1. art and entertainment
2. theatre

How
to
the
Get
on
Stage
How
Get
to
How
And
the
on
to
Stage
There
Succeed
By
Leopold Wagner
Author
Roughing
-it on
'
the
Stage,'
Pantomimes
'
and
The
All
of
Stage
About
with
the
Them,'
London
Chatto
fef Windus
1899
Curtain
etc.
Raised,'
Preface
have
YEARS
book
little
the
;
much
and
'
a
fall
a
prey
conjunction
It
on
the
a
daily
on
philosopher,
with
'How
distinct
the
is
to
want.
Get
a
and
friend,1
it
hoped,
is
and
real
readily
Studied
in
'Roughing-
record
the
lack
for
they
volume,
faithful
actors
but
schemer.
Nothing
is
aspirants
increase,
on
of
out
subject
becoming
companion
which
been
and,
the
professional
the
to
Stage,'
experiences,
supply
are
guide,
of
desirous
theatrical
the
same
Dramatic
purpose.
amateurs
actresses
the
by
favour
time
exhaustively,
more
of
some
work
present
better
talented
for
now
That
public.
utmost
lights
leading
has
much
treated
of
it
the
In
print.
the
the
the
with
Stage
the
to
with
received
and
profession
issued
first
was
was
press
to
'
Raised
Curtain
'The
since
along
sped
of
should
Stage'
further
actual
be
need
L.
W.
Contents
PAOB
'
The
The
'
the
Play's
Stage-struck
Poor
The
The
of
4,
-
of
Undesirable
Private
the
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Stage
_
-
The
24
-
-
-
-
.
_
-
26
Theatricals
A
Profession
-
Playgoer
Seat
in
as
the
-
_
-
v.
Infelicitous
-34
'
Orchestra
-
_
-35
Story
Stage-Fright
of
-
-
-
-
-
-
_
-
-
-
_
-
Novices
First
a
Appearances
-
-
38
39
40
Debut
-
29
-32
Actor-Musicians
Amateurs
The
_
-
Critic
-
Modem
-
-
Private
and
17
21
-
-
by
-12
'
Clubs
Players
-
15
Duped
Theatres
Amateur
Roughed-it
Aspirants
are
to
10
-
-
have
Aspirants
Steps
-
g
Stage
who
Aspirants
.
.
Failure
the
on
Mistakes
First
-
6
Actors
How
1
-
-
Hero
-
Romance
Modern
!'
'
Players
Roughing-it
'
Thing
41
44
-
.
viii
Contents
PAGE
The
"
-
The
Ladies
and
One-Line
Wri
'
Bottom
-
-
-
-
-
Touring Companies
Disadvantagesof
The
The
The
The
Stage
'
Stage
Stage
_
-
-
-
'
'
'
At
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
_
Part
-
-
-
Slang
-
The
The
The
60
65
71
73
75
77
80
84
-
-
Properties
and
'
-
Business
'
a
'
-
-
85
-
91
-
'
-
-
Part
Lines
87
-
'
Wheezes
-
-
of Business
Novice-Actor
Rehearsal
Customs
58
-62
92
-
-
-
.
in the
-
of the
Bogus Manager
Commonwealth
Seamy
Side
Study
-
-
Theatre
-
-
System
of the
gg
'
-
The
57
'
Creating
Mistaken
54
-
-
-
Directions
Actors'
Gags
-
-
Touring System
5 1
'
Coach
a
49
-53
Fit-up Tour
Professional
'
Times
Experimental Matinee
'
48
-
-
Repertoire Company-
Memorizing
'
-
the
-
-
-
Many
-
-
-
Rung
Part
-
-
-
Managers
to
-
'
Gentlemen
Understudies
Playing a
-45
-
-
Actor
ting-in
The
-
-
Stage 'Super'
Extra
'
-
'
Parts
Walking
The
'
Chorus
Opera
Profession
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
99
102
104
107
109
112
1 14
Contents
ix
PAGE
Actors'
Landladies
117
-
Adventures
off
the
Stage
Choosing
Professional
a
121
-
-
-
Name
123
-
Actors'
Superstitions
-
The
Theatre
'
-
Cat
-
The
-
Missing
-
129
132
-
-
-
'
Word
136
-
-
Stage
Stumbles
-
138
-
The
of
Value
an
Impromptu
Wit
140
-
'Doubling'
-
Portable
141
-
144
-
-
-
Salaries
-
'
-
Theatre
-
Actors'
-
Parts-
The
-
'
Making-up
for
the
-
-
-152
-
Stage
155
-
-
Benefits
160
-
-
_
-
Calls
before
the
Curtain
162
-
The
Green
-
-
-
Baize
166
-
-
The
Dramatic
Personal
-
Illusion
-
The
-
168
-
-
-
Paragraph
172
-
Concluding
Remarks
-
173
-
How
Get
to
The
'
THE
dwellers
the
over
remote
theatrical
prosaic
walk
have
at
not
struck.
some
the
he
is
a
his
bewailed
ambition
homewards
the
occasion
can
period
of
a
his
together
c
to
himself
few
be
their
on
at
loudly
of
the
dead
apparel,
mortals
been
the
We
conviction
reciting
the
who
newsagent
As
night,
the
to
gratify
strolled
we
he
his
by
opportunities
of
stage-
made
once
stage.
