Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-05-12
FRACTIONS OFTHE STAGE
An Address by Harrison Grey Fiske on Theatrical Life and It's Requirements Conditions Today-Sone- thing One Should Consider Before Taking to the Footlights.

in achieving popularity although it counts Tor little else. Personality therefore. is not to be despised as al aid 10 material success, but in esti- mating it We must remember that it ] is only an accidental aid, which is rated higher in America than t de serves.
 Temperament, when under intel ligent control, is not to be desDised. But sometimes 1t is an unruly and dangerous possession.
 Beauty is an asset of doubtful value in the long run. Its absence need not be deplored. for nearly all the women whose genius has left an enduring mark in stage history have not been distinguished for the charms of person.
 "A flexible voice of agreeable quail ity, mobile features, fluent gesture and grace of movement should be in cluded in the catalogue of valuable requisites.
 "Distinctness and distinction of speech are highly important Few of our actors read well. Not nearly enough attention is paid to the chief medium by which the player inter- prets the author-accuracy in convey ing every shade of thought through the medium of the words. Execution, in it's true sense, is practically lost art in our theater'
 Mr. Fiske declared that artifciality is the besetting sin of many of our players; that it is well-nigh impossi- ble to assemble a cast that will realize the verbal beauties of the poetic drama; and that mental qualities of a fine order are essential to genuine achievement in the dramatic art. The process of preparing the interpreta- tion of a subtle role is purely intel- lectual, he said. It is based on logic ,on observation of life and char acter, and on a sympathetic insight in- to the purposes of the authOr-the creator Instinct helps when the mo- ment comes for the phy sical proiec- tion of what has been eonjured from the silent written page into speaking breathing life; but instinct helps lit tie while the work of conception is in progress" The greater number of Oua actors, he continued, are lacking also in technique, because the means of acquiring technical facility are mad equate. Systematic training is difficult, if not impossible, in this country, be- cause the old practical school of the stock company has passed, and the commercializing of the theater has led to individual exploitation and the superficilaties of the mere show
 As to the alleged allurements and temptations of the stage Mr. Fissa said among other things:
 We hear much about the .tempta- tions' of the actress life An in 1 tima5e association with the theateI i covering more than twenty-five years l has revealed to me no confirmation o 1 them as they are vividly pictured bS good people who have no persona i knowledge of the stage. An6 when say the stage 1 do not mean to include a class of entertainments frequently given on our boards which mostly con sists of inane twaddle. poor music. the exhibition of stupid women, and th4 antics of silly clowns Where mere feminine display is the real point 0, attraction there are bred the evil, which are erronenusly attributed < the followers of the dramatic profes sion. IL is lihal upon the beautifa art and it's earnest v3taries to Siy, these purveyors of ffifolity the nam, of actresses The peopie of the stAst are neither better nor vol Sc than ,h' people in other occupations. The no madic life in some cases may have demoralizing effect upon the Speecl and manners of men anl Norlcn: hu
 innate refinement like innate virtu
 is not subject to variation because o external circumstances There is n temptation to an honest woman to b otherwise in one place or in another
 We all know that opportunity tc for get the duties of life exists every
 where-no more and no less v. tn
 theater than elsewhere Tie vol
 seeking whom he may devCur lurE
 outside the factory, the office and o!
 the street corner just as freQuentl, as he haunts the slandered stagedooI The fabulous lives bathed in perfume and champagne, the saities and frolies
 the pampered indolenee and garisi luxury. the electric broushams am the late suppers, the gorgeous gown and the glitterins gems associate. with the popular actresses in th,