Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08

public that knows her so we'll both as Alice Argyle and
the cook lady that she is the Princess Peisandr of
the house of York, whatever it is, of the novel,
Also with the actor who takes the part of the hero of
the novel. Aside from the mpossibity that he will
duplicate the imagined picture OF the novel hero that
remains ndeble in that part of the audience that has
read the novel, the dramatst has to fight against the
fact that the greater part of the audience remembers
the actor as the totally different character in the last
play in which it him. Or if not remembered as the
character the personality of the actor himself will kill
the audiences imagination OF the novel role he is play
ing. That is the actor John Smith, widely advertised,
well known, often observed remains to large extent
John Smith in the heros role. And as consequence
the audience says itself that is watching the adven
lures of the hero of the novel, but of John Smith in
the place of the hero of the novel, The whole
exactly the in the instance of the actress
1t is unfortunate thing, of course that all actors
do not look like Charles Dana Gbsons drawings, and
that all actresses do not bear ared resemblance to
the pictures of Harrison Fisher. But, aas such is
such Thus has Nature put her foot down pretty heav
lily the chance of the novel back of the foOtghtS.
AS expresses it, using Soldiers of Fortune"
his basic argument, AnOther than the reader lmag
ned is in Cays place; another woman stands beside
him strainng the ships rail to the harbor lights
of Bzerta and the terraces of Agiers shining like cafe
chantant in the highland the doesn't look like
Clay at all! Imagination hid the bald spot that now
also shines like cafe chantant in the night the actors
dome. Imagination did not take into account the lusty
gold tooth that flashes like Scotland Light whenever the
actor opens his mouth to speak Imagination certainly
didn't picture Hope Langham to be the dumpy brunette
with false pufs and suint that the stage now
veaS her to be-
from TINS viewpoint 1t may be SAID trthfully That
dranatized novels often fail the very face of things
You and say that little things like this ought
not initiate against work of art, at least good
piece of dramatic craftsmanship, and agree with you
in way. But it remains fact big Gibraltar that
little things like these actually do ruin the draatized
novels chance for success. You know probably that
Madame Smone, the French actress, while unqueston
ably of much talent, fairly to be called
beauty Although not directly relevant to the ques-
ton of the dramatized novel, but all too relevant to
the question of looks in the of imagination
invested novel heroine of elegance of countenance
let me quote the apt way in which playwright has
summed up the play in which this actress appeared:
Suppose happy prince living luxuriously in
pleasant France and that through wandering pilgrims you
heard of wondrous lady whose lay sunshine
and in whose eyes the dreaming Suppose you
abandoned home and friends. rented ship. hired
and sailed search OF this Then suppose that
persstng through and famine and pestlence ragged
and broken and dying arrived finally the habitat of
the lady and found
Madame Sinone!
Wouldn't it make YOU mad?
Fit this the dranatized novel and you will quickly