of
that
entranced
cherishes
his
applause
lives
youth
the
fret
gay
the
a
from
and
in
merit
many
him
strut
in
ing
wander-
a
of
head
middle-aged
lack
of
seducing
actor.
by going
by
the
who
play
born
of
acquaintance
There
only
not
to
bitterly
and
speeches,
visit
that
in
spell
magic
Even
visit
the
turns
its
towns.
chance
stage,1 disport
is
It
the
!'
cast
and
daily life,
groundlings.
the
first
his
heroic
declaim
cities
Stage
Thing
always
succeeds
of
the
upon
in
company
often
and
hour
has
places
country
native,
the
Play's
profession
actor's
the
on
improved
Closet
Scene
1
How
2
Get
to
Stage
lamp, until his performance
was
rudelyinterruptedby an irate householder
pouringthe contents of the water-jugon his offending
Whether
that disappointednewsagent would
head.
from
Hamlet
have
made
to
under
the
on
street
a
his mark
as
actor
an
attempt
say.
That
so
persons
many
drift
into
commonplace
in their
puritanical
and
occupations,
eventuallyturn
stage, or, if they
of the
views
extreme, allow
the
the attractions
of
a
will not
we
fair vision
of
their
Others
interest
ardent
to
that
evidence
no
unfolded
to
playgoersto
the
be
must
mimetic
real
the
last that
the
from
them
never
in the drama
devoted
joyous hours
in
become
this
to
go
wean
was
days, forgettingat
of their
secret
not
playhouse,is
of theatrical fame
their minds.
end
of life to
cares
the
do
art
sought
when
the dramatic
juvenilerecitation,
duologue,and the school play are thingswhich lie at
that in after-yearsgive so
the root
of aspirations
life was
recruits
many
and
The
young.
dramatic
to
the
ranks.
theatrical
critics have
in
almost
pursuitsto
literary
recreative
for the
play. The
theatre, too, has
produced
their future
Dramatists
all
cases
owed
youthful fondness
of a toy
direction
a
some
of
our
most
successful stage-managers.
Not
time
a
few
of
the
most
admired
developedtheir earlytaste
influences very
at the
convents
far removed
where
from
actresses
for the
drama
of
our
amid
the theatre,namely,
they received
their education.
dramatic entertainments
superintended
periodical
by the gentle Sisterhood within convent walls are in
The
Play'sthe Thing
The
"
respects excellent.
all
!'
Beerbohm
Mrs.
part in a Greek play before Mr.
her Queen's Collegedays,while to
3
took
Tree
Gladstone
Mr.
during
F. R.
Benson
assignedthe organizationof the Greek
produced at Oxford Universityin his time.
plays
was
the other hand, there
On
St.
and
those who, like Miss
are
late
the
nessed
witGeorge Barrett, never
until they entered
dramatic
a
representation
and had
the theatre professionally,
perforceto nurse
th eir ambition
by stealth. In their case, as in that
of many
others,the dramatic instinct was
assuredly
inborn; despiteevery obstacle,they ultimately
won
their way to success
the boards.
on
Supportersof
the
Church
and
Stage Guild would
probably be
Cyr
astonished
were
and
actors
the
who
actresses
of them
some
not
modern
the
of clergyoffspring
men,
all kindlydisposedtowards
are
at
Kyrle Bellew,
Bellew, the
until
coil.
Mr.
never
father
Wilson
but
one
the
Barrett
the
had
of
wrath
predilections,
yet
of
he
M.
his
fession
pro-
theatre,while
his
plays and
into
way
then
players.
to see a play,
the gallery
of
and
there vowed
Mr.
cited
exHenry Howe
parents by his dramatic
actor.
did
deferred
dramatic
allowed
never
his
a
of
Theatre, and
an
C.
relates that his mother
hater
was
J.
shuffled off this mortal
night he foughthis
become
Rev.
the
enter
inside
intense
the old Princess's
would
to
George Alexander
an
Mr.
of the
son
public reader,
his father
seen
was
a
eminent
desire
long-disputed
he
of
stage.
Mr.
had
made
enumeration
an
not
hesitate
to
1-" 2
forsake
How
4
the
ancestral
Mr.
Henry
as
army
mansion
alternative
offered
was
prompted him
the only
as
As
his
to
means
well
follow
to
his bent.
commission
from
his father's
assistance.
late Arthur
the
tion
determina-
stage, a
him
in
The
same
Cecil,whose
a
wholesale
fathers
professionof the law,
break away from parentalrestraint
of becoming an
in real
actor
might we expect the incomingtide
recede at the word
stage
the
Stage
theatricals,and
amateur
for
the
the
to
oft-needed
and
passion for
to
a
entirelyalienated
sympathies
earnest.
order
declined
alternative
which
the
on
in
Neville
an
distaste
Get
to
to
of
command
those
who
as
are
strive to interdict
naturallyfitted
for it.
The
The
born
different genus
is
Hero.
Stage-struck
actor, however, belongs to
to the average
unquestionablyin
that
the
latter first
stage-fever.
