New-York tribune., 1922-10-01

Criticisms Do
Not Exist for
This Actress
Ruth ChattertonHas NotRead
a Newspaper Comment OH
Her Playing in Five Years

Dramatic criticism, so far as it IN
fsuences Ruth Chattcrton, might as well
cease to be familiar and prominen:
seatrrc OF modern journalism. On her
ows, admission, the actress who is co.
starring with Henry Miller in "La
Tendresse" at the Empire Theater has
not read limo of criticism about her.
self in the last FIVE years. Not be
cause she has no faith In criticism
does Miss Chatterton shun the printed
word. In fact, she invites criticism at
dress rehearsals and out-of town per-
formanccs. criticism which can be dis
oussed and considered and applied be-
fore the New York premiere of a play.
For an actor or actress TO read criti-
cisms and to worry about them after
metropolitan opening is futile and
dangerous thing, in her opinion.
"F1ve years ago, when Emma Dunn
was playing in 'Old Lady 81 she told
me that should never become emanci-
pated until learned not to read criti
cisms. She told me to work and study
until felt that was putting all that
I was capable of into role. She ad-
vised me to listen to criticisms at dress
rehearsals and at out t-of- town per
formances and to modify my concep-
tton of the role if ] thought the criti-
cisms warranted it. Preparation in ad-
vance counts most in a new play, and
to me changes following an opening in
New York are futile. I have needed
Miss Dunn's advice. admit it took
will power to do so at first. Now it
would take will power to bring myself
to read criticisms. have found the
emancipation which Emma Dunn prom
ised me-"
Miss Chatterton wa. in a mood for
confession. She spoke freely Of her
attitude toward the theater, of her
ambitions and hopes for the future.
Langhingly she declared that she is
not commercial and that she hates
anything ia the theater that makes
money. Yet in only one production in
which she has appsared has Miss Chat
sterton tailed 30 hsse long run. It is
not Impossible, she saggests, to at
serapt te do the finer things In The the
ssater and still be seeceassuf.
should rather do Mary Rose
and nsake no money at all than head
the greatest moncy-Taaker in dramatic
history. l have beea Barrie fan
since was child aad to me Mary
Rose is his best play. don't believe
Barrie ever has done Or ever will do
anything finer. The plays of the last
ten or twelve years have driven the
audiences which liked the real intellec-
tuai things Id the theater to music to
Ana the stimulus they used to find in
tbs theater. t1f course. am not impor-
tant enough nsthe theater TO say SO,
but hope to continue to do things
that are worthy, even though there
should seem to be no audience for
them, hoping in time to win back part
Of the audience, at least, which has
gone over to the symphony orchestras,
the recitals and the opera"
For . long time Ruth Chattefton has
dreamed Of an\American conservatory
Of the thester where the big figures Of
the American stage would teach the
young men and women who aspire to
become actors and actresses. She has
talked about it to those who would be
IN ha1, fol Ht1t
apparently it is still dream, and she
fears it will remain so.
eve seem so lethargic here that am
afraid there will be no conserya-
tory like the Conservatoire in France.
Then, perhaps, the public here is too
mixed for such a thing. ! love the
frankness Of the French theater, of it's
authors and its methods. The frank
ness of the French theater is much
preferable to the suggestiveness of the
American theater. Here things are
suggested over and over again until
they simply become nasty"
Bataille in ia Tendresse," Miss
Chatterton believes, has written about
q very real and human phase of life.
A highly intellectual man, when he
seeks corpanionship, does not seek in
tellectual companionship. In fact, he
hates it. II is the old story of the at
traction Of opposites.
"The brilliant author who is pictured
in La Tendresse' finds companionship
in an ordinary little actress, but clever
GU -
Aperson, and occasionally she cannot
help reverting to type. But she pro-
1vides just the outlet which the author
seeks. In the last act, when he has
broken with her, he has for q time the
companionship Of brilliant actress OF
the Coincide Franchise and she borcs
him to death. 1t is not what he seeks"
ssChuckles'' at Columbia