New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-12
THE YOUNG ACTOR
How Should He Be Trained?-IS
Acting to Become a Lost Art?
BY George Arliss.

I have been given to understand that the
whole OF the English speaking world is in
"a terrible state Of anxiety as to the future
of the art of acting. 1 believe they al
ways have been pessimistic in their mental
outlook upon the condition Of the theatre;
certainly there has been no time within my
recollection when the stage has been con-
sidered what 1t was" by the majority o?
people who remember what 1t was. Some
times they are apprehensive as to where
we are drifting in our methods or stage
settings and stage lghtings; at other times
they are in despair Of our dramatists But
now l hear that they are on the verge OF
nervous breakdown owing TO their dread
of the future Of the young actor, as an
actor. Personally, am very glad that the
art of acting in its present state is being
specifically attacked, because 1t may per-
haps eventually persuade those who are re-
sponsble for dramatic productions that
acting is far more important factor in the
success Of play than the arts of the scene
painter and the costumer.
In comparing the standard Of acting to-
day with that of thirty or forty years ago
we must consider the change OF conditions.
/ think 1t is generally admitted that the
great actor, and even the very good actor,
is born, not made In the "old days there
were comparatively few theatres. and pre-
sumably there were enough born actors to
go round. But now. with tie number or
theatres being added to throughout the
country at the rate of-what shall we say?
lone a week, the supply Of born actors has
given out and We are having TO fall back
on the made" ones and the quality OF
the manufactured article has sadly deteri-
GRATED since the old workshops were aban-
doned and the new machinery installed.
My point Is that there are just as many
born actors, and more, but they are likely
TO be lost in the Shuttle; no, not lost, but
mlslaid. A young man makes a great sue
cess in a play which runs whole year in
New York What happens? He has TO
travel through the country for two years
playing the same part, and the next you
hear Of him in New York is three years
after his big success and the newspapers
say that 1T will be remembered by all
theatregoers that Mr. - played so and So
two or three seasons ago" etc. And the
young actor has been compelled TO limit his
experience during those years 10 that one
part.
The lack OF good acting is due to the
natural conditions of the country. Henry
Irving made a worldwide reputation by
having a permanent theatre and perma-
nent organization; Sarah Bernhardts name
was known throughout the world even
before she travelled beyond the walls OF
her own city. Irving remained for years
at the Lyceum Theatre and continually
changed the programme, thus focusing
and compelling the interest of the public
And II is under these conditions that the
young actor has the opportunity OF learn
ing his business; supporting such stars,
playing a variety of parts, and undergoing
such training that in time for the pur-
poses Of general support, you can hardly
tell the difference between the made ar
ticle and the born one. How often do we
have the Daily company held up before US
as an example OF what actors were In
those days! Look at those names. all
starsv' But they were not stars then.
They were actors and actresses having
chance. And the subsequent success OF so
many members of that organization should
prove @ very strong argument In favor OF
the stock company.
believe that II Is not until the time
comes when the first class stock company
can be reintroduced with profit to the
manager. that we shall get larger per-
centage Of good actors than we have at
|, the present time. II we want TO make
actors We must give them an opportunity
OF playing variety OF parts during the
iearly days Of theif apprenticeship. The
more accomplishments the young man and
houng woman may have-music. dancing.
gfencing-ths better, no doubt, for him and
NOR her, but there is only one way to learn
10 act and that II to go on the stage In a
real theatre. before a real audience who
: have paid TO come In. I am afraid that
while every actor in the country has TO
travel continually over thousands Of miles
,of territory. while the management Of in
dividual theatrical companies remains
mainly impersonaI and while the expenses
. OF elaborate scenic production and trans
portation continue TO consume 90 large
tproportion Of the receipts there Is little
chance for the including OF the rising