The Washington times., 1901-07-22
New Light on the Drnma.

a TaultlOn OF past generations udS
| been that in order to attain excellence
! in any art. long years of study We're
| necessary, and that special aptitude
would manifest itself during youth.
This tradition seems likely to be upset
No more is ii the veteran dramatist, or
painter, or musician who is considered
the best judge of the standards of his
art: it is the man in the street, or the
man who has attained eminence in
some other line of work, it does not
matter much what. The opinions of ac-
tors are sought on questions OF theolo-
sy. ard those of clergymen on novels
and the drama 1t is now announced
that James ]. CorSett, ex-champion of
the world, has been interviewed on the
subject of the drama. and has declared
that he hopes some day to be as great
an actor as Irving or Coquelin the elder.
Mr. C0rbett is of the opinion that
Bernhardt is great because she is the
most conscientious student of dramatic
art in the world, and also genius. He
believes that all great artists are hard
students, and that the reason why
Americans are not good dramatic ar
lists is that success requires study as
we'll as temperament, and Americans
lack the former.
While these opinions contain certain
amount of good sense, the reader may
ask why they should lead to Mr.. Cor
belts believing that he, in his own per-
son, can become a great actor. Anybody
can have opinions. but not everybody
can be great in dramatic work. While
pugilists have gone On the stage in time
past and drawn large audiences. it has
been the general supposition that the
audience came TO see the pugilist as
pugilist and not as an actor, and that
had he appeared incognito he would in
a short time have been unable to appear
at all.
Mr.. Corbett. however, states that he
wishes to go on the stage because there
is no future for him in the prize ring.
This seems quite probable. People have
gone ON the stage before because there
was no future for them in the places
where they happened to have been put,
and they have usually found that the
future was conspicuously lacking on
the stage also, so far as they We're con-
cerned. Mr. Corbett himself is reported
to have become prize fighter because
there was no future for him as bank
messenger. The future seems thus far
to have eluded him. Perhaps he is
seeking it in the wrong place. 1t may
be behind him.
However, he has Faith in his own
abilities, and that is something, though
it is rather drug in the market in the
theatrical profession. He believes that
his defeats thus far have been by
chance. CHARGE plays a great part in
the lives Of ambitious young men. Mr..
Corbett has faith that he can play
Hamlet when he has studied il hard
enough. He says that his stage pres
ence is better than that of any imper
senator of Hamlet whom he can re-
call. and that he is always in good con-
dition for intellectual work Mr.. Cor
bett as Hamlet might be worth see
ing. though not precisely for the reason
which he assigns. 1t was once proposed
that Uncle Toms Cabin should be
played with Peter jackson as Uncle
Tom. "Parson" Davies as Marks, and
FitZsimmons as Little Eva. A cast of
Hamlet might be gotten UP on similar
principles, with John l.. Sullivan as
Ophelia. Fitzsimmons as the King, and
Jefrries as Laertes, Mr.. Corbett playing
the title role. There is no doubt that
the house would be crowded, even if no
body did any intellectual work but Mr.
Corbett; and thus his former opponents
might be decoyed into fighting him once
more, in a place where the dramatic
unities would compel their yielding. 1t
would be sweet sort of revenge