'
the
It
The
gaudy
writes the author
of
The
players,'
of a StrollingPlayer,'
Confessions
an
amusing little
work
publishedin 1858, the beautiful scenery, the
brilliant light from
thousand
a
lamps, the fitful
pleasureof the moment, and the admiringaudience
in their gay dresses,like peacocks in the sun, no
doubt lay siegeto the senses
of youthful beholders,
of leapinginto
and tempt them to entertain notions
which
that mysterious region from
they are only
separatedby the green baize.'
attire
of
the
totally
hero.
stage-struck
the theatre
infected with
becomes
a
'
'
The
then
Since
Hero
Stage-struck
many
things have
happened
5
in
the
world, and the green baize has almost
is as rampant as
the stage-fever
disappeared; still,
theatrical
when
In these days particularly,
ever.
theatrical
mise
never
en
has
scene
of
dreamt
when
degree of perfection
palmy days of the drama,
fashionable,and 'Green-
attained
in
the
a
acting has become
Room
feature,
Gossip1 forms a regular newspaper
stage-struckheroes are legion. Unfortunately,it
is only the picturesqueaspect of the actor's profession
that comes
into the purview of the masses
;
record
the seamy
side is studiously
The
withheld.
of long and
patient struggleswith adversityis
of the ubiquitous
committed
to the notebook
never
interviewer.1
and
Only now
again, at a festive
banquet,when tongues are loosened by a pervading
facts
hard
do
such
feeling of good-fellowship,
reach the public ear, and then they are
set forth
in that highly romantic
fashion which
invests them
with an
added
glory. Of the uphillfightof our
newest
those who
actors
have but lately
their
won
hear little or nothing; it would
way to the goal we
if they wish
it to be inferred that by a
seem
as
sudden
stroke of genius they stepped at once
into
such
is not
be
the
popularity. That
case
can
attested by those who
much
actors
move
among
'
"
"
and
their confidence.
Generallyspeaking,if
they cannot
lay claim to a strolling
experiencein
the past, they have been before the publicfor
years
in very subordinate
positionsere the opportunity
presenteditself of making a palpablehit.
possess
How
Get
to
'Poor
where
Go
Stage
Players/
will,in
one
the
on
town
country,the
or
player' of tradition is always in evidence.
low
of high and
degree perambulate the
which
means
daily,because they are 'resting,'
they are working very hard to procure an
while
;
booth
on
Richardson's
modern
or
thrusts
gaff,'
itself upon
climbed
ladder
the
fightfor
foothold
a
of
Fame
bottom
the
waste
Those
Strand
that
ment
engage-
portable
its foot,never
rungs
penny
who
have
lessly
cease-
maintaining
could
"
6
who
those,too,
"
poor
Actors
show, yclepta
the view.
placeat
a
the
on
suburban
a
many
*
tale unfold
a
that would
the
on
quench any ordinaryenthusiasm
Nor
part of the aspirant for theatrical renown.
is the race
of the
strollers by any means
extinct.
We
accustomed
to persuade ourselves that the
are
so
improved condition of the stage has changed the
'
'
lot for the
actor's
item
like the
A
THEATRICAL
of
reported that
the
who,
If
a
the
among
it is
manager.
penny
we
were
substitute
'
us
occasional
an
:
by surprise
EXPERIENCES.
Guardians
of
At
"
meeting
a
Friday, it
on
occupants
seven
news-
the
members
of
was
tramp ward
a
theatrical
alleged,had been left destitute by a
They were
respectablydressed, but
found
was
barnstorming
*
of
Board
'
bogus
only
'
COMPANY'S
previous evening
company
'
followingtakes
Salford
the
better, that
among
the modern
the
c
seven.
*
fit-uptour
of old, it will be
found
Lloyd'sWeekly Newspaper, December
on
'
for the
inquiry
1, 1895
8
How
St.
John's
Get
to
Wood
on
the
Stage
South
Kensington, but the
dinners, dubious
meagre
or
genuine article,with its
beds, and importunate landladies."1
The
Yet
Romance
it cannot
be
there
hardships,
attraction
youths
others
seek
*
denied
that,
in
spite of
all
is
in the
Many
of Failure.
something akin to a mesmeric
vagabondism of the strolling
player.
run
away
bubble
the
from
home
to
to
go
sea
;
reputationin the cannon's
mouth
perhaps,attach themselves to the
; stillmore,
first ramshackle
Temple of Thespis that offers them
scope for imagined glory. A settled state in a first'
class engagement
daily round
London
clerk.
of
is
a
No
as
City
kind
devoid
of incident
Alderman
of
or
as
is the
the
average
dull as the
readingis so
barren
record of performances,albeit that
generallyoverlooked
by the chronicler of
fact
is
things
theatrical.
Actors'
lives are
interestingonly in
proportion as they have roughed-it in their early
days. The
a
adage that
man
Poverty makes
is abundantly
acquainted with strange bedfellows,'
in the lower ranks of the dramatic
exemplified
fession
proand
moving accidents by flood and field,'
;
adventures
thrill and
grave and gay, that alternately
set the table on
the monopoly of the
a
roar, are
whilom
unfortunate.
The
of prosperityare
sweets
much
so
as
appreciatedby none
by those who have
tasted the bitterness of discouragementand failure.
It is not given to
every giftedhistrion to enjoywhat
'
c
The
is called
of
6
a
his
of
road
which
fallen.
