New-York tribune., 1907-10-06
SCRIBBLING ACTORS.
Nine. NazimoYa.

At A time when almost everybody ia talking or
writing about actors il is not astonishing thl'
actors should be stimulated to talk write ABOUT
themselves: but in view of the folly that many OF
them deliver when they do talk or write, thelF
emergence into print is sometimes a thing 10 De
aeplored. Once in while actor speaks OF
writes In a tudicious manner. but only once in
while For the most part the prattling or scrloplhs
actor only exhibits concet and only utters non
sense The latest manifestation of that sort OF
professional weakness has been provided by the
Russian actress Nine Ala Naz.moya. now speak
ing broken English in a dreary Ibsen drama, at
the Biiou Theatre. Nine Nazimova has shown
that she can act and hy her inspiritng physical
vitality and her piquant feminine wiles. she has
pleased a considerable public and maintained. thus
far a successful position; but she has not yet
done anything extraordinary, anything especially
calculated distinguish herself in the dramatic
art, to reveal herself authority on that
subject. She acted well in .'Corntesse Coquette,'-
a signally ill-bred, indeicate. and impure play
but her manifestations Of professional talent have
been those of singularty A dgnifed reticence on
the part of such a performer would seem to be pre-
scribed by good taste: yet Nine Nazimova
rushes into print, only with nonsense
about Acting hut with cisparagement of other
actors Il carnot say" e;claims that blithe
young player. that this bit OF acting. that, is
harder, for they all alike easy: yet. almost
in the same sentence. she refers TO a time
when I pcry tired with playing Hedda, and
with Nora. in The Dolls House, which also
difficult. though not erhdUstiHg Hedda. ."
The reader, however will not he altogether sur
prised that an actress who for some time has been
immersed in the mental fog of Mr.. Ibsen's theat-
rical preachInents should declare that acting is at
easy difficult. JGciIe and erhdUStinO. That
players views of technical method equally
centric for not long ago she edited her admirers
with the singular disclosure that when on the
stage she sometimes does not know what she is
doing That had been twice suspected.
but in presence of an Ihsen drama no observer can
be quite certain of what is going Il tell you"
says Nine. Nazimova. that it does not matter 10
how they (associate actors) act. I act alone.
My ina agination pictures the way they should be
acting and 7 respond. I'm my playing. that con-
ception. My imagination pictures all
would have. So far as the influence upon OF
other actors is concerned. play absolutely alone.
I and my imagination sufficient. But it is hard,
very" Here again the laws of Nature change
and that which was soft becomes simultaneously
hard. The practical result of acting of that kind
readily be surmsed by any person acquainted
with the aFt-for of the most essential qualih-
cations of actor is the faculty TO listen; and an
actor who never listens manifestly never be in
condition to speak. Nine Nazimovas twisted
mental condition becomes still more clearly appar-
ent when her statement, that the proceedings of
her associates in the scene are immaterial to her,
is contrasted with another Of her reckless af1rma-
tons: Il notice that a prominent critic thinks
my acting is I'm danger Of becoming monotonous
because I seem TO be listening too much when
the stage If he only knew It, this listening is
caused by my anxiety. Since the production was
practically made by me. I watch each actor with
The greatest care, in my eagerness to see that
everything goes smoothly It is not unnatural that
Nine. Nazimovas head should have been turned by
the silly adulation that has followed her; but she
is clever woman. and il is be hoped that she
will presently normal state of mind. and
be content TO and leave others talk about her
acting. Her need of reticenee can be inferred from
her deliverance concerning NJ Paul Orlenon and
the other Russian players with whom she made her
first appearance in this city: II worked with
them she says, filled them with the spirit 0
ambition TO do their best; trained them: coached
them; taught them 10 think as their characters
thought: and when we gave our plays the critics
said of the company What excellent actors They
were not excellent actors: They bad"