The Washington times., 1909-02-07
Actor Has Right to Consider
Financial Returns for
Effort.
MRS. FISKE SHARES
HONOR WITH AUTHOR
Compelling Drama, Salvation
Mel" Strengthened by lnterpre-
tation of Capable Company.
By ALLEN D. ALBERT.


one of the best actors Of our genera
ton is Otis Skinner. His Francesca
da Rimirr' OF several seasons back and
his ShyIOck Of the following season
were performances to remember with
continued pleasure. '.The Honor Of
the Family does not give him oppor-
tunlty equal TO those two classics, but
It serves to exhibit MIR. SINNERS fine.
craftsmanship and reward his endeaV-
or with substantial financial return.
Playgoers (somewhaD and critics ta'-|
together too much) are inclined 10 dis
regard this matter of commercial sue
cess. The actor. like the statesman,
should never suffer from the itching
DaIm- Glory should be enough for HIM
The less exalted minds In the audience
can do the money-grubbing. Let tie
actor serve art and poetry and beauty.
We'll. when the day comes that the
actor shall think OF those things alone
The stage will turn out Its ueLts- me
actor must not only live ne mas d4so .
right to substantial return Tor nus Skill.
Whether he be MT. Skinner or some oilS
else, he is entitled TO a Tangible Iecoa7
milton of his ministry 10 the drama, alIu
il is good to see that In this instance
5ifgcl,ItT win RIr. SINNERS acting
is that he seems TO Oe too coch-suLe-
He is not in fact. on the contrary He
is modest, deferential to the JudslhetlLl
of others, eager 10 ieaEhs alu Ha-s 49, s.
WILLINGNESS TO ChanSe MS OPINION Wltie-l
evDifes the genuine student. but on
The stage, in his desire 70 strike Itso-
IuteIv into a part he conveys lAS IN
preston 10 many OF ms mss brrf
he thinks he KNOWS II all. rms liuL
mis- ShvIOCk and his lmpersoIl1~tlO!ll Va
a vO11ny priest in THE Duel, IL hsl1l--I
helped nor hiudered his LazaIre' anu
st precisely and nicely uIIeH ~ ,T,I154
philippe Bridau this past Week 10
vro4,Id he indeed a curs0ry review oA ot-L
American stage which dld not rae So 5,s
skinner as a fair candidate 10 DE i'9
prospective leader.
As to Salvation Nell"
Anbody can get readers for oooN
uybich deals with the very rich IL re-
.4,ires genius 10 get readers Tor DOM
which deals with the squahd poor. NI7,
Fvielye and Mr.. Sheldon have acnleNe"
a result akin 10 this latter ia aiousl4a
an entire nation over salvation NeH-
The new play is bold. There is no
tightening Of the shadows Wnlch A7-'-
across Cherry street. II the right way
ID rear our daughters Is 10 keep them
ignorant OF the great world OF poverty
then this is no play for general pre-
aDta+fon. But who viii argue mat ~
- -i[b+ Wv TO rear our daughters.
Ins Ii ~ rs seen ..The Easiest Way
and has not aYerted his face from IT, IN
dismayE Or 'E4uSts -. AN--''
..EF7rolptf or Richard AIt.
Mrs. F'isks is said to- have aceept54
this play within an hour after ~ -s.t
into her hands. That ~ as clt-L t-t-t- 80
She forestW its power Mnen -. ~ 5.r 5..
ia the round. But here ara some on --5~
devices which she and her hte1aL-.l'
Harrison Grey Fiskes Ea1 10 aRopI '-'
order 10 Oo-siu that power. + +- ,
In GOA "a v q
ts7ro0n1 so that the dialogue "oult
carry 10 the audience ana yet convey
also the impression or b4LN anu CnL-L
SION appropriate 10 the place on CAtl5F-
49, ~ Tbev had to enlist real ltal-
ian musicians 10 make the music. q
real Italian fruit Vendtr Tor tL'I III t
act foreigners very -aTSel2 Aof az 80
tenement types, und woman 2L ~ -L5
End manner 10 suit HalleuJan MARY
tshe IS q playwright VINO never aClId
before). and then 90 out ana puy NJ
riugs which would contribute rcdLLy 10
the atmosphere OF the scenes.
one nr0bIem not at first discelned by
the spectator IS this: How can the eneeJ
Of seventy feet OF tenement wan DC oD-
taIued In about forty feet
Tbe solution is that the stories were
gradually shortened toward the Top OF
the prOsceuium arch and the cAaIeG
1ers IN the windows were sehriAlLy
srsduafed in size-Jau or fat woman az
Tbe bottom and slender young girls al
the top
A Chorus Lady Arrives.
"Why don't you sit with your mother
z little wuile2" This is the substance
Of a question asked by the Chorus
I.ady's mother of the Miss O'Brien her
self 'L can't keep men ike David he
Iasco sitting around waiting IoT me
very long us the answer.
M Miss Rose StalL can duplicate her
success in this play SO llaL, "a second
time. men and women across tae con-
rinent viii suit their convenience 70
heF train schedule she can keep David
BeiascO waiting as long as she I.-a--
es Nothing succeeds like comedy
success. Brilliant powers Ike those Of
Mr. Mansfield and Mrs ElsEe can com
ueI interest iu a serious drama. But
comedy evokes its own interest without
any cOmpulsiou ana whoever can make
music with it whether through trick
Of manner like Dir. Wilson or lmpHT-
sonatious cleaning with humor like
1Ir Lauder, has sunny path
Miss Stall mas a good play 4lF
Forbes has proven the value OF learn
Ing stage tools before one attempts
great construction. THE chorus Lady
was az first "a vaudeville sketch Then
Is was enlarged into 81 plaf-aua "a
mighty IaughabIe and successful nue
Not MANY OF those who see D. realize
what n represents. Yet behind Do are
the lessons of watching scores OF pro-
auctions as "a press agent and general
manager, of participating Iu many sue
cesses and fair share of failures ~
noting audiences DO AT varieties OF
moods More good fortune 90 Mr.
Forbes. He has earned Ir-but not
more than Miss StshI.
Miss Mar0wo. Miss Barrymore, and
s@Thp American Idea DHer wide
range. How many hundreds Of mss VIII
there be who Will undertake 90 see an
More perhaps than we realize tlis sum
DAY afternoon.