Word: overacting
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...time when he played in the first Harvard Dramatic Club presentation "The Land of Promise," in which he took the part of a starving Russian, he said: "As I look back at that time when I was still a Freshman, I realize that my natural tendency was to overact, to keep moving constantly, thus detracting from my own effectiveness as well as that of others. This overacting, as compared with the repressed playing which is necesary in the usual modern stage productions, charactizes the differences between amateur and professional work. By this, however, I do not mean to cast...
...other years drawn tears of laughter from his audience: but as the old man in "False Pretences", the sniffs and nose-blowings which he caused were of a different character. The pathetic old man was a sentimental character in a very sentimental play; but Mr. Clive did not quite overact, the rest of the company was not over-sentimental--Miss Standing had ample opportunity, but over-sentimentality is a rare thing with her--and the great American public likes sentiment, anyway...
...other parts were exceptionally well taken. First and foremost the acting of Max Montesole as "Patrick Griggs" stands out. As a cultivated and altogether lovable, if none too clear-witted Irishman--the trusted friend of Vivian Hunt (Miss Anglin) through all her trouble--he had many chances to overact which he scrupulously avoided. Indeed the entire cast was notable for its restraint. Mary Courtney (Marion Barney) played with conspicuous naturalness, while Harry Barfoot as "Papa Bonelli" gave some excellen character touches. All that can be done to "put the play across" the company does, and we can only place ourselves...