The
of
according
the
devotee.
commanded
undeceived.
boards
to
when
obtain
after
of actual
nothing
taken
of
years
into
social
advancement
endeavour.
to
The
through
pass
trials and
can
the
be
regarded
sacrifices
most
actresses
the
as
rule.
work,
to
the
spheres
compensating
a
be
part built
The
leaping
made.
up
on
a
exceptional
into
of
to
say
rived
de-
be
human
generally
have
salaries
the
on
possibilities
the
actors
quite
all this
when
but
long apprenticeship,
perforce to
failures.
prove
a
is
It
of
we
success,
hard
other
gifted
most
privations,ere
is for the
and
in
quickly
position
with
comparison
be
to
are
emoluments
the
account,
is not
having.
and
or
man
extraordinary
of
bodily suffering;
scarcely bear
of
study
worst
opportunities
of
subordinate
a
and
the
by
stage
speak
we
positions worth
to
and
mediocre
are
rough
best
possession
talents
the
stumbled
the
years
varying
have
and
the
on
the
And
refer
possible
is
Success
whose
those
of
along
embraced
be
talents
the
to
the
once
can
without
ability;
course
is at
the
during
toil
to
pilgrims
that
paid profession
woman,
fated
many
stage
9
large majority,
ability,are
so
Failure
engagement
The
probation.
on
'
comfortable
degrees
of
Romance
and
many
command
they
set-off
against
Theatrical
success
foundation
of
instances
popularity
at
of
once
peated
re-
actors
only
How
io
Get
to
the
on
Roughing-it on
Let
names
words"
of the
cull from
us
a
known
the
'familiar
are
the
in
Stage
Stage.
lives of actors
men's
mouths
whose
household
as
few of their
past
that their
Those
dearly-bought
experiences.
detain us, since all are aware
scarcely
need
to eminence
path
Edmund
Kean
tramped
was
far from
about
the
a
rosy
one.
country
for
was
slung the bundle that
years, his sword, on which
his scanty wardrobe, over
contained
his shoulder,
acting in barns, recitingin public-houses,
teaching
even
fencing and dancing once
engaging in a bout
with a noted
of
pugilist resortingto all manner
shifts for his dailybread.
On
occasion
he set
one
with
his wife to walk
out
from
Birmingham to
to help
Swansea, furnished with but a few shillings
him
the journey ; while, worse
than
on
all, his
in no
devoted
fit state of health to
companion was
the fatigue. At York,' says Barton
endure
Baker
in
Our
Old Actors,1alludingto another
ill-starred
So extreme
engagement, 'he arrived utterlydestitute.
he presented himself
his need
that
for
was
"
"
'
'
enlistment
as
a
the
common
soldier, but
the
officer
regiment good-naturedlydissuaded
his wife had
than once
him from the project. More
knelt
down
by the bedside of her half-famished
children,and prayed that they and herself might be
released from their sufferings
at once
by death.1
in his starvingdays,
In like desperationMunden,
he met
the
on
once
implored a militiaman whom
attached
to
the
Roughing-iton
highroad
him
take
to
billeted,and
give
promising to
morning. By
enrol
comedian
vanished.
had
he
first went
to
fast for
Baker
himself
he
us,
be called upon
When
the
at
was
ebb
his
of
was
while
studying
he might
play.1
to
tragedian,
American
Forrest, the
Edwin
when
it
what
parts which
enthusiasm
artful
stretch,yet, as
a
'all the
was
the
in
Mathews,
knew
stage,often
twenty-fourhours at
the
on
undiminished
never
elder
The
bed,
the
however,
time,
was
a
comrade
a
as
he
and
supper
some
that
informs
with
him
1 1
where
inn
the
to
Stage
himself
found
fortunes, he
benighted in the vicinityof a little roadside inn.
for the accomWith
to pay
modation,
just sufficient money
he gladlytook a bed there.
Waking up
in broad
surprisedto discover
daylight,he was
another
wayfarer surveying him from the opposite
The
bed.
two
men
glared at each other for a
few minutes, then
quietlycomposed themselves for
another
considerable
After
a
lapse of time,
nap.
ventured
Forrest
stranger!1
'Guess
Still,neither
of
rise.
I guess
to-day?1 said
'
Can't
set
it
them
me
Forrest,
the
you
'
made
Time
the
is,1was
intend
'
say I'm
observe,
to
the
to
least
make
a
cast-iron
hurry ;
to
tracks
long
guess
boldly,and, tucking the counterpane under
Tell
you
what
waiting for
you
to
get
'
interval.
you
might
length
his
it is,stranger: Fve
up
first,because
to
time
some
reply. At
his
journey, sat
resume
exclaimed,
up,
attempt
the
example,1 was
anxious
get
rejoinder.
curt
Forrest, after another
in
to
I
up
chin,
been
didn't
How
12
want
'
to
you
Then
turn
out
at
become
famous
a
Even
the
concomitant
'That's
different
of his
John
great
enjoyed a
you
back
!'
before ?'
so
say
just my
let's
case;
travellers met
circumstances
popularity;
actor
dinner
Kemble
of
miseries
road
'
brother
shirt to my
:
the
Forrest
other had
judge.
travellingthe rough
Come
Drury Lane.
a
a
Stage
later these two
Years
very
zenith
the
got
couldn't
other.
!'
now
under
again
was
the
the
on
I haven't
see
the tarnation
why
thundered
Get
to
who
with
suifered
chronic
a
which
for weeks
poverty
led
finally
me,' he said
complained
'
all the
that
I know
one
he
while
him
to
day
to
had
not
placewhere
eat as much
as
you can
you like,and have nothing
to pay.' The
hungry actor was
only too delighted
at the prospect. Presentlyhis guide drew up at the
'There!'
he exclaimed.
to a turnip-field.
entrance
Make
here
dined
haste to begin; I have
myself
;
a
'
many
a
time
Modern
But
to
!'
who
Actors
descend
at
once
have
to
our
Roughed-it.
own
day.
