THE AMATEUR STAGE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 14, 11 October 1932, Page 6

THE AMATEUR STAGE

Character Make-up: Facial Changes

(By

Victor S. Lloyd.)

Once upon a. time for some incomprehensible reason it was always the youngest actor in touring companies who was expected-to play old men parts. Nowadays the tendency is all for casting to type. Old men parts are played by elderly men, Jews by Jews, Spaniards by men who are swarthy by nature, and so on. This Is the rule, but there are, of course, exceptions. One of the finest make-ups I remember was Matheson Lang’s “Mr. Wu.” Amateurs, with a limited field of actors to call upon, cannot always cast to type, which is, perhaps, just as well. The amateur actor to-day is frequently called upon to portray characters Which he does not resemble in the slightest. And this calls for skill in. character make-up. It is impossible in a short article to go thoroughly into the subject, much as I would like to, for I find character make-up most fascinating; all I can do is to pass on such few tips as I have gathered from professionals and experienced amateurs. Lon Chanev, who was generally admitted to be the world’s greatest master of make-up in his life-time, gave these directions:—

Shaping the nose, building up the cheek-bones, blotting out the eyebrows, and making the eyelids heavy can best be accomplished by the use of some nose putty. To puff out the face, cotton wool is inserted between the teeth ' and the cheeks. r This material is also used for making "bags” under the eyes; cut into a crescent shape, affix with spirit-gum, and paint over, making a little olive oil with the paint. To broaden the nose, negro-style, cut three-eigbth inch ends of two rubber cigar holders, and insert into nostrils. For scars, brush on collodion. For v.ery old age, a thin coat of putty can be applied to the face and lines graved into it with a sharp point for criss-crossing deep wrinkles. Trace the lines with red watercolours. Do not line the eyes. Make shadows with colour a little darker than the foundation, and where face would sink the most make the shadow darkest, always keeping in mind the anatomy of the face. For Chinese make-up use bits of library mending tissue to draw back the corners of the eyes, thus giving a slant to them. Cover with “ground” colour. Then paint eyebrows with upward tilt. A number of thin dark lines downwards from the inner corners of the eyes and upwards from the outer corners accentuate the slant. « Beards should be made with crepe hair a little lighter in shade than the natural hair. Comb Out well, press in a book, cut off a straight edge, and pfter applying spirit-gum on the face, attach the straight edge to the face and trim with scissors to the required shape. To grev the hair starch or aluminium powder should be applied- The latter is better, but much harder to wash out. "Polished. Brass” bronze powder sold by paint stores will "blonde” a brunette. For the Negro, use medium-brown grease-paint, not burnt cork. Cover the lips with "ground” colour, and build them up with cotton or false teeth from the inside. Do not use a. wig. but clip the hair and cover the head with brown grease-paint.

Some of Lou Chaney's directions certainly seem a little drastic and thorough. I cannot see the roost en lfi us£ ' astic amateur clipping all his hair o so as to play a negro realistically. But I have given his advice because it will serve to show to what lengths an actor will go to serve his art. Thoroughness is one of the secrets of character makeup, but by thoroughness I do not mean plastering the face with grease-paint. Environment has a great deal to do with physical appearance. White men who have lived In tropical countries have a general sallowness of complexion. Outdoor characters in a temperate climate develop a general ruddiness of complexion. Indoor characters have a pale complexion. Health Is another factor to be considered. An elderly but healthy man or woman has a pink and white complexion, unhealthy people are sallow. A bookish person with a ruddy complexion is just as incongruous as a pale-faced country squire—yet I have seen both on the amateur stage. The dominant characteristic of the person being portrayed should be carefully considered, and indicated in the make-up. Sensuality calls for full lips, a large mouth and baggy eyes. Intellectuality can be indicated by making the eyes appear deep-set and piercing. Craftiness and greed demand close-set eyes; meanness, thin lips and nose. From time immemorial villains have been dark and heroines fair. Racial Characteristics. Racial characteristics are Important. Germans, Dutchmen, Swedes, Norwegians and Danes are slow-moving, and generally have round, full faces. Jews are dark and have a hooked, nose and full lips. Chinese and Japanese have almond-shaped eyes—Lon Chaney shows how to achieve these. Japanese are as a rule slightly browner than Chinese. Eastern Jews, Turks, Persians, Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese are sallow or yellowish in complexion. Russians vary considerably: from the heavy, ponderous Nordic type to the quick, inscrutable, sallow Mongolian type. When putting on a beard thought should be given to the way it would naturally grow and be trained and trimmed. Frenchmen’s, Russians’, Englishmen’s, Jew’s, and Persian's beards are quite different from Ono another. It is absolutely essential when making up a» a foreigner to have a good reference, photographic if possible, to guide you. Perhaps the most frequently required, yet one of the most difficult make-ups for the amateur, is that of old age. Apart from altered colouring, age produces changes in the shape of the face, wrinkles appear, bones become more prominent, and the temples are sunk in, while the eyes become deeper set. Wrinkles should be carefully studied; they run from nose to mouth, round the jaw, and beneath the chin, across the top of the nose, and round the eyes; on tlie forehead they are both vertical and horizontal. The muscles and organs of the neck become prominent and give the neck a scraggy look. Malting of Wrinkles. While wrinkles are important, it is advisable to'depend more on the light and shade of the ground colouring to alter the shape of the face and to superimpose tlie cadaverousness of old age on the plumpness of youth. Every hollow should b 6 accompanied with a high light, one should never be painted without the other. Use number 3$ and 5 greasepaint for the ground colour, and lake and blue for the hollows, bring up high lights on cheek bones, chin, nose, and forehead. Add a touch of carmine to the summit of the cheek bones. Sink in the eyes with a covering of lake on the eyelids. Load the eyebrows ■with number 3 or 3$ (not white), and brush the brows downwards. Cover the

