The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-13


Easiest Way
Chase's-POIite Vaudeville.
The Academy-ThOmas Z. shea in
repertoire.
The CasinO-ContinuouS vaudeville.
The GRyety-Burlesque.
The Lyceum-BurIesque.
ALA Nazimova's annual visit TO Wash
ington has become one of the real treats
of the season. The privilege of studying
the methods of this finished artistic cannot
be over-estimated. It Is remarkable TO
contemplate the facility with which this
woman has mastered the English Ian
guage. even when one considers the ease
with which Russians are reputed to adopt
an alien tongue.
But art speaks IN all languages, and
Nazimova genius is not racial. but uni
versal, and wherever civilized people are
TO be found she Will always be recognized
as one of the greatest. If not the greatest.
dramatic artists of her time
As regards '"The Passion Flower" there
is scarcely a necessity for referring to it
further, since II seemed hopelessly inco-
herent and not at all a worthy vehicle
for NaZimova At best It was mono
logue for her, and can only be regarded
as having been constructed purely with
view to exploiting her as much as pos
sible.
She will do well, however, TO lend her
self to no such obvious expedient again.
The really great actor need not fear to be
overshadoWed by a good play. The two
elements are Indispensable to the drama
without the other each is liable TO
failure.
Nazimova is said TO be seeking an
American play, and this is worthy pur-
pose, provided she can prevail upon an
Augustus Thomas or a William Vaughn
Moody TO write II for her Lacking q
playwright Of this grade, she should turn
TO some OF the modern English classics,
and show herself to US as Paula Tan
queray, Mrs Dane, Agnes Ebbsmith, or
Drusilla Ives.
These are roles worthy OF her endeavOrs,
If she is tired Of Ibsen. But it is as
Ibsen women that we first knew and
liked her and we can never forget that
she was nearest TO the ideal Hedda and
Nora, that we have ever seen.
There is no excuse for such an artist
TO sQuander her time and talents on
thing like THE Passion Flower" which
was neither fish, flesh, nor fowl but d
sort of salmagundi, which, though d.
versely favored, did not satisfy.
a comedy. being one of the legitimate
element of the drama must fulfill the.
rule TO have legitimate position. It
must teach something, for if the cpl
sodes are framed and the action sus-
tanned for the sole purpose of inducing
merriment without afterthought it be
comes a farce. which IS a subsidiary form
Of vehicle. OF course, no sermon or
aIlegory is needed. The result Is OBJ
tained by exposing the lighter and weak
er side Of human nature. and showing
what evil or ridiculous conditions may
accrue from the fOoIishness Of man.
without evil intent, but just by the or
binary run OF human nature and human
events, as epitomized in Puck's remark,
What fools these mortals be" Such a
vehicle IS SHAM" and such are the
chief reasons for its success although,
Of course, the clever Interpretation by
Miss Crosman and company has much
to do with the effect, for this good thing,
like every other good thing. would lose
brilliancy by mediocre presentation.
Harry Depp, as Squab Dingle came
away with most Of the male honors in
The Fair Coed" Such freshness, spon-
taneity and enthusiasm are seldom
noted in an actor. If Depp is not a
coming comedian, we have no skill in
picking them He makes the second
discovery OF the season among come
dams, the man who played the German
waiter in THE Newly Weds and Their
Baby" being the other one Comedians
being born. not made, two new ones in
a single season is q big average. We
may go along for a couple Of years
more without noting the rise Of another
with original methods and pure comic
instinct.
While on the subject of The Fair
Coed, the whole production will have
TO be put down as one Of the treats OF
the season In atmosphere, in excel !
lence Of cast, and in authorship it ranks
among the best.
It is to be regretted that clever Elsie
Janis strained her voice as an infant
prodigy. Her hoarseness is certainly
attributable 10 childish endeavors to fill !
large theaters. Her representations could
not be improved upon. but her singing /
voice is like Eddie Foy's.
BY the way, our stage seems to have
become infected of late with a rage for
limitations. Almost every week we have
several Illustrations of this. the exam |
pies appearing in about equal proper |
lions in the vaudeville bills and inter |
polated into the musical comedy pro-
grammes. Although there is unques- |
tionally great entertainment to be found |
in some OF these. there is grave danger /
that the thing will be carried too far
coming principally from too great an /
attenuation Of the original subject. As /
the chief element OF the acting art is /
mimeucal, for an actor TO give an imita- /
ton Of some other actors convention Of /
role, which latter is the basis of all /
acting. would certainly seem to be a min |
imizing Of the real acting power Of /
the imitator while TO give limitations |
of oneself is clearly reducing the thing
10 a practical absurdity. To recall the /
work Of certain performers whose chief |
claim to fame comes from speciality or /
IS often very enjoyable, but
TO attempt 10 initiate a real actor in a |
straight part IS exceedingly dangerous.
The audience in some, instances. must
be composed Of every consistent theater-