Sir
Henry Irving'sinitial engagement on the boards
honorarium
of
the not very satisfactory
represented
that
Most
ten shillings
a week.
playgoersare aware
he had a hard tussle with fortune during the long
period of fifteen years ere he captured the public
in
with his marvellous
impersonation of Matthias
found
he that he frequently
So poor was
The Bells.
for
his landlady'sdemands
himself unable
to meet
board
who
Actors
Modern
have
Roughed-it 1 3
and
that
secret
lodging. It is an
open
Sir Henry has a privatelist of humble
pensioners
who regularly
receive a substantial cheque in recognition
of kindnesses meted out to him in his struggling
days. Pleasant also it is to reflect that he allowed
Leopold Lewis, the adapterof the play in which he
his mark, a life-long
first made
pension such as puts
of martial heroes to shame.
treatment
our
country's
Another
eminent
school,
actor, of the romantic
of
after playing a round
leading parts without
receivinghis dues at the week's end, persuaded his
to
manager
important
resident
he
event
scenic
take
to
enlisted
artist to
benefit.
a
services
the
touch
old
some
up
this
For
of
the
scenery.
benefit took
The
place,but it did not put much
into the pockets of the beneficiaire.
A
day
later the artist in distemper ventured
to
money
two
or
allow him
present
his little bill at
breakfast-time.
the
found
He
unfashionable
the
hour
and
actor
of
another
player on the point of sittingdown to the
repast. Mr. Blank thus addressed his visitor : You
before you a couple of able-bodied
see
about
men
breakfast
to
frugallyon one herring. It is very
certain we
shall not have any dinner,and I doubt
poor
'
very
much
be very
whether
plain to
present to
The
me.1
*
the
Our
scenic
do not
pay
artist
that I
you
you
get any
tea ;
in
not
am
for the work
so
positionat
a
have
you
it must
done
for
retired.*
gracefully
authorityfor
artist
shall
we
the
himself.
citation
The
actor
the incident.
In his absence
feel warranted
in
of this anecdote
has
gotten
probably for-
from
mentioning his
is
name.
England
we
How
14
Edward
Mr.
were
the
manager
best
as
could
wax
If there is
wiles
the
who
comedian
little theatre
handsome
Stage
to
company
they could.
eloquent on
it is the
manager,
the
on
in the proTerry'searlyexperiences
fession
Time
after time
immeasurably dismal.
decamped with the week's receipts,
unfortunate
leaving his
town
Get
to
his
of
get
one
of
now
of the
out
actor
who
the
bogus
rejoicesin a
Mr.
own.
Arthur
thirty years'*
experienceof the
stage,during nearly two-thirds of which he passed
to the strolling
through all the vicissitudes common
actor.
Once, after being burnt out of a promising
Williams
he
engagement,
who
had
has
declared
soon
very
whereupon
expedient
fell in
with
a
unable
himself
playerof many
walking back
his pocket. The
the
of
manager
to pay
parts was
London
to
Dover,
at
salaries,
put
to the
with
just
late
George Barrett
the country for years, taking what
knocked
about
engagements he could, but rarelyreceivingthe full
of salary he
not
amount
bargained for. It was
always as an actor that he found employment ; often
himself with comic
he contented
a
singingto earn
Mark
Mr.
crust.
so
disgustedwith
Kinghorne was
of a depleted treasurythat he
repeated experiences
forsook the drama
to take up the rough-and-tumble
in a travelling
wards
business of clown
circus,and afterThat, of course, was
joined a ghost show.
has
well-known
who
A
actor
latterly
years ago.
the operaticstage
with considerable
met
success
on
twopence
was
at
one
in
time
threatened
having passed three
whole
with
actual
[days without
starvation,
food.
In
1
6
How
enables
him
Get
to
the
on
Stage
under
fightthe good fightvalorously
to
all circumstances,and
makes
beginnings. Those who are
fever alone invariably
covet
him
with
content
smitten
with
humble
the
leadingparts
stage-
from
the
first.
And
that
here, before proceedingfurther,let
the
which
always the
not
are
motives
with
most
on
with
a
such
work,
three
stage constitutes
the
are
know
real
the
incentives.
that that which
daily
confront
hours1
sum
satisfac
dis-
a
of his
the newspapers,
a
actor
often
Too
monotony
seeing his name
glory of
the hoardingsand in
pleasing idea that
traffic of the
actor's
laudable.
would-be
the humdrum
avocation,the
him
the
actuate
observe
us
together
nightly
total of
Little
is
an
does
"*
seemingly play
is nothing short of
kind friends in front
to the
vexation
of
hard labour, coupled with vanity and
behind
disenchantment
the footlights.The
spirit,
home
who
have
of the stage soon
to those
comes
found
the
for a brief term
employment behind
a
one
'
'
4
scenes.
