The Monticellonian., 1904-11-10

| Character and eccentric actors covered themselves with glory in "the old days of dramatic history when make ups
 were Of the most primitive kind. Grease paints. crepe hair and the hundred and
 one accessories of the actors toilet were then unknown. writes Edward F Cow
 ard, in the Theater Magazine Such l transformations as they did accomplish
 were achieved through the ingenious use l of whitewash rubbed from the walls of their dressing room. red from the bricks ! of the chimney and black from the car bonization of an old cork With these
 simple aiGs something was accomplished.
 but a glance at the prints and engrayings of theatrical happenings when Garrick was king show that much was left to the imagination, and some remarkable anachronisms may be marked in the way of wigs and costumes To have achieved sensation as Macbeth tceged
 out in a full-bottomed wig and the uni form of a Scotch soldier of the seven iteenth century speaks wonders for the effectiveness of the acting. Contrast such a picture with Irying's wonderful make up" as the Thane of CawGor. and
 the marvellous advance that has been
 made in this phase of the actors art will be seen at glance. Ii was a Ger
 man who mace face transformation an art. Carl Baudin was his name A mem Der of the Leipziger Stadt theater he,
 like many others. felt the need of sorse- thing that would hide that demarking line between the forehead and the wig band. His grease paint was first used for this purpose alone, but it's possibiH- 'ties were recognized and he and his as .sociates quickly widened it's sphere of usefulness. To-day grease paint can be secured in any shade from corpse-like .pallor to the ruddy hue Of wind-beaten sailor. The color of any nationality is on immediate tap. and a few dabs from these sticks of pigment and you have an Indian. Mongolian. or an Ethiopian ready at hand. A palette may contain all the eolors in the rainbow. but it needs the brush of an artist to blend them into picture. So 1t is with these sticks of grease paint To utilize them to the full advantage. study and ex- perence are needed. How to cast shad- ows, to bring wrinkles into relief. how to lengthen or broaden the face and
 all the other phases of theatrical make up are subject to rules as imperative as those employed in the composition of an oil painting or a water color. It will thus be seen that the player who knows something of drawing ard paint ing has distinct advantage at the game
 There are many instances where clever makeup has deceived even experi- enced actors familiar with all the tricks of the business. Joseph Jefferson. see inc Wilton Laekaye for the first time
 in The Children of the Ghetto. could
 not be brought to believe that the ap-
 pareatiy aged actor was a man barely in
 his forties. and ]. F. Dodson tells this
 story: When I was plaA ing the Jew in After Dark I made up the nose to suit the part One night at the close of the performance I was sent for by Jewish gentleman who wished to meet
 me. l divested myself of my makeup and went to him, saying: Well sir, I am Mir Dodson. what can I do for you? He replied: I want MT Dod- son, the actor I am he No. no re- joined the visitor, placing his finger on his nose. He is one of us