The evening world., 1912-03-30
BelascO Says Club Life Kills
Ambition in the American Actor
Which, He AUevs, Has to
Do With the Failure OF
So Many Enslish Plays
Here, and Suggests That
Our Actors May Get a
Good Lesson in Acting
Down in BoWery.
BY CHARLES r

vTic tnin vtoitcu ~ miuuiBut.
1t was that hour before David
Belasco got back from the
Jewish theatre on the Bowery. As
he explained. with . smile far from
weary. the people down there like to
get their moneys worth. His own
actors had gone long ago. Only the
stage doorman remained. his pipe
keeping him awake and he himself
doing as much for his pipe. he
would probably say II was after mid.
nights I'm merely guessing at the
time. There yer 20 many interest.
Ing things to look at that I never
thought Of looking at my watch. One
glance at Mr.. Belasco satisfied me
that the night was still young. He
seemed ready for anything-even the
imported English play that has been
soins to bed rather early this sea
500. I might have mentioned Lydia
Gilmore" Preserving Mr.. Pan
mure." "Just to Get Married." Lady
Patricia" The Witness for the De.
fence"-but ! didn't. All that Mr..
Belasco needed was . cue
II don't believe in the English play for
America" he began. I'm my San Fran
cisco days We had the yeiiow-backed
books. a course. and I was brought up
doing standard plays. Shakespeare was
always IN my mind. and often on my
stage. But English plays merely -
such didn't appeal to me. and since then
I have paid very little attention to the
modern English play. A. stage director
Of the Madison Square Theatre I pro-
dueed only American plays. I've always
advocated the American drama, and
rye practiced what I preached. Since
I've had . theatre Of my own i've never
tried to get N EnGlish play. believe
rye produced more American plays than
any dozen managers"
"what. IN your opinion. has been the
eject Of the English play upon the
American stageY" This would BE- an
exhaustive question to ask . manager
ct any time. but something told mo
wasn't keeping Mr.. Belasco up. He did.
however. run his fingers through his
hair before rsp,yiag:
DNoLiSh srAog GENTLEMEN
MORE POLISHED THAN oVRS.
"A good play. Of course. 10 universal
In It's appeal. ana therefore Il may b.
said to be universal In its effect. I will
say to the credit Of the English play.
wright that he has the knack of writ.
American author. His treatment Of mer
IL better. HE men are distinguished fol
their mannsr-ths easy. natural way In
which they conduct themselves. His no.
ciety characters-and now We must In.
ciuds his w~omen-have more polish thar
those Of the American playwright. Blu,
a. English play should be played b,
English actors. With American actor
and American furniture Il has no At.
mosphere. That's why 90 many English
plays fall here. An actor with Q hasa
twan6 . only BE- ridiculous In tn,
part OF Q lord. while an actress WHIT
has neglected to remove the burr from
her speech II equally Impossible a. {
duchess. In short. American aotors can,
not play English characters any NOR,
than English actors can impsrsonat,
American types"
Mr.. Bslasco leaned forward and pu
hs hands on his knees. Then n,
Strengthened up with the declaration:
The fact 10. We over here don't know
how to produce English plays. II
should import an English play ia i'm
port English actors to play It. And T.,
take my time about II. The Erea
trouble With our stage 10 that we d
things In too great . hurry. Toe nue.
consideration cannot be given to tn
selection Of q cast. went down I
the Yiddish Theatre tonight to see
girl that I may be able to use In a pla,
next year. ! didn't 20 to See the pla,
The Strange Children but the Who'll
performance was we'll worth seeing. l.
like TO sec our American actors 20 dow
, TO the Bowery and get a lesson In ac,
Ing from those Yiddish actors. II youn
men would remain away from theatres
clubs when they have q night of the
might manage to improve themselves.
This shot. felt sure. would Z
straight through the windows Of h
: neighboring Lambs Club. There "
, even q possibility Of its being heard
, far down the firing line as The Player,
: THE THEATRICAL CLUE AN u
FURIOUS INFLUENCE.
= ~ think" pursued Mr.. Be,asco. 9Th
n the thestrical club 10 doing more to 1
jure the American actor than any 9th
agency. It 10 . ioAfng place whe
n young actors boast Of their trump
n and bras about their salaries. 1t II
l. place where the same talk u heard a
y the same faces are seen day after d
and night after night. These acto
bring the atmosphere Of me club In
- the plays In which they appear. T
,s result 10 = drawing room scene that ~
gests nothing more than h Theatre
" club. In England. Germany and Fran
Or actors set away from one another .
- mingie with people In other walks
life. They study life and reflect II
life In their spssoh and manners. Q
American actor. on the other hand.
no not studious. He doesn't work. II
70 play In which he has . part Il Z .,
: