The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-11-11
Eugene Knox.

Probably we may have to revise
our views little with regard to thu
two gentlemen who have appeared
here as impersonators under the ad
ministration of the ladies of the city
churches. Two years ago we found
fault with the artist and attributed
the failure to the employing bureau
advising a return to the Redpath fol
better results. On Monday a large
audience. evidently anticipating a
| treat, went out to hear Mr.. Knox
The reception was trifie disappoint-
ing. At least it seemed so in meas
uring appreciation by the demonstra-
ton. 1t must be that character work
is more exacting test of ability
than many other branches of the
players or entertainers art. No
doubt it is great gift, and for that
reason probably many fail who are
seasoned and test-proof in technic.
Therefore the intellectual with pol
ished wit and glasses Is not always
susceptible to the baptism of human
instincts and passions, the primitive
soul, the master spirit, the native col
loquial impulsives.
The artist who was here two
years ago sought to commend hear
ing in some of the outstanding living
personalities and characters of fic-
ton. He undertook 10 give us a
Dickens rehearsal, but somehow Mi
cawber, Heep, Cutie and Turvey-
drop, Pinch and Pecksniff, Sally
Brass and Dick Swiveler, and others
of Dickeno' imnortals, either refused
or reluctantly answered their cues.
They objected to the attitude of
particeps criminis of the evening.
Maybe Mr.. Knox used better discre-
tion in avoiding the leading person
alities. But the fact remains that char
acter work, whether On the stage or
platform, is serious undertaking.
1t is the secret, no doubt, of many a
stars ascendancy. The character
actor fills the background, but in ma
ny cases he creates color for the play
and lays the foundation for the stars
superstructure. Character is the
thing that distinguishes one person
from another 1t is the artists ideal.
In many of the older plays we have
the names of the old-scnool artists,
who were denoted character actors,
such as James Lewis, as Oliver Sur
face in "School for Scandal" ]. H.
Stoddart as Lakeland Campbell; AL
fred Hudson, Thomas Whiffin, Owen
Fawcett and others. What would
Sol Smith Russell have done without
Hudson and Fannie Addison Pitt?
What would our own David
Warfield do without Marie Bates
and VIM Boag? Marie Bates as Mrs.
Eagan in "The Auctioneer," really
much of the local color and
in large measure the inspirational
motive of the play.
The players of the old school have
done as much or more for stagecraft
than many Of the ctars. We recall
Mrs. John Drew, mother of the dis
tinguished New York star, whose
Mrs. Malaprop, memorable charac-
ter sketch, was the greatest perhaps
Of all the Sheridan revivals.
The star may force his personality
upon the audience, but the charac-
ter player must leave self behind or
suffer the penalty of failure. He
must forsooth dissembie and become
Tor the time being the character that
he assumes.
We say the star may take the lib
srty, but the true artist, never! Ed
win Booths great art was his ability
20 become for tao time being a living
Hamlet or the Monsignore Cardinal
Arriving at conclusions from these
standards we may be expecting too
much from lycenm sources, and after
Ill we may have been honored
~ both of the lyceum artists, more
Mr.. Knox.