The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-03-20

Prof. II. Arnold or the U. A. G. fac-
| ulty, has a remarkably we'll written
article, on SHAKESPEARE as Social
Savior" an impression of +. r. Ben.
son, the famous Shakesperean actor
and producer. The article is accom-.
panied by three illustrations; one
gives splendid profile view of F.
Il. Benson at Stratford, another pic.
lures him as Hamlet, and the third is
of Murray Darlington, Mr.. Benson's
leading man.
With Characteristic frankness, Pro
fessor Arnold begins his account of
Benson with this intensely interest
ing paragraph:
80 you saw Benson last night in
Henry W! I've seen him in it three
times and I'd like to see it three
times more. It's one of Benson's
best parts and SO applicable to our
times. The Emperor William is just
like Pistol, and there are the .ordi-
al ltldliOUS Win nus my
barber discoursed with me in STRAIT
ford one morning last August, just
after a Henry W performance had
been given for the benefit of the
Prince of Wales war fund, and had
produced sixty-two pounds and ten
shillings for that popular charity.
Ordinarily the August SHAKESPEARE
festival at Stratford Is kept alive by
the American tourist. The thrifty
people of Stratford find the prices
too high, but on this benefit occasion
prices had been cut In halves and
Stratford had turned out, even to its
BARRIERS.
/ was getting shaved preparatory
to nine O'Clock morning call on
Mr.. Benson. My interest had been
excited in him both as a man and
as an actor. An Englishman from
Bristol had told me that he was the
most beloved actor in England, that
everywhere he went he entered into
the life of the community by giving
Sunday talks or playing its games.
Professor Arnold then tells of the
meeting with William Jaggard, the
author of the mammoth SHAKESPEARE
photography and one of the COVER
nors of the SHAKESPEARE Memorial.
He talked with Mr.. Jaggard at the
Shakespeare press, which has been In
the Jaggard family since Shake
spores time. From Mr.. Jaggard 1t
was learned that Mr.. Benson had
conducted the SHAKESPEARE Memorial
performances at Stratford for TWEEN
ty-four years, and that possibly
change might be made in 1915, as
Mr.. Benson had just made an Ameri'
can tour and perhaps was beginning
to feel the American lure, even tho
Chicago had received him coldly. Be
sides, Mr.. Benson, though capable
actor, is far better as trainer OF
actors. He often has seventy pup
lis in his sh.ool who go with him
from place to place. They call him
Pa" Father" or "The Governor"
and are like family band.
After hearing much more about
Benson from Jaggard, Professor Ar
mold continues: "All this Bensoniana
buzzed in my brain as went up the
stairs of the SHAKESPEARE hotel to the
little breakfast room where by ar
rangement with Richmond, Benson's
fIesser, l was to meet the actor. He
had breakfasted, but came in imme-
diately, his lean and hungry Cassius
form erect and his Henry Irving
hat .het face cleaning with a kindli'
ness which his opening words belied.
81 suppose you are like all American
reporters and want to know such sill
" things as the size OF my shoes.
Such immoderate curiosity about the
theater Is impertinent and unhealthy.
Why be more interested in the thea
Ter IMAM any OthcT Woihohop9
had invaded the Englishman's
castle, intruded on his privacy and
could only offer as excuse the newt
able banality that a public man is
public property and that | wanted to
get some of his ideas on training
young actors. Did he, for example,
prefer university men as raw mater
ial? knew that he himself was an
Oxford man and Mr.. Jaggard had In
formed me that his company was
largely made up Of college men.
Then came a knockout blow. I
wouldn't thank You for a company OF
university men. The ability to get
sense impression is more valuable to
an actor than naturalization. This
is more true of women than men. A
girl trained in an academy or uni
versity as a rule makes a poor ac-