Evening star., 1915-01-31

the troupe. What is musical comedy with
out an imitator? The material for imita-
ton, however, seems to have narrowed
down to a few subjects. Modesty, that
bane of great artists and good men, of
course. forbade Mr.. Bernard from having
an imitator of himself in his own per
sonally conducted entertainment. The
clever little lady is limited to Ethel
Barrymore, Eddie Foy and George Cohan.
Nat Goodwin, and later Henry L. DiNey.
roamed among the interpreters of tragedy.
romance ana standard comedy when they
sought subjects for imitation 1t WAS
to one of these romping favorites that
Irving said pensively. after seeing him
self initiated, My boy, one of us is a
bad actor" Possibly it was this widely
repeated and possibly authentic quip that
led to halt in the mmetic impulse.
Imita tions arose to great vogue during
a period of theatrical interest when an
actor was expected to play many parts ;
to be equipped fer Illusion and inter-
probation apart from his Individual char
acteristics. The test was that of tenn
permanent and intellectual sympathy with
d role rather than physical endowment.
When versatility was a matter OF essen
tiai concern manneriSmS were regarded
as detrimental to the career of Il player,
and the imitator who brought them into
exaggerated relief was a satirist, and not
u mere mechanical copyist. The greatest
representatives of theatrical art were
naturally selected as targets for these
sly shafts of travesty. Unwelcome as is
the compliment of ridicule, only the great
are worthy of it, and many an eminent
player after seeing one of these mimics
has resented his best advertisement as
a belittling gibe.
Gradually the public began to esteem
nannerisms They were marks of identity
and facilitated acquaintance, which
r;pened rapidly into affection. In casting
Il play a manager was more and more
inclined to pay attention to physical
traits, until the system of casting a play
that is still current established itself in
an interview between a manager and an
actor.
NO. said the manager, decisively /;
you won't do for the part"
why not? Its in the line that 1 have
been playing"
Yes. But you are getting bald This
character has to have good head of
hair"
Good Lordr' moaned the player.
Have the wig makers struck But the
protest was in vain. The decree had been
uttered and discipline must be preserved.
AS the premium on mannerisms ad-
vanced theatric imitation lost its critical
significance and its sprightly audacity.
The actors of prominence became so
specialized that the trick was more easily
learned. Yet subjects for imitation be-
came few. Now when my next imita
tom is announced it is known in ad
vance that the great actor to be held
up TO the mirror of fancy will be either
Ethel Barrymore. Sam Bernard, George
Cohan or Eddie Foy. Are these all the
great actors left?
The fact that Nat Goodwin has written
> book should not pass unnoted in the
annals of the times.
Any pursuit that will divert Mr.. Good
wins attention temporarily from matri
mony or play-gagging should be en-
outraged.
Mr.. Goodwin. his book. is in line with
similar productions that have been Of
fered TO public attention. Daniel Band
man. the tragedian. wrote one which en-
;lbled the gentle reader to be duly inn
pressed with the eminence of that un-
deniaby able representative of serious
irama. with the distinction of the per-
sonal acquaintance he enjoyed. and with
the total depra witty of those who had writ
ten Of his performances in spirit of
detraction. MIR. Goodwins stnging re-
Dukes. bubbling with unconscious humoy
as well intended smartness. stand as
monumental warnings OF what devasta
tion would take place in circles Of self
esteem should actors decide TO turn critics
Hell hath no fury like d Snowman
-corned
But to return to the twentieth CEN
tury. The Little cafe" is q musical
creation which harks merrily back to
The times before the present war when
European capital was "a gay place.
Like most musical pieces 1t is an eA-
ample of brokerage rather than
yf pldy-rritiug and retains clearly and
pleasantly the marks OF its exotic
origin.
Substantial enjoyment ia sunshiny
mood offered by Maude Adams. to
whom the public pays unStinted tribute
as An actress competent TO sustain the
Intellectual traditions of CON edy with
out being betrayed into the slightest
yose of instructive superiority. Charles
Frohman has done the American public
good turn in his persistent eXploita-
ION of James Barrie. The warm appre-
-ation which has been cultivated for
the shy Scots subtle humor, thanks
20 Mr.. Frohman's faithful tutelage. is
an irrefutable denial that the Ameri-
sense of the comic can be awakened
Jnly by emphatic and abrupt appeal
There was reluctance at first in ac-
'epting Barrie's gentle grotesqueries of
fancy solid specimens of humor. But
with Maude Adams as his prophecies,
Barrie stands in the inner sanctuary
high priest of the gracefully ludi-
crous. Both THE Legend of Leonora"
and The Ladies' Shakespeare" are
developments of 1'arries favorite
theme. the domination of self-iIu-
portant masculinity by the superb
craft of superior woman. The Ladies'
Shakespeare" gives Miss Adams oppor :
tunity to play Katherine in a manner
that is strictly her own. and yet one
that the most devoted student of
Shakespeare could not fail TO find de-
Iirhtful and even enlighteninR
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
OPERA AND SISGERS.-"To judge
the voices and possibilities of some
people for the operatic stage. says
andreas Dippel. the noted impresario
| 1t is not even necessary that they
open their mouths. And to Judge mos