New-York tribune., 1906-04-24

actors; and. there is no other vav n ca. them
they are made TO order. As soon as a perforner
SHOWS talent that might ripen TO something fine he
Is starred and as a rule, his DEVELOPMENT is per-
manently checked by that nroress r-ro-, ,,is
cause the stage Is afflicted with a continually in
cIeaslhs army OF performers who appear as stars
ana VINO occupy that position merely because of
youth, animation, a little personal beauty and an
unlimited Use OF the lithograph and the TWENTY
sheet poster Among the persons who chiefly CON
troll the theatre of the present day there is scarcely
one who is competent to judge of the merits OF a
play. on reading it, that can rehearse a
company help actors in the development OF their
faculties. Most of them II is well known, COM
pletey ignorant Of the history of the stage and of
dramatic literature More than OF them has
avowed that he keeps a shop and cares nothing
about the theatre the public so long he makes
money. The late Joseph Jefferson (who had
usual opportunities to and know told the
present writer that the method of of the most
influential managers in the theatre of to-day
TO assume the direction of rehearsal. and then
10 address the company, saving: Come nowl
Hurry up this don't smooth; more ginger, more
ginger! don't wait for cues and the venerable
actor added Il should like that
hearsing Hamlett'
To-day it is difficult for young actor to obtain
proper training. The number of thoroughly trained
ana matured actors. capable of instructing the
younger oevotees of the stage. grows continuously
less The standard of individual talent, when tall
ent happens TO exist is not lower to-day than it
efficiency is lamentably lower. Many young men
and women, who have right TO be on the stage,
get there by means Of schools of acting'-which
are practically. worthless, what they teach
Tor the only good school of acting is the theatre.
Those schools of acting turn persons who,
py accepting almost any salary as they frequently
90 IN order 10 get into the regular theatre) drive
out old, experienced performers. There in
olnerent or bad performances in the past, ever
since the theatre had past, and nobody knows
mat better than the unfortunate beings whose lives
nave been largely passed in the theatre but it is
foy TO say tas il has been sa that the stars of old
shone because Of the inferory Of their associates
The diamond is always the diamond It looks well
when embedded in clay it certainly looks far better
when set in gold. There never was a time when all
the actors We're diamonds but the diamonds of old
were generally set in gems
An instructive example Of the made to-order
star is shown in the Miss Ethel Barrymore
"a worthy young lady who is and for several
years. has been, at the head of a dramatic
pany- Yet Miss Barrymore has never justified
herself in that position. She has some natural
talent, much sef-conhdence and the golden treas
ure Of youth But she has neglected TO learn the
rudiments Of her art. and. TO this day. does
know how to speak easily TO gracefully.
stand we'll. 10 listen: She has shown even
q gIimmer Of the faculty of impersonation. Two
OF the distinguished and admirable performers of
the Present (who learned all they know under the
tuition and example Of the Past), Miss Viola Allen
and 8Ir. Otis Skinner, have. not long since, been
heard in praise Of the superiority of the present
They might inform the public whether such con-
ditons prevail would have been possible
when the theatre. instead Of being under the con-
troll of a sOrdid crafty monopoly, dominated
by such figures Edwin Forrest Edwin Booth
John Gilbert James Z. Murdock, Lawrence Bar
rett. Lester Wallack, Thomas Barry, Augustin
DAILY, E L. Davenport. John f. Owens. William
Warren, Edwin Adams. William Florence and
Joseph Jefferson. Let Us be Just the Present
but not unjust the Past. Mr.. Mansfield and
Mrs. Fiske learned their art in past days. Mr.
Lacksye, a star, walking gentleman in
Lawrence Barrett's company The brightest OF
the Easter features the performance Of the
American Lord by that old-tirne actor. MI Crane
w. w.