The Washington herald., 1913-05-04
Current Washington Thas Offers but New York Production
,sLittle Won1en' WillCl0se
BeIaScO The1ter Season
Ziegfeld "Folies," Following Miss Shrepe's May
Carnival, viii Furnish Last of Regular Sea-
sons Offerings at Mem National

, And that's just the idea want you to
get-the warfield personality-for that's
the one and only thing which has made
the plays in which he has been starred
successes.
You do not need to be told that he Is
not dashing young Lothario who will
win the heart of every matinee girl in
the land; you do not need to be reminded
that his magnetism on or off the stage
is magnetism of soul rather than Of
body. This is just the thing that makes
that gentleness Of which you are con-
scious before you are conscious Of any
other quality which goes te make up the
character of David Warfield. 1t turks in
his smile. vibrates in his voice. and domi-
mates his stage Characterization.
Mr. Warfield is in full realization that
it is neither its lines nor scenery which
makes a play immortal, but the person.
atty of the figure which dominates the
story. He asserts that the great actor
is remembered by the public by one char
|acterization, and cited as examples Henry
Irving, who is invariably associated IN
the mind of the public with 1.-THE Bells;
Joe Jefferson, whose Rip Van Wrinkle
will live in memory for all time: Sa'vinl,
who. no matter whatever else he played.
always harked back to Othello. ana
Booth. the mere mention OF whose name
conjures up a picture of the greatest
Hamlet ever known to the theater.
ut is the test of greatness In acting
10 be able to play the same role for years
without becoming mechanical Mr.. War
field told me, declaring further that 1t
was not until a characterization had be-
come a part of the fiber Of an actors
being that 1T became rounded out into
artistic perfection.
eff the divine spark is within him,
continued Mr. warfield. ''the actor gains
a greater grip on the public each year
that he plays a great role. If there Is no
real genius his performance becomes
mechanical after the first hysteria has
worn off and his audiences are lost"
Mr. warfeld scorns the idea that
genius is an infinite capacity for taking
pains declaring that IL that be true
he knows nothing Of the meaning Of the
word. and his faith that the actor Is
born, not made, is amply justified In his
own career.
The dividing line which he puts between
the great actor and he Of just SUFFICIENT
cleverness and physical beauty to WIN
the matinee clientele is as true as 1t Is
finely drawn, and certainly his theory or
true greatness in acting has no greater
exemplifcation than in himself; for In
the twelve years that Mr.. Warfield has
been a star he has been seen in but four
plays-"The Music Master" THE Auc-
tioneer" "The Grand Army Man," and
The Return of Peter Grimm. THE
Music Master or 1.-The. Auctioneer" Mr..
warfield could play to the end OF time
with no loss of grip upon his public, just
as those others whom he mentioned when
seen year after year in their fncompara-
BILE characterizations. With the exception
of Shakepeare's plays it is the great
character creation which lives. rather
than the play itself. That is why any
one Of the plays which have served Mr..
Werfieh would have been impossible
without him; that is why we are glad
that he will give us again next season
The Auctioneer," the play OF all others
which is Just a character made up en-
tirely of the Warfield personaifty-the
most artistic and pathetic picture known
to the modern stage.
The New National Theater will be ten
anted tomorrow. Tuesday, and Wednes-
day evenings by Miss Cora Shreve's class
in it's annual Carnival Of Dancing.
Next week 1.-The Follies' will round out
the regular season Of the New National
with a rousing revue, a la Ziegfeld, after
which comes the Aborn, English opera
Company, which latter announcement Is
inst another reminder that, despite the
approach of the sizzling days Of summer.
there will be no dearth of amusement IN
the Nations Capital, with three COM
nan MES of dramatic stock and four weeks
Of opera, to say nothing of the cooler,
freer charms of Glen Echo, which an
nounces the opening of its gates for
the 24th