The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-07

N HE stage is mysterious land or NY sham finery, assumed laughter
 and a brightness that vanishes with the expiring flicker of the footlights. Although the stage, and those who ap- pear upon 1t, appeals to every human emotion, within itself nothing is more hollow and more ghastly. Chivalry, the sparkle of wit and the tragedies of life are portrayed by men and women who are often the merest pupets. A part of the world, the stage is yet cut off from every day life and people who tread the boards are inhabitants of little world of their own. Great audiences are swayed by the scenes presented, are moved to alternate tears and laughter, but yet it is all make believe that Is something so apparent that it is amusing. There are certain lit- tie touches of humdrum life that creep in now and then and quickly dispell the allusion which a consummate actor sue ceeds in weaving about an audience. Some times these incidents are unavoid' able and some times they are the fault of the players.
 Tn the first place an actor should never make a curtain speech. For a man it Is bad enough. but in the case of a woman the custom is abominable. So long as a player is surrounded by the glamour, the tinsel, and the unrealty of stage fairyland, people can halfway persuade themselves that he is all he pretends to be, but when he comes forth and tries to express himself in his own words all our fond fancies are immediately dispelled. An actor may be able to deliver lines that are written for him with thrilling effect and then make lame exhibition before the curtain. After following a handsome prince through two or three acts of a play 1t is distinct jar to ones sensibilities to have that same prince come out and butcher the kings pure English while responding to encores. For tunately those actors who are popular enough to expect curtain calls usually have a little set speech which they make over and over again, so that they ap- parently do very we'll, when unexpectedly called upon. One or two great American stars have had the courage to announce that they will make no more curtain speeches. and 1t is to be regretted that all do not follow this example. No mat ter how brilliant or fascinating he may be no actor is as interesting in real life as he is on the stage. and for that req son all should confine their blandishments to the people who watch them from the- atre seats.
 Scenic investure has now reached a high degree of perfection. Our modern plays are staged with a sumtuousness and a fidelity to detail that was never dreamed of in the days when a placard called the attention of trusting audience to the fact that here was a tree and there an English lawn. Yet, in spite of the gorgeous productions which are now travelling over this coun- try, an observant eye can pick out lit- tie defects frequently lost on the aver age theatre-goer. For instance, in a re- cent play presented in Birmingham, and one of the best that will visit the town this season, half a dozen soldiers rushed out and stormed the walls of a town. Such reckless daring does credit to their bravery, but in real warfare 1t would be highly disastrous The stage picture pre- sented in this scene was perfect, but the ludicrous spectacle of a world-famed con- querer leading an army of six warriors against an enemys stronghold was rath- CT comical. It is true that but one de- fender withstood their advance but then there might have been a host hidden away hehind the walls Again in this same