The sun., 1919-06-22

part II seems As IL I'd known it all
my LIE. And when a stage person.
atty stands out like that the public
will always bow before It,"
This -acuteness in sensing the play
ing values Of part has come not only
from his long years of experience but
also because he was trained in the
old school, when players learned how
to visualize the traits OF their stage
identities and not merely to walk
through their parts with the help OF
fashionable Tailor and a thoughtful
valet. He received his earliest train
ing with Joseph Jefferson, appearing
with him In RIP Van winkle," and
It was from Jefferson that Mr.. Nash
learned many of the tricks of the
footlight business which he now prac-
tises 90 skilfully even when the Their
momster is temperamental.
One Of the vital secrets which he
picked up in his apprentice days was
the art Of speaking his lines at the
right moment, so that his gestures
and his bodily movements Would prove
supplemental rival attractions 90 his
speech. -
There is the psychological -nomen.
Tor speaking lines" said Mr.. Nash.
and by this test you can decide
whether 4 player IL an actor or an elo-
cutionist The principle underlying It
Is called the separation of utterance
from action. After making sure that
nobody is doing anything near him
that is likely to divert the audiences
attention from him. the player must
first prepare for -his speaeh by some
little change Of facisi expression, some
gesture or movement OF the body
anything. that is. which Is likely to
arouse the interest OF the spectator
and make him wonder what's going to
happen next. '" -
Then the actor speaks HIS line,
though generally the action and the ut
terance follow so closely on eac1 other
they hardly seem to be distinct 1t is
this method OF focusing attention
which makes a players dialogue go
over ana distinguishes the good actor
from the one who is merely under con-
tract.
AS to the matter Of mastering the
dialect for character parts OF for
eisn nature, that's not hard for an ao-
tor who likes his work and to whom
the whole world represents types
be played. It's merely matter OF get
ting the ear in the right key. Even
pidgin English like that spoken by
CHARLEY Yong Is easy when you've
made up your ear for the part.
IN order to set the Eight information
for the role Of this Chinaman with arr
American coating / engaged a young
Cantonese as valet while was study
ing the part and in this way acquired
the best pidgtn English without a
struggle. Yet. though perfected my
dialect In this way. one reviewer de-
clared I played Charley Yong with an
italian accent. To be sure 1 did-be-
cause that was just the way my Chi
nese dresser spoke. II you stood in
the next room and heard him talk
you'd swear it was an Italian who'd
taken to pigtails. i.
OF course, ia been prepared for
the part by my years OF knowledge OF
San Francisoo's Chinatown. where you
might say moved in the best circles,
without combining myself to the laun-
drymen trade. Among the leading
citizens Of that Oriental community ]
knew Little Pete, who was the Mayor
and uncrownsd king or San Fran
clsco's Chinatown until q rival faction
improved Its aim.. Though Little Pete
was much bigger man there than
Charley Yong is supposed to be in the
play-Chdriey IL only chop suey
merchant--Little Pete was quite diff
ferent from the type repre&ented NV
Charley. for he made no pretence TO
being anything but Celestial.
"In fact, Charley YoMg's style wssn't