
sound minded young people. he would
be entitled to the sincere thanks of
the American people and in one hour do
more toward the elevation of the native
stage than anyone has ever yet done. But
he won't do this. He will no doubt en-
gage for his company next season some of
the very young men and women whom he
addressed the other day, and pay them the
magnificent stipend OF SO or $l2 a week
and allow them to whoop It up for him
when he comes on the stage.
Miss Bertha Galland, who was seen here
earlier in the year as leading lady for
James X. Hackett, is at the head of THE
Pride of Jennico" company, and is being
starred sooner than either she or her man
ager Daniel Frohman. anticipated. This
Is all due to the very serious illness of Mr.
Hacllctt. and his determination to rest
during the remainder of the season. His
place in the Jennico piece Is being played
by Stephen Wright, who was seen In one
Of the unimportant roles when the play
was presented in this city.
Miss Galland viii be one of next seasons
crop of stars. In play that Mr. F'rohman
has secured for her, but which he has so