New-York tribune., 1907-10-20

The modification that has caused the distress VI
Nine Nazimova is one Of a series of articles IN
his Dev-sraper relative 10 the bad habit that
many actors have recently eXemphed OF WriuhS
about their acting instead Of doing Il. Ihe inter
view haht naturally results in tribuiation- Nihs
Nazi1.ova feels that the omission of the sentence
The Countess COquette is not n difficult role
(sic)," gives quite different meaning TO a
quotation from her rema ci1s. a microscope might
perhaps discover that dffeTe3co. The actress
thinks that she has been, by misrepresentation"
placed in the position Of 2atronizing and dis
paragiEg Mr.. Paul Orleuef,'' whom she declares
10 be "one of the greatest actors !n she world and
my Inspiration If NJ. 0r!eaef really is the
inspiration that impel!ed Nine. NaZimOva to de-
vote herself 20 The 'crank' drama, there is cause
for pubic Joy that AIr. 0rleueI has departed to
other realms and the actress herself ought to be
especially thankful. Readers will observe. no
dou0t, with appreciation OF Nine. NazimOva's good
taste and fne feeling, that the dspara cement ex-
pressed, when the actress refers 10 her former
associates as not excellent actors" but bad
ones. is not intended for the inspired Orlenen.
Mime. NazimoFa does not remember any state
inent by her that when the stage she some
lines does not know what she is doing Refer
ence TO The New York Evening World" OF Aprjl
- i"'. may refresh her recollection: and it may
furnish readers with some illumination as 70 her
knowledge OF Acting; particularly this paragraph:
After a performance" she CAInie Naznoval
have cone nepcr tne7 jaSt ,ckat do %5iaf on ne
'Dst; i; II IS impossiote Tor me 10 be mechanical
and for that reason / need vrsfcbin." St Sp.U,,oh,
J DO the right thing-and ii is left in Sometimes
DO the wrong thing-and II is cut out Rut
IIu1st pe told; 90 nor remember. I did not know
hands in "A Dolls House when NoTe s4srts 49, ny ~
SaEe "a her husband for the first time. until one or
~ %. % ne critics mentioned il in their reviews
Az tbe moment it seemed the only wav 10 saw
ever had it not been noticed bT fbe S+ds agf h2% %
=; iisIlsl s c5itic ny William Archer who is coming
Ha!ue OF little thing in 'Hedda Gabler' that was
PoIgig Pot matter OF accident I had always hidden
11QTfo Crf,
uls performance Mr. Blair came in sooner tban 7
had expected and 1 could not reach the nilin ita il
fr@II sh9 hed 1t against my breast But when Mrs
dying day though You had Killed lftle II e ci9Y 70 R1Y
.ne , tHolght oi clasping dead child filed me with
aeca e horror that my hands shTank from the touch
or or tne manuscript and It fell 10 the floor Luck
the scene Igss so5 20 SG'er with my wrapper and
until Mr. Archer spoke Of it as the greatest mo- ~
play ''l'' instantly maze II a part Of the
Great and wonderful are the meanings Of tbe
1bsen drama the perspicacity Of its advocates ana
the artistic methods Of those creatures or insn,rs
non by whom it is interpreted Great is the Nor
Tegian Allah and Archer ct al are his pronbetEt
IL VIII be observed that Nine. Nazmova In thA
above letter, explicitly states: az have nrobabIv
kald that fcheH ON going on pe stage nerer
kn0io ich1t foiH d. meaning I'm what mood or
with what intonations may express certain
scenes or lines" That signed assurance Of tbs
bl!the young Russian player-if she really means
it-provides ample evidence that she is Ignorant
OF even the rudents OF the art that she processes
10 exemplify. If actor does not Euo,o what sba
viii do when she goes before an audience docs
not know in what mood with tchot inforatio1s
she will act or speak, she does not know Der
business Consider The position OF an actress
VINO shouid appear Lady Macbeth, or Ophela
or Lady Teazle, Mrs Melanron or TaavI
Deans. or any other haracter, not knowing what
she meant 70 do how she meant 10 do II. ana
consider the inevitable result,
There has beer no Misrepresentation in this
place. OF the spirit meaning of Nine Nazi-
fnovas quoted words If the actress has allowed
Interviews TO be published without assuring her
self Of the correctness OF her remarks that IS her
'aut and not the fault OF her readers Meanwhile
L IS again suggested that IL Nine. Nazimoya Mrs
Carter, Miss Mariowe. Miss Harmed Miss Rsrrv-
nore' M Sothern, Mr.. Miller and many other
actors would refrain from writing or talking for
pnohcation' they would avoid any possibility OF
pelng misunderstood, and would have more time 10
devote 20 their art '"The Court win p,e.r f,,1
for a week" " W