Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-18
THE PLAYCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
Dissertations on Plays and
Photoplays Of Interest
to Philadelphidns


and two musical shows spell next
weeks new theatrical lesson. And there
will be review of Walter Hampden' =
~Hamlet'' at some special matinees at
the Broad.
Margaret Angln will be one of the
emotional stars, and the Broad viii be
the scene Of her emoting. Her restorn-
tion 70 this type of play will be The
Woman of Bronze" from the French OF
Henri Kistermaeckcrs and Eugen De-
5 lard. Her work in emotional dramas
such as THE Great Divide and Mrs.
Danes Defense and her artistry in
plays of this type should guarantee
something interesting. The Woman of
Bronze is three act drama. Its story
has to do with the love of woman
whose sculptor husband has fallen in
love with another. His attention to the
modelling of statue which is to crown
his life's work, has been diverted by n
young girl and he is unable to find the
soulful facial expression necessary 20
the completion of THE Woman of
Bronze
Discovering he cannot hide his indis
cretions from his wife, the sculptor de-
stroys the statue and departs from his
home Later he returns and in begging
forgiveness of his wife discovers in her
face the expression necessary for a tri-
umphant figure of Victory.
THE other emotional drama is The
Il Revelations of n Wife, which poses
the question ''Should woman contide
the secrets of her past--assuming she
has past and secrcts---to her pros
pective husband before MARRIAGE In
this case she has a past though not
s discreditable one, from all that one can
learn in advance. She is a diyorccc
and her second husband n statesman,
is much opposed to divorce. Sc she
keeps her secret. Then when he is run
ming for United States senator up rises
) her interlocutory decree, or whatever
it is, out of the dim and distant. Her
divorced husband threatens to expose
3 her to the senatorial candidate. and
also to make a scandal about it all
among the voters and lose the toga for
the family. What to do? The author
is said to work ont the problem salts
fyingly, meanwhile affordinG many
a tensely dramatic moments for the audi
Z cnce. This piece will be put un at
the Walnut.
TIME musical shows will be seen, re
- pectively, at the Chestnut Street
Opera House and the Lyric. At the
first will be staged ''Thc GaiptiPs of
1912" with n book "revueing" theat
rical and other fads and foblcs, by
Edgar Smith The music is by Jean
Schwartz, husband of one of the Dolly
Sisters, though which one we do not
Blue Mouse farce of yestrrycar
in which the late Mabel Barrison met
with much success. will be musicalizcd
under the title of The Little Blue
Devil" with Lillian Lorraine. late of
the ''Follies," playing the title role.
5TT SEEMS "what are the sensa-
= tions of AN actor who plays one part
10 many times?" is the favorite query
beople put to David Warfield. who has
played Simon Levi in 'The Auc-
tioneer" ever so many times, and Herr
Won Barwig in 'The Music Master
few more than that. The Playgoer.
thinking to do something novel, fred
s'ssis question at Mr.. Warfield the other
matinee. and finding that so many peo
I pie were likewise interested got m au-
thoritative answer from Mr.. Warfield,
authoritative so far as his own acting
1 and opinion are concerned.
Such questions quite often occur to
spectators on the other side of the foot
lights, who give any thought to the
subject. They frequently imagine that
the continual iteration and reiteration
Of words, whatever their significance and
meanings to the audience. must in tho
lend merge into a tumble of mechanical
symbols for the actor.
On this subject declares Mr.. War
field, Temperament radically differs.
say temperament. for | believe that no
other word describes the precise func-
tion that has to do with this problem.
1t isn't wholly matter of mind. of
will power or of volition. but the con
ditions which, for the moment, strike
your feelings.
In regard to my work as Simon Levi
In The Auctioneer,' | never give so
satisfactory a performance of the Dart
to myself. at least, as on evenings or
matinee days when | can altogether
lose myself in the spirit of the role.
n This, however, depends upon circum-
STANCES. Much of our work must nee
essarily in the long run become mechan-
I lcal. like the exits and entrances of the
regular business of the play The
stimulation of smiles and tears is not
tilfncult for trained actor of emotiona |
qualities, and l can throw the vibrant
accent OF tears into my voice without
necessarily sharing the feeling that pro
guces them. But whenever I do so,
from whatever cause-physical indis
position. mental apathy or spirit of
unavoidable weariness-I say to myself
That have not acted in good faith.
II have been told that the audience
notices no difference but | myself know
lt. and that is enough to spur me on
with renewed energy 10 merge myself as
eompletely as possible into the per
sonality of the role. Such effort KEYS
up the imagination and enables YOU 10
thrill an audience with the power of
silent suggestion. All sense of weari =
ness Is counteracted by the spiritual
stimulation. If | could not feel INV
part, my playing would become drudg .
cry. but do not, of course. allow this
Feeling to dominate me TO such an OK
tent as to let it get on INV nerves.
NJ brieny, my work never exhausts me. -
A lhTALTER HAMPDEN believes ir
W Shakespeare. For he has experi
u enced in more ways than one the no
tency OF the bard. Shakespeare. more
a psrticularly the Hamlet" which Mr.
n Hampton is to show us anew the cominr
4 week ft the Broad at special matinees
"a Snd 6ade Mr.. Hampdcn noted if moi
AAnd another Shakespearcan worl
Mr.. HampGen what he consider,
personal sense something of faI
Importance 1t won him hi
was few years ago while Mr.
Hen was playing with the famou
<enson company in England. The com
49ny decided to put on Romeo ant