The New York herald., 1921-10-09
James Rennie Once
Had an ambition
to Become a Monk
Actor Tells of Days When He
Yearned to Play Shake
speare.
Discuss theology and still smile.

Discuss theology and still smile.
That's James Renpie all over. The
young man who Is presenting such a
ukeable exterior In POT Luck" shows
off the stage at the Comedy Theatre the
same variegated interior as on. with the
chuckles trying to crowd the hishbrow
expressions off his twinkiing face. No
wonder he can flash from grave to gay
as few actors seem able to do with any
thing like spontaneity, for he has a
burning enthusiasm for Shaw. and yet
as youngster he burned Just az much
to lead an ascetic religious existence,
with hair shirt and everything.
Il wanted to be q monk on a lonely
island away out in the ocean," he said,
and sigh heavily as the sun went down.
didn't know what on earth / wanted to
sigh for. but knew i wanted to do"
This expose of his past life was made
not In the conventional dressing room
but out in the auditorium OF the theatre
just before the u~~'ormance, so that in
coming patrons were continually chasing
the leading man and his interviewer out
OF their seats. Under such circum-
stances It would seem difficult to dis
cuss religion. but Rennie did II vfrtu-
He has always been and still is q desp
student Of the Bible. which makes him
q marked man among actors. He had
an opportunity to crafty his absorption
In the Scriptures histrionically just be-
tore the war, when he and several other
players put on playlet based on the
Book Of Job.
A. 1t was at Northampton, MASS.
and not in the metropolis. they felt
quite at home. These performances and
several Of Dunsanys works were staged
at a small private theatre belonging
to . resident Of the town, while Rennie
and the others were keeping alive for
such achievements by acting in the
municipal theatre there. which has the
distinction Of being the only playhouse
for which whole city Is the angel.
The theatre. Rennie said. was started
with some fine aims, and while some
or them were realized others were more
or less swept up by the street cleaning
department. The stock company did
plays by Shaw, Ibsen and Shakespeare,
and Rennie had the time OF his life
playing the title role OF Hamlet"
which he had been itching to lay his
hands on all his life. He thinks every
actor has an ambition to play Shake
speare. and In all mod esty. he believes
that what the Bard needs - young
blood.
''Older actors" he said. ARE too ant
to fall into conventional, magniloouent
style. Just because somo actor played
It that way before them. On the other
hand. at Northampton the young peo-
pie In the company were hampered by
no traditions, and they achieved some
rather extraordinary results, probably
playing 1t as shakespeare would have
remembered seeing It done. They put
. real thrill In It
THE ideal way to play Shakespeare,
It strikes me, is that followed by
Forbes Robertson, who Followed no set
rule but simply tried to think himself
into the part While the voice can be
one OF the most expressive aids to an
actor. the proper way to use tiff I
can be allowed an opinion for some
thing I'm no authority on--is first to
think hard about the meaning Of a
situation or line. and then let the
thought take command OF your voice.
Some actors are accused Of simply
using their voice as an instrument. play
Ing upon It, so that you feel they are
saying to themselves, Now we've had
enough Of that trill let's try another
note That's wrong. II you think
straight your voice viii follow right
along after you." .
Rennie's own remarkably fine voice
was not achieved through any grand
operatic practice, though he did take
vocal culture lessons several years eEo.
It wasn't this powerful organ that led
him first to the theatre. but an am
bition to be playwright. for he was
settling the worlds problems dra-
matically at the age Of ~.
Il wrote several plays then" he con.
fessed. I'D like to find them now and
enjoy a good laugh. No, haven't any
plays hidden about my person now,
adays. I have no desire to be 4 play
wright. for the more see OF the theatre
the more / stand In profound awe of a
being who could create a play"