The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16

is from within" Mrs. Fiske said This
is always obvious in the first rehear-
sails of any comedy. When a young
actor speaks a line with comedy in
tent and falls short OF the desired
comic reaction. 1t is because he lacks
the finesse OF training Take, for in
stance, the Incompatible artist, Duse
She is superb example OF the subtle
and exquisite, trained Coincidence
Her skill in high comedy had been d.
rected and formed to such a degree by
her mentality that in the same eve
ming having portrayed SantREzd in
'CaVelleria Rust!cana,' she turned
swiftly from the tragedy and played
the delightful comedy role In La
Locandiera-' Her impersonation of
the hostess Of the inn in La LOGAN
diera, was Ahe most utterly beautiful
example of delicate comedy in all the
world of acting in our day"
AS rare example of the comedy
sense OF an entirely different type.
Mrs, Ffsle recounts tales of the in
imitable Lolita
| Lolita Crabtree was a genius of ire
sistfble fun. Every fibre of her being
was imbued with the spirit of the
| comic. She could arouse gales OF
laughter with single word, yet II was
not due to anything comic in her ap-
pearance. for Lolita was pretty and ne
tite and thoroughly fascinating IN her
! quaintness and whimsicalities. Yet
she was constantly bubbling over with
an irrepressible fund of rollicking and
| htlprInl1S n olyi
! never has been another Lolita. and
there never will be. Lolita was the
only ono OF her kind and will always
hold a unique place as comedienne."
Yet in spite OF the fact" continues
Mrs. FfslSe, that training and tech
| nique are an inevitable asset to a CON-
edienne (unless she is, by chance, an
other Lotta) mere technical skill will
never make a comedienne. The com
edy sense must be inherent, else 1t is
an easy thing to convert the comic
into tho tragic simply with an inflec-
ton of the voice. This again is appar-
enttn the first rehearsals Of any com
edy Unless an intuition for the comic
is fundamental In the actors mind. de-
spite any technical proficiency, he can
by the mere tone OF his voice, give a
convulsively funny line doleful and
| tragic Significance. But the young &C
tor to be sure, must try his wings in
comedy If he would become aware OF
his comic potentialities."
Mrs. Fiske tested the possibilities OF
! her comedy wings" quite uncon-
! sciously at the early age of three in
| Macbeth" She was playing the part
OF the crowned child who rises from
| the caldron to make the prophecy
about Great Birnam Wood.
BE lion mettled, proud and take no
| care
Who chafes, who frets or where con-
splrers are"
But instead OF "conspirers" she be-
! sought him to he indifferent to per
! spirers," not only 10 the huge delight
! of the audience but to the complete un-
doing of Barry Sullivan. who "broke
| up" into such roars of laughter he
could hardly finish the scene.
With the breadth Of vision and wild
ened perspective of maturity Mrs
! Fiske prefers a comedy role 10 any
! tragedy or serious drama that may be
| offered. Her career az a tragedian has
! been exceptional, yet hereafter she
wishes only comedy parts. 1t is not
| only because the strain of tragedy is
| fatguinG, but Mrs. Fiske feels that II
| is joyous thing to induce laughter in