The Washington herald., 1914-01-29

tion that 1t is brains to which she owes
her climb into the brilliant region Of
| stardom
Yes. brains. and work. and ambition
and one cannot help feel that that
powerful combination is going to carry
the young woman on to even more
splendid achievements. One realizes
that she has been building on q solid
foundation and that step by step she
has been making herself ready TO do
bigger things when they came to her.
The story of how from her early
childhood. the lure of the stage had
beckoned her. is interesting She al
ways knew what she wanted to do and
she seized every opportunity that
would bring her nearer to her desires.
The first play she ever saw. Jack
and the Bean Stalk" settled the ques-
tion for her, the next. David Gar
rick only confirmed her determine
ton. So II happened naturally that
from her home in the Middle West she
pared for Vassar College. and then
chose instead to go to schools in Paris.
("just to be near the French theater."
she confesses. though my parents
didn't know it.") Gradually the way
unfolded before her. she made success
after success, and about three years
ago Edward Sheldon told her he had
a splendid idea for a play for her.
Il love the play" said Miss Keane.
her dark eyes beaming. TT just lets
me express what's in me-"
"Mr. Sheldon showed me the scenario.
then I went to London. while I was
waiting for my new play. 1 studied
and went into London twice a week
for Shakespearean work with IA
nous teacher. ! acquainted myself
with several roles and the business.
and then came the word that my play
was ready"
Gift for Language.
In Romance" Miss Keane appears as
an Italian prima donna in the 6Ss. and so
Italian is her accent that many folk think
she is a daughter of Italy. 1t was the
same in one OF her earlier, plays where
she was Viennese. and before that In a
Spanish role she was taken as Spanish
girl. How does she acquire the accent
Well. she has lived abroad as much as
she has in America and she has gift
for languages. When she plays these
foreign roles. so foreign is she that many
folk think she is foreign-born trying to
acquire the English language.
DO YOU know that for months I stud
led the Italian dialect?" she said. Il
practiced It. toe. until / found myself
speaking Italian dialect morning. noon
u
quaintance of an Italian count ~ho
spoke English with a beautiful dialect.
He was a member of the Neapolitan no
bility and he had just what l wanted,
the aristocratic dialect.
'T am to play Cavallini in London
next" continued Miss Keane. "and after
that. I hope, comes a comedy which Mr..
Sheldon is now writing for me. He has
always said that he expects to write a
1ll T.. l..
serious now because he is so young-and
partly. too. because he has a deep nature.
He is a wonderful genius. He simply
bubles over with imagination. Last year
when he was abroad he sent twenty
scenarios back TO Miss Kauser. his play
broker. Twenty! Think OF It.
There are So many things I want TO
do-some of the classics-a Greek play
Iphigenia at Tauris'-oh, yes, and Romeo
and Juliet l have some ideas Of my own
for Juliet-I want TO play her as an
Italian Sirl-you know those st:ff. quaint
pictures Cf Italian women of the period.
/ want to show her as a true daughter of
renaissance Italy. in all the tumulous at
mosphcre Of those fierce. bright days-as
child at first-and then the gradual
development AMI blossoming Of her char
acter under the influence of love. And
I want 10 play II on a small stage. where
ancy of the love scenes. may reach the
audience. II you play ii on a big stage,
IL means declamation-there is nothing
else for 1t, and that l don't want
Believes I'm American Dra aBsatist.
And / do want to play in some of the
intensely realistic plays OF the modern
German school lbsen? ! used to be
mad to play his parts. but now-well.
har nf hf- Nrat
moded? Take A Dolls House'-it has
served its purpose. We are no longer
shocked by II. and that proves that its
work is accomplished.
VI feel that there are many. many
new and great works to be written soon
by American dramatists, and in these
/ want most OF all to appear. Oh. yes,
1 am a firm believer in our American
drama. 1t is improving so rapidly. Even
in England, although they do not take
our dramatists very seriously as yet.
they are taking them commercially and
that is the first step.
II think our dramatists are growing
more and more sincere. more individual.
less initiative. They used TO write i'm
itations of the French-today 1t is the
American play We want. and j think a
French play. to succeed today, would
have to be a very remarkable one. Oh.
pride to see all these plays in our thea
tiers, written by our own people for our
own life. That way achievement lies.
Il think the newer school OF plays
Is going to delve more deeply into
psychology-that. at least, is the trend
Of the newer school in England. which
is now supplanting Pinero and Jones.
Yes, We are going deeper into
psychology-and psychic phenomena. too.
wonder do you think that all foolish
ness? 1 don't. II will be our next great
development We have conquered the
physical world-and the psychic world
We will conquer. An actress feels that
in acting the magnetism flows back and
forth between player and audience. Be-
lieve me, We are very conscious OF It.
Let me tell you a little story 1 know
is true. When Clyde Fitch died-oh, II
was a great loss to me, for he believed
in me, thought 1 Gould do good work
he was writing a series of plays for me.
1 went to the dress rehearsal OF The
City, his last and greatest play. and
I felt just as sure of the presence and
influence of Mr.. Fitch therein way
I could never describe. A dear friend
Valentine Pudding.