The evening world., 1921-03-19
TURNING ON
THE SPOTLIGHT
CbhGoter Actins Seen at lis Best
On New York Stage.
BY CHARLES DARNTON


~ HBRE Is nothing in the sport OF
playgoing that interests. fas-
cinates or amuses us so much,
perhaps. as the discovery OF a gooo
4 nj OF so-called character acting by
some one VINO hasn't been doomed to
the axies. The stars, like the poor,
( Are aiwpYs with us, and sometimes
eany are Vary poor indeed. Al anJ
rate, we are prepared for anything
I. 4hey may do.
II is the obscure player OF talent
Who can take US by surprise anO
bring us to the point Of cracking our
hands together till they smart with
( unaccussomed exercise. Especially is
hrst-nlght audience quick TO hit
anon a performer OF uncommon
gifts and clap the bls-typed celebrity
into q corner--and just for that If
the painful truth must be told, the
really gifted one is fired" just as
soon as an understudy can be pushed
into the part. More than a little tall
ent Is often a dangerous thing for a
member OF the supporting cast"
The star may feel he is getting so
much support that he won't be able
20 stand alone.
But petty weaknesses aside, char
antsr acting is being seen at its best
On the New York stage. At least
three striking examples are TO be
7 found with Charles Gilpin in '"rhe
EEhperor Jones'" Florence Short as
slgnora vanucci in Romance" ana
Louise Closer Hale as the old mother
( a '1Eiss Lulu Bett"
II is not too much 10 say that the
most remarkable performance OF the
year y given by Gilpin. To be sure,
he is a negro playing a negro. and
you may argue it's only natural he
should know what no is doing. But
the point Is, he happens also to be u
@nafuralT actor. he catches perfect
w the rhythm that Eugene o'Neill,
consciously or unconsciously. has
written into the play. II is like a
barbaric song. the accompaniment to
which II the beating knell Of the tom
tom. All the characters have a sim
ister signiAcance; everything seems
strange and important, but the play
is carried on by a single character
. ana this character Is embodied so
completely by 0Ilpin that all the resi-
! is merely a background Yet this is
-. 80 49, n.,.-,lwr-- T,na- Hoa,K
ing in his gaudy uniform Of Elm
peroF" 10 amusing. but Jones pur-
Rued through the forest by the ma
fiVes he has swindled is as tragic as
death. Gilpin realizes both sides OF
the character. In Ms earlier aspect
Ne suggests the parade Of an old
time ''nigger minstrel company" re-
epindent, Gwaggering. and blowinA
his own horn 30 beat the hand.
Turning on the White-hvered Eng
lah trader he commands:
'eraik polite. white mani Tanx po-
Hte. 20 heah mel I'm bose heah
now. - 70 f0rgettin'3" And cum
ningly he goes on: ~YO don't s'pOsI
. / was holdin' down ais Emperor jol
Ger de glory Oc It. did yo'1 Dt
fuaa and glory part Of It. dat's only
- turn % heads O. de loW-dung bust
nisEcrB dat's here. Dey wants de big
1iralHs show for der money. I gives 4
- igm. an sits de money. De lonl
green. dnes me every time"
But there's another time wheI
= 1oDeg has taken 20 his feet and talk
10 them on his last Journey in thit
'FesE ~ n holdin' up yo' en-,
me. am / sutiniy hopes yo ain
1lletertn' none It's time 20 git I
rest
rs the woods 0Iapin is driven I,
monoIogue, but he carries It througl
with sldn that commands interes
and respect. In spite OF loathing 70
murderer and cheat After NOR
piDdding and stumbling the fugitiv
again gets down to first principle
Aiehs "Oh. my 20 feetl Dem shoe
nin't no use no more 'ceptln' TO hur
Use better on Widout 'em. Yo' wa
real- Acne patent leather, too. Blu
iolsiS al ~ nov.
Gllpin makes you feel the glory Z
patent leather and then the bare
oObsd walk 10 the grave.
rn sure Doris Keane won't min
boing left out of this little story, fc
ahe y character actress, II you lilk
of such charm and skill that she ca
ven aRord 10 take a day on In n
neWspaperB.
But can you imagine a woma
named Florence short playing a
ftallan woman waiting 10 n
plima donna Cavalhni, and turnir
spaghetti into firecraclIers? couldn
believe Il until turned to my prt
Rramme; IN short-and without q
Intentional pun-made Il a part
my BUSINESS to learn something abol
an actTess who could be so abrupt
American IN name and 80 thorough
Italian IN her acting. II seems Mi
short was lucky enough in her EARL
dRyu 20 have a srock company trail
Ing. Then she went into the movie
and. - good luck would have u &
into Romance" For her there cou
be no more fitting bouquet than
bunoh Of spaghetti.
fnNe you ever sat In a chair IN
kept 0dging toward another chair?
f'poBe you have. Well, Pm edgi
up 10 old "Ma" Belts, the best SO
that ever lived, II / kin Judge bv [