An
ex-dresser
at
one
of the London
theatres
thus
impressionsof Stageland: I never
could
the delight of looking beautiful for an
see
hour
two
or
night,perspiringif you are a
every
envied
and hated by your neighbours if you
man,
I have watched
a popular low comedian
are
a woman.
off half dead, mopping his forehead ; while his
come
looked lovelyenough,
wife,engaged in the same
piece,
the fatiguing
in the wings.' Then
but stood shivering
rehearsals in town, the ever-recurring
Sunday travelsums
up
her
*
How
Aspirantsare
Duped
17
ling,packing and unpacking of one's belongings,
cheerless lodgings,insanitarydressing-rooms,and
other
incidentals of the touring system, largelydiscount
of acting at night/
the allegedexcitement
'
How
the
Perhaps
invasion
Aspirantsare
potent factor in the latter-day
unfit is the
stage by the absolutely
most
of the
advertisement
familiar newspaper
DRAMATIC
ASPIRANTS
not
:
required immediately
Salaried
tour.
Duped.
Previous
engagement.
for
tended
ex-
experience
necessary.
A
moment's
conclusion
would
thought
that
there
is
surelylead
in this than
more
Without
to
meets
the
the
'previous experience'' there is a
smack
of tautology in the expression the search
for employment in any walk of life is generallybeset
eye.
"
"
with
difficulties.
How
much
the like conditions,must
a
'
salaried engagement
are
into
themselves
from
poses
on
the
as
a
delusion
so
pocketsof
the
tour, and
be the
'
the
on
maidens
giddy youths and
manager
many
the
of
futile,
then, under
more
could
and
a
endeavour
stage !
to
As
obtain
scores
such
testify,
snare.
They
of
tisements
adverresolve
attempts to extract money
respondents. The advertiser
a
company
his desire is to
secure
'
shortlyto be set
people able and
'
willingto pay him a premium for a first appearance.
foolish enough to part with their
If they are
money,
they find,when too late,that the projectedtour is
1
8
How
and
myth,
a
Get
to
the
the
on
'
*
has
manager
Stage
suddenly changed
his address.
Playgoers may recollect the wholesale frauds on
dramatic
time
aspirantsperpetratedsome
ago by a
of
couple of adventurers
trading under the name
purposes/ In the end they
Terry for professional
durance
committed
to
were
vile, as they richly
In June, 1898, a self-styled
deserved.
actor
was
sentenced to twelve months1
imprisonment with hard
for
similar
labour
malpractices. His aider and
'
'
'
abettor
lent
To
was
her
from
said
having attempted
pretence
with
theatrical
a
touring
reports:
various
charged with
with
having obtained,
complainants on the
them
lucrative
obtain, and
touring
advertised
and
'
the money
as
guarantee
a
from
time
that there
accused
and
was
no
had
intention
bond-fide
on
female
A
but
.
under
.
.
recommended
newspaper
and obtained
The
with
the
which
the
woman
deposits
was
posed
sup-
postponed
part of the
complainants,
them
at
of
prosecution was
the
was
same
lent
fraudu-
under
time
one
rooms
and
He
at
nected
con-
the
Chesterton
they passed as
man
and
evidence
to the
as
gave
they had parted with their
jury found
the
from
was
touring company.
of witnesses
number
circumstances
money.
shared
money
Prisoner
Kensington,where
Road, South
wife.
theatrical
prisoner
case
contracts
obtained
a
it
the
representations.
with
1897, but
The
a
Novices/
for
The
fulfil their
to
they
November,
time.
to
in
'
the prosecutors in the form
of good faith.
The
company
in
start
to
engagements
called
company
Touring Company.'
They
the heading Amateurs
under
from
company.
prisoners were
from
the
money
of securing for
of
sums
the
to
who
actress,**
fictitious
the newspaper
Mathews
Mr.
the
to
name
quote
'well-known
soi-disant
a
both
to
prisoners Guilty/
'
mercy.
A
police-
How
Aspirantsare
sergeant informed
been
under
known
as
'
a
from
of
have
to
she
of the
Actors'
his
getting
belonged
to
Benevolent
own
appeared
have
to
The
prisoner.
hard
on
labour.
case
some
be
business with
been
the
woman,
She
had
was
inserted
she
account, but in the main
the influence of the male
under
acted
sentenced
was
on
of
the
the newspapers
instances
the
to
affecting
never
pose
purstated
was
the
to
woman
twelve
months'
postponed
was
sessions.
Another
In
the
own
Sentence
until the next
reportedin
her
latter
for
to
She
in 1 893.
of
obtained
respectableparents.
most
was
He
he
As
purposes.
married, but left her husband
advertisements
Fund
back, but
company
it for his
used
He
1892.
left a company
policesince
'
'
the
19
prisoner had
and had
manager,
stranded
at Northampton.
bogus
'
male
that the
court
the notice
eightwomen
money
the
Duped
honest
and
character
same
very
of September 3, 1898.
advertisingadventurer,
discusses
straightforward,
his visitor in these terms
on
about
was
'
:
If you
the stage,it is very clear you
can
have
know
acting; therefore, before you can
be taught. My
a
salary,
expect to earn
you must
fee for coaching you
will be "59 cash down.
As
I'll get you
salaried
as
are
soon
a
proficient,
you
engagement.' The would-be actor exchangeshis "5,
whatever
the stated sum
or
be, for a receipt.
may
He
studies a few soliloquies,
and
flatters himself he
is making capitalprogress, until very soon
the tutor
informs him that he is woefullydisappointedin him ;
make
In short,it would
he can
be
nothing of him.
