The Washington times., 1912-01-15

One of the best known, yet at the
same time one Of the least known OF
American stage celebrities, a woman
with no fads. who prefers hard work to
the frivolous things Of life: whose social
life consists almost wholly of pleasant
words spoken to those with whom she
plays and rehearses. and conversations
with those who write tho plays and
books she reads-this is Mrs. Fiske.
The comias visit to Washington Of
Mrs. F'iske Is a matter Of pleasurable
anticipation, but 1t is also one that
sets the student Of the American drama
to thinking.
After Mrs. Flske, who?
In the natural course Of things Mrs.
Fiske cannot always be a feature Of
the playhouse seasons, SO the query
naturally propounds itself. And the
present conditions OF the American
stage compels the answer. mo one.'
for It Is a fact that, scanning the hori-
ron. no figure in the least approaching
Mrs. Fiske Is to be seen. Hers is the
marvellous mentality that row domi-
mates the American stage, and in COM
perison. that Of the ordinary machine
made star" is pitifui. indeed. 80
Mrs. Fiskes present leadership of the
contemporary stage Is no matter of ac-
cident. 1t is u natural result Of her
menta! equipment, her unparalleled in
dustry. her devotion to her calling. her
natural genius for the minetic art, her
harometric temperament and her utter
lack of the milestone of sgotism.
Ensemble Performance
Stands to Her Credit.
To her everlasting credit will stand
the ensemble performance. and the more
than one part play. Where other stage
lominaries would discard a play because
the other parts were too strong" Mrs.
Fiske would accept 1t with Joy in the
opportunities provided in other direc-
tions than those her own personal en-;
deavors would take. Witness Leah
kleschna," and the superb cast with
which she provided It Four roles y
portant than. her own, and these roles
| were entrusted not to ordinary actors,
| by the side Of whose work her own
would shine in contrast but to sucn
Charles Cartwright, and William b.
Mack. Who, other than Mrs. b1ske,
would have had the courage?
Again. can the American stage boast
.Pillars of Society,"" with Iona Hesse!
only "the conscience of the play" the
dramatic action centering almost enc
tirely upon Karsten Bernick? In these
and many other plays that Mrs. FisAe
| has produced there has never been an
instance of self exploitation, the. per-
feet balance, the minute alignment Of
her own role to that of the others has
never been disturbed by so much as a
hairs breadth.
| A member of Mrs. Ffske's own COM
pany once said: 'She could take boz
Of wooden figures from toy shop
and in a month have the best acting
company in the world"
| Mrs. t1ske's companies have been
perfect training schools. so to speak
for many stars, among those who have
graduated to stellar honors being Johf
Mason, Holbrook Blinn, George Arliss
Tyrone Power, and Guy Bates Post
while in earlier year Richard Mansfield
Wilton Lackaye and william FavZ
sham were also associated with her.
A striking evidence of her powers OF
divination was the selection of Holbrook
Blinn for the role of Jim Platt ir
Salvation Nell" Sterling actor that
he Is, 1t is certain that no one Other
than Mrs. Fiske would ever have en-.
gagged him for that striking role, fore
seeing as she did the remarkable per.
fornrance that was to come from him.
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