New-York tribune., 1911-03-19
EXPERIENCE counts
John Mason Talks About Acton
and Acting.

was Dr. Lowell Mason. the famous v,,,..
cf hymns, and his father was head of "A.
firm Of Mason & HamIin. the builder, !,
church organs.
What John Macon doesn't know ahon.
acting is not known at least not knovn \.
many persons. He has been an amateur
member of stock companies. vaudevtn.
performer, a star. He has played an so.,
OF parts, from four servants in a SIM.
piece to Macdufr in Macbeth" But ~
has played in few better plays than An.
gustus Thomas's "As a Man Thinks" n
which he is now acting at the Thirty mimi
Street Theatre. Mr.. Mason's friends ~
joice with him because he has play q
least as good as one Of his greatest forne,
successes, "The Witching Hour"
Mr.. Mason was asked that unusual ques.
ton. how he came TO go on the stage h
laughed.
II was a student in Columbia" ne n.
piled. during the Hayes-Tiden campaign
In 1876. I was a better Republican than a
scholar, and I was also a member u dn.
matte club. another OF whose members wa,
charming young lady in whom was
much interested. | met her one day. and
| III i
Yes / said, but haven't been UP there
for a couple Of weeks
"Why don't you go on the stagey she
asked. 4 am going TO do so. / have a
position in company at Haverlys
(where Daly's Theatre now stands. and Il
you like / will get you place in the com.
pany
"She did so. I was engaged 10 play q
minor part for IS week. At one Of the
first rehearsaIs the manager got scared and
gave my part to Arthur Forrest. I had TO
play four different men servants. AZ the
end OF the week the play went Off-a fail.
ure. But ! got my salary-at least part
OF it-s5. That was more than The star
got"
This is not an obituary Of Mr.. Mason, nor
a biography. Suffice il to say that he began
his professional career in 1873. He was a
member Of the Walnut Street Theatre
stock company in Philadelphia for
short time, and was member CT
the Boston Museum stock company for
ten years. He played with Booth and
starred in England. and is one of the best
actors Of our day. Because OF this expert
ence he Is competent to talk about acting
| Augustus Thomas said in curtain speech
on the opening night Of "As Man Thinks:
Mr. Mason can express more in pause
than many actors can In speech Of
dozen lines"
| When Nh Mason's attention was called 70
that remark by the writer. he said Acting
Is 10 me like music. IL has its planlssmos
its fortissimos. its diminuendos. its cres-
cendos and it's rests. IL has all the lighu
and shades of the opera that is sung or ne
symphony that is played. The actor who
hrows instinctiyely just how TO read
speech. just how long 10 pause here Just
what infection TO use there. Is far differerl
from the person who needs TO be told to
count three before speaking the next word.
The one is the real actor. the other Is a
hopeless amateur. In a certain dramatic
school in France metronome was placer
in the wings so that the actors might meas
IRE the ume for pauSes That method
.reyer will make successful actors.
I'm trying out an act5r FOR a part Az
gustus Thomas usually asks the candidate
10 read a speech at sight oh | don't
think you should ask ne to do that some
will say. I have never seen the lines The
candidate reads the speech. Then the au'
thor SAYS: Read IL this way one Will BE-
liable to do H. another will no. The one
has a good ear: the other Is tone deaf
How do you learn your parts?
Il learn them at rehearsal. ! am not an
exponent Of the midnight oil theory 90
not conceive my parts in the silence OF the
night II nave month for rehearsas
learn each line when ! am opposite tne
one or those 10 whom ! address II IN me
play. In The Witching Hour however
lad only two weeks to prepare, so 'ooA
my part home to learn H.
Are the younger actors of to-day a.
good as those OF twenty or thirty years
ago."
mo. they are not: simply because thy
have not had the experience that players u
their position had TO get in those days. lh
actors Of the older school were trained %
the stock companies. where they playe'
twenty parts 10 one of to-day. ! had I"
good fortune to go into actinG during tas
last years of the old stock companies, ana
have had the advantages of both systems
At the Walnut Theatre in Philadelphia Io'
example | used to play Macduff in MAC
! lttll tll SATURDAY diAtlH'Vi, anu ''N
mel of Dragons in Gilbert and Sullivan'
Patience in the evening. The best acto''
| OF to-day are those of the old school WIZ
have kept up with the times-those ~"N
with all their experience have adapted 'ns"
methods to the requirements of to-day
lis il your impression that those who 3
on the stage to-day are less adapted I"
than those OF years gone by?"
mo. In intelligence, voice and appe'
ance the novices of to-day are fully as Wa
equipped as were their predecessors. lN
principal reason why they do not beco".
equally good actors is that they do n
lave the chance. With our star sys'e"
and long runs. an actor does one tning v"
and he thinks he is made. lie immedia"'
jumps into the first rank. in his own e"
nation. and he scorns n salary of less 'n'.
S100 a week. Experience makes the a''"'
We learn To act by acting in many pay.
Even those with a genius for acting ns
10 serve their apprenticeship in order 10 y"
,elop talent. according To the old ho"'
notion. out of the pure metal OF wv
genius they make the coin tcolentium,
efficiency, but IL means work. Those ol
who have not genius TO start with can rev
make more than an alloy, and even us
costs labor, much labor.
IL once read of an old French actor
retired at the age of seventy-two. his =.
lows gave him dinner in his honor =,
said in a speech: 1t seems "A pity tha'
infirmities of advancing years should w.
rel me to give up my profession WIG.
feet that am just beginning to learn S'
thing about it, .,
eff we actors could only have sone"
of that mans humility. II We cou'a IA
realize that none OF US knows II a'
few Of us know more than little
! IF | have accomplished anythins