And
the guileless
so
only wastingtime to continue.
findingthe law powerlessto assist him in
aspirant,
of having his money
the matter
refunded, returns
nothing
How
20
to his former
Get
the
tuition.
the
on
employment
be that he has
It may
for
to
come
a
wiser
up
Professional
'
Stage
and
a
sadder
to London
purposely
schemers
who
'
Dramatic
man.
systematically
Collegeof
Academy or
their wives letting
Elocution
the lodgings
are
many,
to country dupes. The
pupil is always got rid of on
his friends
the earliest opportunity,
unless,perchance,
in a position
to back up his aspirations
are
confessedly
with sufficient capital
for the
to go into management
sole profit. Should
adventurer's
it happen, however,
that he is naturallyfitted for a theatrical career, his
efforts to obtain
to the
a
legitimateintroduction
boards through the instrumentality
of such a
coach
mistaken.
would be altogether
have
the slightestinfluence
schemers
These
not
If they are
in the profession
known
with managers.
of their commercial
account
at all,it is scarcely
on
they could do to bring out
stability.The utmost
talented
a
pupil would be to make free with his
of a bogus tour.
for the organization
It is
money
occasional
from
opportunitiessuch as these that
spring into existence. The mere
bogus managers
fact of their advertisingin a popular newspaper
bespeakstheir anxietyto trade upon the weakness
from
of humanity, for their victims are mostly drawn
out
that largeclass of persons who, without
talent,withrun
a
'
'
'
c
'
'
look upon
the stage as
stage-struck,
of earning money,
and
pleasantmeans
easy and
free
to that
unfrequentlyas the open sesame
being
an
not
'
'
life ' which
with
even
men
the dramatic
and
women
of loose morals
profession.
c
associate
Undesirable
Aspirants
Undesirable
Aspirants.
21
people take
to the stage for ends that are
ignoble. They readily
of their vicious
spend their all for the gratification
pleasuresby purchasing an introduction to a fifthwhere
rate
touring company,
they think they can
It is
'
the
run
command
into
unhappily too
racket,'without
of
that
true
sufficient
the
least restraint.
to
means
small
many
enable
them
The
to
go
scale
only accentuates
the evil. Of course,
there are
always certain lowand
class actors
stage-managers willingto further
their designs for their own
temporary advantage,
and upon
their kind the bogus manager
thrives considerably.
The
moneyed partner with a taste for
actingor business management in a touringorganization
is generally
to be avoided.
It is true
a
person
he serves
useful purpose
in helping a struggling
a
author-actor
to exploita new
manship
play a pieceof workthat has gone
the rounds
of the regular
in vain
and
coming,
as
long as salaries are forthmanagers
the company
engaged do not want for the
necessaries of life ; but he invariably
quits the field
the moment
he discovers that self-respecting
actresses
influx of so
The
are
proof against his advances.
management
on
a
"
"
called
'
'
amateurs
of this
else to
bring the
repute. Lovely woman
aught
prone
to evil
courses;
and
the
stamp
has done
more
than
dramatic
on
she
voice
professioninto bad
the stage is not naturally
is just what
cumstance
stress of cir-
of the
tempter
make
her.
How
22
While
so
to
Get
on
of the smaller
many
who
take
the
Stage
fry of
the
and
managers
road
have
rely
for the success
backer
of their enterprise,
upon a
it is almost
impossibleto eliminate the unhealthy
in the profession.
influences which
at work
ever
are
The
only safeguardlies in the moral strengthof the
themselves.
But to proceed.
actresses
How
little the popular mind
comprehends the
mental
that go to fit a man
or
woman
qualifications
for the stage is amusingly illustrated by the letters
addressed
to well-known
by
occasionally
managers
actor-managers
to
to
'
4
would-be
actors.*
Beerbohm
Mr.
publicthe followingextract from
applicationfor an engagement at
has
Tree
made
house-painter's
the Haymarket
Theatre
I enclose you
:
a
cutting,from
newspaper
which you will see that I have aptitudefor the stage/
The
enclosure was
the report of a policecourt case
ducted
containingthese words : The defendant, who conhis own
and defended
case, denied the assault,
a
'
'
himself
manner/
This was,
highly dramatic
to the point than the
perhaps,little more
respectful
inquiry'received by an eminent teacher of singing
from a would-be
pupil: Will you be good enough
know
Voice
how
much
to let me
you charge for
Production"?
be
I have no singingvoice,but I would
willingto pay you any reasonable terms if you could
produce one for me, because singersearn a good deal
I can
in the hairdressing
make
than
more
money
in
a
'
'
"
business.'
*
Some
in the
delicious missives
Bancrofts'
of this nature
will be
Reminiscences, chap. viii.
found
How
24
success.
all those
in any
are
so
Get
to
the
on
refinement, combined
Education
and
commercial
that
qualities
other
Stage
make
for
with
success
giftsthat
yet without the special
an
actor, only lead the aspirant
career,
essential to
playwrightsand stagespent the greater portion of their lives
managers
in fruitlessly
trying to win a positionas actors,
but they there acquired that practicalknowledge
which afterwards proved of such excellent service in
of
the
astray.
Some
kindred
avocations
best
Robertson
Tom
witness
"
and
Wigan.
Horace
First
How
to
Sooth
to
get
say,
on
a
is much
the
Steps to
the
Stage.
that
stage?
