The Washington herald., 1912-08-04
The Famous Thesp:an Proved Bit Startling IN
His Weird Makeup, but He 4Draped Him
sci" IN an Easy Chair and Answered
with Good Grace Many Cues
tons on Things Theatrical

Sir Herbert gave one Of his from-the-
boots signs.
Anything that makes for the bet
terment Of the stage is-er-excellent,"
he said. ponderously. But. of course. a
National theatre will always be run by
one person. It's bound to be-
As a matter of fact. Sir Herbert runs
his own playhouse as well as any ma
tional theatre could be run. He practi-
cally gives a repertory he produces SO
much during a season. He has an annual
| Shakespeare festival. when he engages
the finest actors and actresses in England
| to aid him, and he. himself. plays more
parts in a year than any other actor in
London.
They do say he would like to have His
Majesty's become a sort OF recognized
national theatre.
I let him rest for few moments at
this point. and he took full advantage Of
II. Didn't speak a word-just looked Into
space with those heavily painted Fagin
eyes.
When I felt the silence oppressive
said:
What do you think of the new move
ment in the drama. Sir Herbert?'
Fagin leaned heavily forward. as II to
tell me the secret of his life. and as
serted firmly:
IT'S abthurd. There can't be such a
thing as a new movement in drama. It's
all talk. Some people fancy they like
one thing. some another. Some fancy
ah-er-Jaeger is the only wear. Some
prefer trufies to any other delicacy. 9th
desirable kind of butter. Tastes vary and
change. but the drama doesn't. really.
Art doesn't. Little persons who can't
make themselves heard in-er-any other
way talk of. new movements. etc. They
discuss art, commend or condemn IT
Tolerant to the eternal. you know. But
art itself can't advance or retrograde-
II Just is. Now politics do advance.
They're advancing at present. They're
tending as I've always felt they would.
Yes, er-politics advance, but not art"
Perhaps this all quite clear to you. my
dears, but II left me in something Of a
maze.
How about morals7" I asked.
MORALS NEVER ADVANCE.
They never advance either"
am sure It was Fagin who spoke then.
Not Sir Herbert.
Don't you sometimes get very tired Of
your work. I inquired sympathetically.
for really I felt a motherly interest in
anything as bored and fatigued as the
Leading Actor Manager.
Methought suspicion cleaned In Fagin's
eye, as II he scented a sort OF test ques-
ton. but It speedily died out and Sir Her
bert replied.
mo. er-I don't think I do Yet-er-rm
glad to take a Holiday. I'm not acting in
my next production. which is Mr.. Par
ker's Drake and shall only stay here
for part of its run. then-er-rn go OF on
the Continent and have a months rest,
just reading and writing"
Ny. was glad he had decided to rest
for . bit and I do hope he won't change
his mind.
your" / asked.
NO. indeed" he replied. deiicately IN
sering another wisp of his beard. II have
. suite Of rooms here. but I only use
them II I'm rehearsing late"
Now isn't It funny the things they tell
you in London? Maybe It's a sort of gold
bf1ck game they play on foreigners and |
because any one will assure |
you that Sir Herbert has his permanent |
quarters up at the very top Of his play |
house.
Then We had another stage wait I'm |
fairly chatty. dear ones. as you know,
but this was uphill work and Sir Her
bert felt It himself. for after a while he
murmured languidly.
IT'S ah-very difficult to think and
you are in character, you
know, and really I don't believe actors
should talk much or be talked about.
Mystery-er-mystery is our stock in
trade"
Aren't men Inconsistent, actor men any
howfs Why. Sir Herbert is an open book
10 his public. He goes to court and min
sterial garden parties. He opens bazaars
Ind lays cornerstones. and is continually
iguring at some event and being talked
lbout IN connection with II.
Mystery indeedl
But perhaps he wasn't speaking as the
might. just as the actor. Not as Tree.
but as Fagin.