New-York tribune., 1922-09-03
Marie Tempest
Sheds Sunshine
AS She Passes
After Tour of World She
Comes To Rest Here,
Only She Doesn't Rest

Marie Tempest has just finished a
tour of all the continents, and she says
that she likes New York better than
any city in the world. 1t is to be hoped
that New Workers will appreciate this
Endorsement Of their own opinion Of
their metropolis, for Miss Tempest
certainly knows, and, furthermore,
she was born in England. So her in
dorsement is not inspired by loyalty.
ooh, your wonderful ethyl" she said
in her pretty bird-like way, which
makes her entirely different from every
other actress in the world. "But it is
noisy. isn't it? May | close the win
dow" Miss Tempest lives at the cor
ner Of Fifth Avenue and Forty-fifth
Street, and one wonders what she
would think of the noise if she had
chosen hotel couple of blocks to
the west of her own. am confused
and happy and tired. haven't had
time to see any one since came here;
/ haven't had time to reply to any of
my letters; / haven't even had time to
DO manicured or hair-dressed. Look
at mel"
Now this was very easy thing to
do. Hiss Tempest may have been in
need of the beautifiers, but it was not
apparent to the naked eye, nor WAS
she going to inspire any pity for her
condition so long as she looked like
that. She should wear that peach-col-
ored handkerchief linen froek in her
new play, "a serpent's Tooth" and
those little white kid pumps and that
Leghorn hat with the dogwood bios
SONS, and the Alice blue crepe scarf.
She made very pretty picture.
at is six years since I have been
here, and cannot understand why you
are all SO pleased to see me. never
felt that I was very close to the
heart of America, and here you are
greeting me with demonstrative af-
fection which has filled me with wou-
der, pride and Joy. The plays which /
have done over here have been little,
inconsequential things, the comedies Of
manners, the drawing-room things
which the English people love and
which, believed, had not been the sort
Of fare the average American cared
for. So | can hardly believe it when
see that they really seem to love
me-"
1t is quite possible that the people
who are acclaiming Miss Tempest do
not love hers it is possible that they
do not know her, but this they do
know-that she is an artist to her
finger tips.
"And if they do not know you now
they will when you have finished with
"A Serpent's TOOTH"
"Do you think so ?" asked Miss TEN
pest earnestly. edo you think that the
play has wide appeal?''
Wide appeal There is not a mother
IN the United States who will not put
herself in Miss Tempest's place when
jerry, again and again, does his best
to break her heart. Many a parent
since King Lear's time has moaned
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it
is to have a thankless child"
"Oh, ii is Iamentable! No one takes
the stage seriously now. | mean the
young people who are going on the
stage, presumably with the idea of
making it their life work, seem to feel
that nothing is necessary save person
aiity, while, as matter of fact, the
enc absolutely indispensable thing is
technique. They pay so little atten-
ton also to their vofces. Why, one
young actress whom | know speaks as
though she had chronic laryngitis. If
I were training people for the stage
first Of all ] should insist ON their
knowing how TO breathe. The best way
to learn how to do this properly is to
learn how to sing. singer is more
perfectly equipped with breath, poise
end health. than any other person could
possibly be-
Miss Tempest attributes her success
as an actress to the fact that for a
number of years she sang in opera
both comic and grand.
"Do you like this play which Arthur
Richman has written" ?" she asked.
Well, it would be difficult not to
enjoy play in which Miss Tempest
is the star. a playwright has his bat
tie half won If he has her.
Unlike his recent play ambush p
this play has a happy ending. OF the
catastrophe ending Miss Tempest is
an uncompromising foe.
Il dislike intensely a curtain that
falls on hopeless cynicism or despair
she says. @If read book that ends
like that throw it away. If i read a
play that ends so am inclined to do
che same thing. Certainly / shall not
play in one OF themv H.U.
Tully's Arabian Steeds