lips with ground colour and a<fd the faintest suggestion of lake to the lower lip. Hollows under the eyes should not be forgotten—use lake and blue. Draw in the wrinkles carefully, not forgetting the highlights. L'se brown, lake or blue put on with an orange stick. A touch of lake inside the nostrils helps. Hair should be powdered and finished off with a few streaks of white grease paint at the sides and top. Get someone else to make up the back of your head and neck—you won’t be able to do this yourself, and the back view is almost as important as the front. Do not stop out teeth unless you have ■to; if you have, then use black enamel, but be sure to allow it to dry before your lips touch it. Wigs are a nuisance, and, unless they fit perfectly, never look convincing. Use your own hair when you can. and remember hair always looks lighter under stage lights. Do not try to put crepe hair on top of greasepaint; and paint into the hair when it has been affixed. If you have any feeling for your fellow actors, do not use wet-whitc. Ordinary powder will serve just as well, and is not nearly so difficult to remove from clothing with which it has come into contact. In any kind' of character make-up do not overlook hands and wrists and neck.

And, finally, just this extra hint. It is not much use making up your face to look old if the rest of your body doesn’t look old. Try and feel the age you are supposed to be, learn to slow down movement and gesture. Move hands, head, feet, and eyes slowly. You need not shuffle and hold a stick with one hand while your other supports your kidneys. Elderly people as a rule try to conceal their stiffness, and their age is mainly indicated by a reluctance of the muscles in answering the commands of the brain. Wellington Activities.

: The Wellington Players are busy rehearsing a group of three one-act plays which they are to present at the Blue Triangle Hall on November 1,2, and 3. Miss Elizabeth Blake, their producer, has been so occupied with work in connection with the British Drama League throughout New Zealand that this will

bo the only appearance of the Wellington Players this season. The three plays to be presented are widely different' in character and range from light comedy to drama. They arq "The Mother of Judas,” by 11. de Zylinltzki, "The Simple Sketch,” by Mary Kelly, and "The Actress,” by Vernon Sylvaine, author of the prize-ivinning play "The Road of Poplars.” "The Marquise,” by. Noel Coward was read by the Wellington Repertory Theatre last Tuesday. The next Repertory production will be "Milestones,” the great play by Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock. Rehearsals are under way, and the play will be presented toward the end of next month.

Notes from Other Centres. A combined reading of plays by mantas of the four W.E.A. Reading Circles was held on Thursday last in the Knox Hall, Danuevirke, before a large number of friends. Number 1 Circle read “In the Tunnel,” a tragedy by Roy Jordan: number 2 Circle read "Five Birds in a> Cage,” a comedy by Gertrude Jennings; number 3 Circle read “It’s the Poor that Helps the Poor,” a cockney drama, by Harold Chapin; and number 4 Circle read "The House with the Twisty Windows,” by Mary Pakington. The plays were all attractively presented, and were thoroughly enjoyed by those present. After the

reading, Mr. E. N. Hogben reviewed the year’s activities. He hoped that members would consider holding a drama festival of their own next year on similar lines to those held recently in Hastings and Wellington, which had been so successful. Hamilton Is another centre that is considering holding a festival next year, and hopes are being entertained of establishing a repertory theatre in the district. The Hamilton Playbox had a most successful reading last week of John van Druten’s play “London Wall,” in which Marie Ney made such a favourable impression on the London critics with her interpretation of the part of Miss Janus, the typist. The Shakespeare Club read John Drinkwafer's comedy "Bird in Hand” a few days ago. Stage Managers and Producers. “Amateur Stage Management and Production,” by* Charles S. Parsons, is one of the best books on the subject I have ever read. It 'deals very comprehensively with production, stage-management, scenery, stage noises (a splendid chapter this), make-up, psychological effect of colour, stage-lighting, and dramatic copyright. There are no less than eighty-four illustrations nnd diagrams. Mr. Parsons is a qualified electrical engineer which accounts for the very detailed and expert information on the making and installation of electrical apparatus for the stage. The boolt is published by Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., London.