New-York tribune., 1922-02-05
Younger Players,
The Classics and
Miss Helen Menken

Holou Mcnken would like to play
Shakespeare. Not necessarily when she
has reached a sedate middle age, or
ONE such age that seems to be eter-
ally assoc iated With Shakespearian
eudeavor but night nou. In season
o~ t~o. rhs young actress, who's.
namr is now electric ightcd in Forty
eighth street and who is in her third
Darl o1 the season. wouldn't object in
the least 10 following Cassie Cook With
Rosalind or the heroine Of The Tam
ing Of the .Shrcw."
And ~ . matter OF fact she needs
onls q plunoe into the classics to make
ner repertoire complete. Since she de-
cded some years back. at the mature
rso Of five, to make the theatrical pro
icssion hor life work. She has gone in
for anything ana cvery thing straight
drama comedy drama, historical
drama musical comedy, farce, deep
tragedy, vaudeville Rosalind and
Katherine could be added to list OF
characters that has included every
thing from Camille to the magnificent
MARY Turner in Mr. veiller's "Withn
thc Law"
"Now. why caot the younger players
~ believe they call us that-do
Shakespeare =" asked Miss Menken.
"Why Is it that L company of tho Sc
called younger element in the theuter
cant be organized to play certain of
the ShakeSpearian productions? Ersnx-
- cant see why most players have
to wait until they reach certain period
hNtcro they attempt Shakespeare. Per
sonally. would love to try it. and
would like nothing better than tryile
Rosalnd or Katherine"
MISS Nenkcn, IN succeeding Alice
Brady In the piece current at the Play
house, was called upon to do one of
those quick study feats that are neces-
sary OH Broadway every now and then.
She learned the part and rehearsed it
III three days and was letter perfect on
her hrst appearance. During the three
days when she was not at the theater
she was locked in room. at a hotel in
the Fortles, plugging away for dear
lite. 1t IS somewhat satisfying for her
to feel that after her earlier plays of
the season. The Triumph of X and
HE Mad Dog" came to such sudden
finishes she is in play that has ex-
hibited qualities of durability.
Helen Menkcn, before seeing Broad
way saw America first" She saw
all OF 1t under conditions good and
bad, with companies good and bad and
with players good and bad. She WAS
road actress" at the age of six. She
mas continued to be off and on ever
since, becoming for time stock
actress and finally full-Aedged Broad
way actress. featured irst and then
co-starred. AS q child she visited the
far corners OF the country with all
sorts of musical comedies and dra-
matte productions, and met with the
approval Of dramatic critics all the way
from South Georgia to the wilds Of
Idaho. Little Helen had future. thew
said. And so she did.
Helen herself may have doubted
whether she had real talent, but her
parents didn't, nor did Eddie Foy and
others with whom she tramped the con.
tincnt. The pondcrous "Bcn Hur" was
included in the list Of things she did
before she finally emerged into the
select circle of Cotham's theatrical
society. AS stock actress--a leading
woman-she appeared in Just about
everything ever written, liking nothing
better than the Doris Keane role in
Edward Sheldon's Romance"
Her Broadway activity is not a new
story. She met Austin Strong one DAY
and he spoke to her about "Three
Wise Fools" She later found herself
reading the girls part to Winchc.l
Smith and John l.. Golden at the
Golden Offices. Her reading won the
part for her, and She stuck TO it
through the long New York run and the
long road engagement that followed
Then there came another stock cr..
eagemcnt, and The Triumph CT X"
"1he Mad Dog" "priftinz" and mean
descents in Forty-eighth Str-et.