New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-03
IN WIGS AND WINGS
Has an Actor in Farce the Right to Wink at the
Audience?

as old fashioned a critic as Charles
Lamb. Before quoting from the essay
"On Some Of the Old Actors" we must
ask permission TO class "The Rivals"
as farce and "The School for Scandal
as farce comedy. Here is what Lamb
wrote concerning an actor called Jack
Bannister:
"Jack had two voices, both plausible,
hypocritical and insinuating; but his
secondary or supplemental voice still
more decisive than his common one.
1t was reserved for the spectator, and
the dramatis persona were supposed
to know nothing az all about it. The
lies Of Young Wilding and the senti-
ments of Joseph Surface were thus
marked out in a sort of italics TO the
audience This secret correspondence
with the company before the curtain
which is the bane and death Of trag-
cdy) has an extremely happy effect IN
some kinds of comedy, in the more
highly artificial comedy Of Congreve
or of Sheridan especially. where the
absolute sense Of reality SO indis-
pensable TO scenes of INTEREST," is not
required, or would rather interfere to
diminish your pleasure. The fact Is,
you do not believe in such characters
as Surface-the villain Of artificial
comedy-even while you read or see
them. If you did they would shock and
not divert you"
Leaving Lamb, we want "Fair and
Warmer" as our own witness, even
though Mr.. Thomas has cited it for
his case. Mr. Thomas says Farce
must be seriously played" Msdge Ken
nedy, then, would be under the neces-
sity Of giving a realistic presentation
Of young woman getting intoxicated
for the first time in her life. We are
sure that would not be amusing, but it
has always seemed 70 US that Miss
Kennedy was delicious in Fair and
Warmer" because she only played at
being drunk The rest Of the people
on the stage may fancy that she is
intoxicated, but the audience never
loses sight Of the fact that it Is make
believe. In other words, the audience
knows her better than any Of her
fellow players. That is what we mean
By being on "wnkng terms" with the
audience. The wink, which is entirely
figure Of speech, is one Of reassur-
snce and not Of assurance.
We agree with Mr. Thomas that the
"See -how-funny-I-am" player is not
amusing, but we must add as a rule.
Richard earle, for instance, plays IN
exactly that spirit, and is amusing
withal Perhaps Mr.. Thomas will not
grant US Madge Kennedy as a member
Of the band which takes care not to
play farce too seriously, but he ought
70 lot US have Jimmy Powers. Ger
tainly no one can confuse the distress
which encompasses Powers in Some
body's Luggage" with actual suffering.
He is seasick, intoxicated, injured in
al automobile accident, hungry,
thirsty, and in abject physical terror,
yet there was never any doubt in our
mind that he was having very jolly
time Of IL.
Francis Wilson is another man whom
We feel inclined to claim II may be
entirely imaginary, but we have al
Ways fancied that, in some subtle man
ncr or other, in the midst Of his deep
est distress he was Aashing TO the
audience the message Don't worry
too much about me. ri come out all
right In the end" And az n matter Of
fact he always did
The philosophy Of farce Is that the
world xsA III nAds- Ths author Of 4