New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-01

We know the actor OF comic personality
II. ia called "a born comedian" He Is
rroStlv clown. and he physically radiates
fun The type is familiar. But the ar
tisticalIy comic personality is not so com
mon. and his piquant combination OF
Glowing and artistry is not so easily
analysed.
George Giddens is an artlst-cloWn, OF
clowning artist. whose art and person
ality make him a unique figure IN the
modern theatre. The robust JOY or MS
Tony Lumpkin in She Stops to con-
amor" has had A tonic effect upon many
nlaygoers I'm this country and in England
and his good natured antique, Dosberry'
has made Snakespearean comedy easy
IN take" for the very tired business man
without doing constitutional violence 10
the Bard. George Giddens ADDS o'S-
tinction to any cast his art graces. just
now he is assisting in the artsuc sue
cess Of Annie RuSseils Old English Com
adv COMPANY at the Thirty ninth Street
Theatre.
Giddens is an Englishman and his SER
vice in the English theatre Is long ana
DISTINGUISHED. He is not so well Known
in America as he is in his native land
although a number Of years OF his pro-
,assional career has been spent In the
theatres OF this country. His most sue
cessful and popular work Is with chdi
acter comedy parts, SUCH as Dosueri -
which he loves: Tony Lumpkin, when
H. ravAIs in. and Bob Acres in "Ihe
pi,aIs " part for which American play
eoers through Jeffersons portraydIs'
have prouder and fonder traditioha' re-
card than for any other classic role save
ne,bans Booths Hamlet. He greatly en-
io,s nIaying Touchstone in LAS You Llke
!, " and now he has a greater regard for
other real philosophical roles. lie VIII
plsv Bob Acres in the forthcoming re-
,.ivaI ~ The Rivals by Miss Russeu 5
company. lie has played in the popular
sheridan classic many times.
Copsnicuous and numerous tributes nave
been paid TO Mr.. Giddens's artistic
novers. He has been critically acclaimed
and popularly loved. The most notable
r.copnition he has received in London,
vber. for a number OF years. he mas
annsared I'm all the important REVEALS
If the classic comedies. No pretentous
revival Of "She Stops to Conquer Is
even considered unless Giddens can be
engaged for Tony Lumpkin, In when ne
so successfully combines the old COMEDY
shirt with the full viSor OF Goldsmith
intended humor. Here youth eXplodes
with a conta gious exuberance, but 1t
keeps within bounds George Giddens 5 ar
tistic restraint can be depended upon to
preseIve the classic atmosphere. lie en-
tracts every ounce of humor that exists
in a classic role. and he leaves II still a
classic. After all, classic humor is human
humor. as George Giddens has proved
And these buried roles would come TO
life more often and be popularity loved as
they once were. If there were more George
Giddenses to play them.
or course, personality helps this actor
Az II helps every other actor of modem
roles. The comic personality is there;
hut il il not uncouth. No doubt q comic
personality is as essential in playing clas-
sic comedy as II is in doing modern must
cal comedy. But refinement and artistry
and delicacv clothe this comic muse. His
Dogberry is a figure of the oldtime spirit
and truly comic. 1t would be interesting
to SEE Giddcns do something Of Aristoph-
anes. In Miss Russelrs current revival
c;iddens contributes his share in com
pletinC the archaic atmosphere that has
been created.
Giddens made his stage debut in Edln-
burch lie appeared in the famous old
Theatre Royal as walking gentleman,
= functionary that tradition then had
made always n dandy. Giddens put
red. red nose on his walking gentle
man" and this radical departure from
convention set him down as a comic devil
among his associates. but he did not get
into his comedy stride until many years
after this. lie played juveniles FOR Sow
eral seasons. His first appearance In
America was with sir Charles Wyndham.
who had rot met with very great success
At that time. In the late 10's and early
SOS he was a member of ~ NJ. Palmer's
Union Square stock COMPANY, when
,rnes Booth and Charles Coghlan PLAYED
leads" Vt that time he did juvenile
comedy parts Later in that company ne
succeeded to tho comedy parts Of Stuar;
Robson. Giddens achieved signal success
in pink pomnos' i'm the Palmer COM
many HIS most notable success In Amer
it,, IN fact. was with the Union Square