The Washington times., 1901-07-07
THE PASSING SHOW.

sion Mr.. fNleS argues thai the Wen
equipped actor is a professional man and
falls back on the dictionary for the def
milton of the word 'profession''-an occu-
patton that properly involves liberal
education or its equivalent. and mental
rather than manual labor. But. says Mr..
Fylos, the actor has not always been re-
garded as a professional man. He relates
an incident attributed to the late Edwin
Forrest, when the actors wife was su-
ing for divorce.
What's your occupation" the oppos-
ing attorney asked of the tragedian.
BY profession. replied Mr.. Forrest,
and lac threw his whole voice into a repe-
tition of the word, by profession, l am
an actor"
] "Ah. said the lawyer, and smiled.
! Yes" said the actor, as he frowned.
Since the days Of Forrest and his fel-
/ low-pIayers." says Mr. F'yles, many OF
whom were regarded more as vaga-
bonds man respectable artists, the
actor has advanced from the cru
dities of chance gifts to the excel
lence Of mcthodical culture Actors must
now be accorded a professional rating. 70
According to Mr. Fyles, the change in
public esteem IS not yet coTnplete, as
prejudice stil hlndeTs il, but considerate
people have been generally won over by
the earnest, aspiring. progressive work
that is being done in the theatres Even
80 justly eminent an actor Is Forrest
stamped and beloved his way from the
circus ring to the Shakespcarean stage by
physical force, with Lone too much of
intellectual guidance There was III his
DAY no graded ruad for those TO take who
set out for theatrical success. They had
To make their way with only faint trails
70 lOlOW- i ne journey IS as ardGOuS now,
but less uncertain. The route has been
laid out on direct lines and the travel
er Is no more an adventurous explorer.
NnEH ~
To the stage he is as likely to get there
as though he started, instead, for bar
or pulpit. studio, or laboratory. Ii may
be that Helena Mcijeska thought the
drama in America had reached its high
est possible elevation when she made her
hrst tour III q railway car that WAS as
respondent as circus chariot, that Il
little further back. Charlotte CuShman
deemed herself the queen of tragic eli
max because members Of the LOtOs Club
unhltchLd the horses from her carriage
and dragged il from theatre to hotel; that
Edwin Forrest, Lot 50 very much longer
ago, let his bosom swell with royal pride
while his adEereuts ana Macrcady's
fought CHe another 10 deaSl in Astor
Place; but we have come out from such
foolishness regarding dramatic genius,
and got into sensible Gays OF thinking
The actor suffers still from adulation
and derogation-just about as much from
one as the other; and in both ways the
harm done him is the result of a care
less feeling toward his work by a large
part OF the public. I DO not have IN mind
q this moment his social standing high
or low, but am thinking Of him solely as
performer on the stage. Few in an
audience discern anything back of him.
Whatever he does that IS satisfactory is
hced4eSSly set down 10 his personal credit,
as though he had originated IL. Even
some Of the reviewers write Of him as
creating q character for which he has
originated absolutely nothing. The au-
thor is quite forgotten, and all the credit
i 1nstlnctiyely given TO the Interpreter.
This undue admiration too often makes
him an absurdly vain creature a crow
strutting in the borrowed plumage Of a
peacock, and so pleased by his feathers
that he believes himself 20 be the fine
bird that they grew on. Night after night
ne hears applause that his make believe
qualities excite but none of that which
Is at the same time being given to thou
sands OF other mummers throughout the
country lie does not bear in mind that
people clap Thetr hands as hard n a real
y brave tTapeze man in ctrcus as they
DO al an imitation Of a mimic hero in a
drama, and laugh as loudly at an oTigl-
InterpTetaIiVe comedian. As a rule ne
II eXtravagantly appreciative Of his own
abilities. He becomes a coXcomb and a
braggart His self-satisfaction prevents
his development of natural gifts by ar
Jisijc requirement. He ceases earnest ef-
fort. and stops short Of what he might
become. because adulation has weakened
or destroyed his ambition %
As regards the acting Of the present
day players, Mr. Fyles expresses the con-
viction that We have no actor who will
compare with Edwin Booth in tragedy
But aiter making due allowance for the
deiusiOn OF memory and the enchantment
OF distance the fact remains clear that
the world has no Booth on the stage at
the beginning Of a century that NAV end
without producing one But" saws Mr.
Fyles, that proves nothing against the
contention that our players as a body are
ADLER than those Of Booths hpylav-fbaf
e. 70 gr~f-a Il
aros-that acting is in a good and stead
liy Improving condition Audiences de-
mand Tar more than they used TO- and get
IT, TOO J ne noisy defamation of bun
coTnbe VIII no longer excite a gallery. e5t-
cept TO rldicule. and the parquet scOrus
i with silence that is still more damniug
Characters ID dramatic fiction must talk
ana act as persons in real life might uu-
der the same circumstances and the aiI-
thor must write 10 that purpose leaving
II 20 the actors TO complete the Illusion OF
naturalHess. ! say Illusion. because the
effect of uneXaSgeratiOn Of being absO-
lutely true TO life. is not created on the
stage by literal truthfulness The acme
OF skill IN the acting Of the present day
lies in such speech and pantomimc as
VIII carry the semblance Of truth across
the footlights by expert falsities. The
fond WOOer must make you believe that
ne breathes his forbidden love to his tim
ID sweeih heart so softly and cOvertly that
her alert mother, in the same room. Is
unaware Of what is going on. yet he has
i
Tar away The villain whispers his plot
into the private ear Of confederate, vet
the furthermost boy ia the gallery must
get every word Of it. The art Of acting.
as taught and practiced is directed TO
making an impression Of verify by means
that necessarily are deceptive In this
direction the great advance has been
made. All the dramatic schools. and most
Of the private teachers, ar, working in
that spirit. They employ car -ful methods
whore a confusion Of diversity formerly
perpleXcd the manager who sought after
the harmonious peri fOrmance now attain
able. ] tell these things here because
most people At the theatre, including
many who are kecnly critical Of a result
on the stage. have no idea Of the pro-
cesses that bring IL about ! am seeking
TO demonstrate that our actors belong to
q learned profession.
AM for ART $ sake is very lovely. But
IL Is unpleasant 20 know Of q genius diving
from starvation. However, that hardly
ever happens among actors. The lab0rer
in the ramatic field usually gets all the
hire that he il worthy Of. The rank and
file Of capable players are well paid. The
leaders are affiueut, unless they are spend
thrifts. / would not care 10 take upon
myself the risk Of guessing Al the for
tunes Of the men and women who have
derived them from the stage and SO. in
order TO crafty the characteristic curl
osity as TO how some Of the successes
had recourse to a manager close 10 the
centre of the theatrical business we
never know the amount of a mans estate
tin he dies said he. and actors in
comes are rather harder 10 find out than
most persons So can only testify as
witnesses In court say. ITO the best OF my
knowledge and belief Some of the fig