Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-01-03
FAMOUS ACTRESSES
IN MALE ATTIRE.
Few Stage Women But Have Played O
Mans Part, and Most Of Them
Have Done it Well
By Shirley Eagan.

The privilege of taking a masculine
part is not a readily accepted one, if
one can judge by the fact that UGH a
part necessitating the up-to-date at
tire of a man is but seldom introduced
into modern plays. AT the pantomime
the principal boy is not hard to find.
1t is a part beloved by music-han art
lists, and is snapped up long before any
other characters are thought of; but
then pantomimes may be as ridiculous
as one chooses to max them, and very
little ability is expected of the girlish
Prince, the prettier and more effems
mate the better.
But on the comedy stage things ara
different. A pantomime boy as the
sturdy Rosalind in "As You Like It."
would be more than ridiculous. The
whole beautiful play would be spoiled.
To perform a mans part IN the stage
and carry it through realistically. is
one of the most difficult pieces Of act
ing. Such parts often border on the
r~idiculous-the girlish figure, the shrill
treble voice, the affected attitudes
wou bore one i~mmeasurably if the
play was given in all seriousness; and
1t is for hat reason no doubt that the
actress is not more often called upon
to try her abilities in a masculine char
acter.
MANY HAVE TRIED 1T.
But there are very few actresses who
ave not at some time in their career
faced the footlights in mans attire.
What preparation and study these
parts called for we are not aware but
that in many cases the risky under
takings were carried through with i'm
mensa success can be Judged by the
favorable criticisms their performances
| received.
The character of Rosa1ind, with it's
/ charming p-erson1v.on OF a o lover,
| is always one much sought after. and
has been played by many who would
! Eeorn to accept a masculine role in any
thing but a S~hakespearian play. Miss
Julia Arthur was one OF the first to
successfully ate + the part and met
with great success
But one must not forget that great
actress, Miss Ellen Terry, who as Por-
tia, adopting the robes of a judge III
the Merchant of Venice" also adopt
ed the presence and mannerism of the
man to fit the clothes in so powerful
a manner that description is bafied.
! Sharing her honorS in a manly charac-
ter is Miss Ada Rehan, the popular
actress, whose change from the Eighty
Viola to the sturdy page in Twelfth
Night" will long be remembered.
BERNHARDT'S SUCCESS.
But Madam Sarah Bernhardt's
wonderful and daring representation Of
male characters has been a perform
ance calculated to discountenance the
ridicu1e generally expressed of a wQ-
man taking a mans part. The FIR
thrilling tones of her voice, the reality
Of the attitudes and the tragedy IN her
voice as the occasion required, could
not have been more stirring had the
part been placed in the hands of a man
himself.
There are many little girls to-day
who habitually take s"small boys
parts, but few come in for great pro-
minence. Of the many Little LORD
Fauntleroy s." Miss Annie Hughes was
the first, and a %cleverer child has never
graced the stage.
It was the only appearance she eve
made as a boy but one which will be
tenderly remembered by her, not only
as a novel experience, but as a recol-
lection of an early triumph.
Most actresses, when asked, declare
!. that a masculine character has but Ont
l advantage among a series of disad
: vantages, and that is the o~pportunit.
to excel in a part SO difficult.
5 Many confess to failure in the under
. taking owing to an inability to tall
: and pose as a man, and there are som
who have refused excellent engage
n ments because of a natural prejudic
e to don the masculine garments, an
d q dislike to sink their womanliness j
r only in a matter of play acting.
:; AS regards the latter reason, Ma
u dame Bernhard does not think in tha
way; indeed, she holds the opinion tina
r an actresses education is 1ncomplet
unless she has successfully undertake
S the character of a man in purguanc
e II her art.