The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-07-20

as long as II has acting opportunities. OF
course I don't like 10 have the public as
sociate me with such roles. and think
my private life a replica OF that which
depict on the stage. but a good villain,
with splendid acting opportunities. revel
In. Not a namby -pamby. conventional
villain OF the you shall give up those
pa apers' kind. Do like hisses7 No. frank
ly; believe no actor does. but / haven't
had much experience with them. An In
telligent audience never Kisses. for they
realize that the villain is a necessary
quantity
"As Jerome X. Jerome says: II the
villain Is going 10 play a game OF billiards
with the hero, he might just "a well give
him the game at the start II he Is going
TO rob the bank he might just as well
confess at the beginning. for he is certain
TO be caught; he might Just as well give
up the girl in the first act as In the last.
for the hero Is bound 10 win her The
playwright makes the hero popular with
the audience. but the villain must work
TO overcome the antipathy the dramatist
has created against him with the
audience. and applause won by the villain
Is 80 much the sweeter because OF what
be has TO overcome. As an example OF
this last summer. when / played In The
Moth and the Flame everyone said there
Was notnlng 10 tne part, just pcCduSS IL
had only a few lines l determined to
play II. however. for / saw possibilities in
IT, Not only was villain of the worst
kind. for. had speculated with and lost
the money entrusted TO me for my wife
and child-in the play. pleale remember
but I added TO my crime by appearing In
a ridiculous clown costume and in a most
festive mood. The unsympathetic attitude
OF the audience toward such man and
their tendency to laugh at his costume,
both had TO be overcome. ] threw my
self heartily into the part several minutes
before went on in an endeavor to get
the tensity OF the scene.
-HI had oniy-abeHt four lines 70 speak
and when my last one had been spoken
was still in doubt whether ] had won
the audience or not. As rule / do
not look over the footlights. but confine
my entire attention 10 the stage and the
people with whom I am acting, but that
night 7 was alone on the stage, ] was
seated at the table. feeling OF the blade
OF the knife with which ! am supposed
later to kill myself my head bent just
SO that could see the footlights and two
or three rows OF people in the audience.
The house was perfectly still. but saw
a woman IN the front row turn her head
aside with shudder and hide her face in
her handkerchief when j fingered the
knife. 1nen, L knew tnat neld the at
tention Of the audience.
The applause which came TO me in that
part was very pleasing, but didn't com
pare 10 the sense OF satisfaction I felt
when I saw that woman turn her head
showing she had grasped my meaning
Those are the kind OF parts I like to play.
Somethingwhich gives one a chance to do
something the author has not supplied.
] am looking forward 10 a role am to
play soon here. II Is only what is called,
In the profession. "a bit but I SEQ ex-
cellent opportunities in II, not 40 intense
as that In The Moth and the Flame but
good in a different way"
You are deeply interested in YOU,
work." I asked.
Yes. indeed. II is a fascinating pleas
ure to study and think out the different
characters one is called upon TO play, to
carefully plan make-ups and get at the
minute details OF each distinct cha aracter.
Just now I'm especially interested In
Napoleon Bonaparte who is booked for
appearance before Keith patrons this af-
ternoon. so I must bid you 'Au Revoir'
for the present and look forward 10 see
ing you again In the near future" As he
disappeared in the direction OF his dress
ing room this wish was heartily echoed by
THE MATINEE GIRL,