The Washington times., 1904-03-13
Fact or Sentiment 3?
Does the Veteran Actor Lag
SupeIfluous on Our Stage?
Criticism and YaTdstiCkS.

on nave IOOied US on leo US 20
expect something We did not receive
The play was not well done. and Miss
Rehan did not act superlatively we'll.
We have a grievance against you. Mr..
Critic, and VIC want you to hear fl"
Thus ran some dozen or more remon
strances made to TIE Times after the
engagement at the National OF a month
ago of Ada Rehan and Otis Skinner. in
classic repertoire. Those who com
planned were gentle-spoken and kind:
- but they were also in sure earnest, and
felt themselves aggrieved- In their in
telligent estimation Miss Reha1 had
not deserved the praise given her by
the newspaper and they wanted to
know why the critics had not told the
truth.
The voice of wisdom prompts gem
eral denial Of the charges 1t could
easily be proven that Miss Rehan did
get well. and that she deserved much
praise. and for a paragraph or so this
article must follow those lines But
there Is larger question than oae OF
mere fact bound up in these complaints,
and 1t is hoped these columns may this
week indicate the nature Of that greater
consideration.
Ada Rehan is ole of the most ex-
perlenced actors on our stage For a
fu1I generation she was supreme in the
roles of Viola. Lady Teasle. and Kath-
crime Through all that period sas
acted consistently in plays which were
well written, we'll staged, and wei
managed. She was for thirty years
star in the best company to be seen
an our stage. And she held that POSI-
non by right OF eminent ability, con-
ti,,7ed application TO her art, and noble
vvomanhood. Her personal endowment
Vae large. She was graceful, good to
look upon, and melodious Of speech
Was Il any wonder, then, that before
her retirement every critic in America
paid her tribute?
A Matter of Eyesight.
well the current season brought her
back again in three of her best roles.
Every sign of her old skill was renewed
her gestures, bearing, voice-no, not
her observation-disclosures, and personality
were all the same The slightest move
nent OF her body or change Of her ex-
preston carried the critic back to the
old and happy days of Augustin Daily.
All about were other old theatergoers
who were affected like the critic. Their
memories, like his, We're active and they,
like him. had much TO remember con-
corning Ada Rehan which was pleasant.
SO memory cOlored the eyeglasses and
the stage took on a quality it did not
haNs for un-glassed sight: the old men
in .he audience were middle-aged, and
the middle-aged had shocks of curly
brown and black hair instead Of bald
heads. and the middle-aged women In
the audience wore bustles and nets for
their hair. It was a strange transforma-
ton which only certain eyes could see
But half of each audience came to
the theater strange to Miss Rehan. And
what did they see? 4 woman well past
the crown Of her personal charm, tall.
not over graceful, full Of gestures both
Of arm and body. monotonous of~speech
and altogether without magnetism This
was the Ada Rehan OF 1904. II was dis
appointing but 1t was true.
So the newspapers were read in ever
growing Amusement What was the
matter with the critics? Were they
afraid to tell the truth? Surely there
were half dozen younger women who
surpassed this Ada Rehan.
One Paragraph in The Times aroused
particular opposition:
ITO many who were present" It said
in referring 70 Miss Rehan's Portia, AL
this seemed new. Their pleasure in Mss
Rehan's appearance was, consequently.
ever widening. At first they listened
with curiosity; then they applauded with
enthusiasm. and iast-mOst distinctive
tribute OF all-they laughed with her.
sighed with her. pleaded with her. and
rejoiced with her as though their Affairs
ike hers. were bound up In the fortunes
OF the merchant Antonio
The Rights Of Sentiment.
The explanation is one Of sentiment.
TOT one Of fact. None of US is so Sc
aTsNN H.. l.
the post he has earned and held. This
is q busy world, and methods change
50 fast that the apprentice Of today Is
tcmorrow's veteran and the next days
Iensioner. So all men. especially those
who speak in public, look sympathetic
ally on the labors Of their fellows
whenever they can. There are more
thirgs to be thought Of than the cold
standard OF the yardstick
The logician VIII raise his brows at
such an argument as this. We can't
have sentiment. he viii say, interfering
with facts. But the reader and The
Times are not dealing in logic; they are
dealing in art; and art is sentimental
before ever II becomes anything else.
Mr.. Mansfield turned his attention re-
Gently TO much this same subject, and
what he said then will bring this news
Psper sermon TO a fine close.
II have recently been asked he OBJ
served. Ito write article on the
American audience. Now that Is i'm
possible. There is no such thing as an
American audience. There is an au-
dtence in every American city, and
every audience differs from the other;
but II I were asked what trait is most
apparent in the attitude OF the Amer
lean public toward the American actor
! should say that 1t was a negative one
"a lack Of the personal affection which
Europeans show toward the artists who
entertain or instruct them.
"A loyal personal affection is giver
In many instances by the people OF
France 10 the popular idols OF theil
stage. They are loved by their audi
eDces. People are drawn to their leas
successful efforts by reason Of this per
sonal affection.
In England there is the same rnutua
cordialitv. No veteran iags superhuou'
on the English stage. In their declining
years. when their art has declined witt
them. the veterans still retain their hol,
upon the public. Why. even when