Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-01-23


he fancied he might be shown into
low ceilinsed room with creaking
centre table and loudly ticking clock
with an old fashioned decorated face;
and he imagined the room doors
would lead to rambling dining room,
with low windows hung with painted
shades. 10th carefully drawn To the
same level. In short. he believed thai
he was entering the Money OF IVES
Bigelow
He was; but the home OF Yves Biga
low on tile stage OF the Stuyvesaut
Warfield are different places after all
So when the iron door swung open
= Japanese servant stood in waiting
And then the dream vanished In
stead OF mahogany chairs with Gro
cheted tides" glaring from their
backs. the eye rested on carved
marble bench and II stone fountain
centerptece. Heavy green velour POI.
there's draped the entrance to n music
room. which held an art piano. 1t did
not look NJ all the sort of place In
Which IVES Iiigelow could strip off
his coat and tilt back In his chair.
telling the famous but short story OF
how he met the general
And yet there stool Wes' Bigelow
in the flesh. his big. honest eyes
beaming in characteristic manner.
He led tho way into Longing room
with marble mantel and Empire or.
naments. and then he curled up in n
billowy couch and blew n frame Of
smoke about the whole picture.
81 am rnrtnn.. tn l,n,,, ,,,b.,. -.
want TO interview me about" began
Mr.. Wnriield when the haze grew
thick enough to invite condolences.
About the civil war" frankly re
piled the reporter, and then the nc,
tors face began 10 fold itself into
smiles and he gurglcd and chuckled
JUST as he has done across the foot.
lights when the situation In the play
demanded 1t of him. But this was no
play acting. lie laughed honestly at
his cwn pradicament and then lie
freely admitted
dent know anything about the
civil war ! believe I've read some.
thing about 1t somewhere. but II YOU
came TO talk about that you'll have
to do it ALL
But it has been suggested to me-
and that's why I'm here. on jour
alistic detail rs YOU sce-thnt yon. the
Grand Army Man. and Mr.. Fran.
Keenan,. the General Warren in The
Warrens OF Virginia. might forgathar
and discuss the civil war. You repre-
sent the Yankee and he the Rebel
on the stage-and the debate. which
! would jot down as | listened. would
be important"
No. 1t wouldn't interrupted Mr..
Warfield, for there would not be any
debate. Reasons? Plenty. Here are
two as n starter: ! don't know any.
thing about the civil war and | am
not member of the G. A. Il. Yet
don't mind admitting to you," ami
here the actor again chuckled. that
have had Invitations to attend the
meetings of several posts since be-
gan my season at the Stuyvesant
Theatre. And there are some G. A.
X. men about the theatre who nccl-
dentally but continually call me Com.
mander.' | suppose I'll have to turn
up in the next Decoration Day parade
II Mr. Belasco doesn't call matinee
on me-"
Seriously, though, have you not
made a special study OF war veterans
in some small Indiana village ana
watched their post meetings." ask
ed the reporter.
Certainly not. don't COPY neo-
pie, for do not believe 1t possible
to portray character successfully
that way. read the lines of play
and then think them out steep
myself in them: absorb them, and
then my leading of the part must
come from within, not from without.
Isn't that right A character pro-
duced By the copying process OF some
actors remains copy always, while
the other method calls the actors real
feelings into play. | have been told
that have sob in my voice whic,
touches the audience Maybe have
maybe haven't: but cannot sol,
at will must feel the emotional
occasion for it, For instance. corlr
not sob for you now at this very min
nte. unless and here Mr.. Warfield'y
eye cleaned mischievously. unless
you asked me that question about the
civil war again"
The reporter promised not to do Sc
and Mr.. Warfleld continued:
You'd doubtless have seen some
great actors, who in certain parts and
certain times did not hold their audi
ences. Now, when YOU put that II
the paper people will say: Nov
Warfield Is going to "lSnock" some nc
tors Nothing OF the kind. I'm onl,
going TO sav that when actors have
last their hold on the audience at
moment in play tho reason was tina
hey We're not feeling their lines
were simply giving an outward pic
ture of the role. The audience knew
that. The people who sit out Their
in the theatre know and notice a loi
of things which the actor thinks e
uDnoticed
THE actor has no right to trlne
with his public. 1 try to make m,
five hundredth performance OF a par'
as telling as my first or my tenth
rHllinn ~.