"
is the
question.
legitimateintroduction to the
easier of accomplishment under
present conditions
affairs than
of theatrical
the old stock company
days. Then the
either to tender his services to a manager
temporary pitch on
hallowed
by the least
a
isolated
some
theatrical
it
fession
prothe
in
was
aspiranthad
occupying
waste
never
else
traditions,or
'
by wholesale to the presidinggeniusesof
the regular playhousesin town
and
country. He
might perhaps scrape an acquaintancewith local
'
write in
domiciled
actors
his native
himself
until
town, and
useful
behind
he
in time
speaking
for
lines.
engagement
was
dramatic
presentlybe
the
to
came
In
entire
an
the
scenes
be
allowed
on
entrusted
main, however,
always very
hard
to
to
benefit
a
in
season
with
his
find.
make
night,
a
few
initial
Agents
First
there were,
as
after
where
no
mayhap,
wardrobe
for the
down
him
actor
to
a
was
to
fee
Stage
on
placedhis name
of disappointterm
ment
miserable
a
25
known
to
country theatre
his salt,or,
earn
bogus type. A good
not
only
days indispensable,
of the
manager
stage,but
a
certain
a
ever
was
in
for
who
now,
their books, and
sent
the
Steps to
those
for the
harmless
necessary
purpose
securingcredit from a country station-master
not
his travelling
when
were
expenses back to town
loan
from
also for raisinga
his command,
at
as
So with this first experienceof imuncle.1
mine
he might consider himself a full-fledged
pecuniosity
of
4
actor.
Under
very
is
the
new
regime
a
first appearance
is not
so
difficult to obtain, alwaysprovided the
willingto
work
up
his way
in this work
from
small
aspirant
beginnings.
point out the manner
he should
in which
proceed, but before doing so
of
would seriously
impressupon him the advisability
putting his talents to a practicaltest. There can
be no
better way of doing this than
by joining an
Such
club.
dramatic
amateur
trainingschools for
in
abound
in every country town;
the stage now
is almost
their number
London
beyond computation.
Barnes
Mr.
J. H.
qualifiedhimself for the professional
stage by the share he took in the regular
performances of his fellow-employesat Whiteley^s,
Most
of the
Grove.
Westbourne
large millinery
Manchester
and
establishments
goods warehouses
clubs in these days, and
have
amateur
their own
We
purpose
very
efficient they
are.
to
26
How
*
The
Get
to
on
the
Stage
Theatres.'
Private
of
amateur
belonging to an
club need
dramatic
the
not be emphasized. Where
playersare on a friendlyfootingwith their audience,
the misery of stage-fright
is scarcely
experienced,
or,
The
at any
rate, it is speedilyovercome.
private
Charles
Dickens
wrote
theatres,'concerning which
an
amusing chapter in his Sketches by Boz,1 have
died out ; there is nowadays no
such thing
entirely
as
Dick, Tom, and Harry murdering Shakespearein
disused workshop or small factoryapproached by
a
for the delectation of a jeeringcrowd.
a back-alley,
All the parts,great and small,were
ing
paid for accordscale ; the questionof ability
to a recognised
to
advantages
*
'
sustain them
entered
never
into
the
moment.
one
Says the author of Pickwick
looking milksop,with light hair
'
kind
of
fresh
a
with
whom
he
himself
by degrees;
an
audience.
'
:
That
and
stupidbow-legs a
"
town-made
"
to-nightjust
He
will
he will
is
to
get on
month,
that character.
eyebrows
Duncan, King
too, in
It is her first appearance,
the Gentlewoman.
his
Malcolm
plays
to
warrant
can
you
'
play Othello in a
in a month
will probablybe apprehended
more
The black-eyed
female
chargeof embezzlement.
he is talking so earnestly
is dressed for
whom
better
and
man
caught;
accustom
on
for
transaction
The
smeared
boy
of
with
of Scotland
;
fourteen,who
and
soap
and the two
is
having
whiting, is
dirtymen
*
with
the
corked
tunics and
R.
Theatres'
Private
countenances, in
dirtydrab boots, are
W.
27
and
Elliston
resist the seductions
Charles
old
very
the
"
green
'
Army.""
Mathews
could
not
of the
privatetheatre when they
were
boys together; they took part in many a performance
in Shores
The
Gardens, Drury Lane.
in his
latter afterwards,as Barton
Baker
informs
us
interestingbook, and a young
gentleman named
Litchfield,paid fifteen guineas to be allowed to act
and
the Third
Richard
at Richmond,
fought such
'
a
tremendous
proud
of
combat,
his
that the house
in
of
consequence
Richard,
swordsmanship,decliningto be killed,
the tyrant's
death.1
loudlydemanded
destined to
Among others who were
rough trainingof the privatetheatre
stage
were
John
Listen
and
pass from the
to the fessional
proCharles Mayne
Phelps,who had done some
acting
in a small way at Devonport, made
his first appearance
in an important part at a famous
privatetheatre
in Rawstorne
Street, Clerkenwell,paying five guineas
of enacting Earl
Osmond
in The
for the privilege
in vogue
much
with
Cattle Spectre, a play very
of that day.
amateurs
The
B.
late F.
Chatterton, the well-known
of Drury Lane
in his youth
Theatre, was
manager
mortal
could
be.
as
as
stage-struck
Making the
who
acquaintance of several amateurs
spent their
in Rawstorne
time and money
Street,at Pynf s private
Young.
theatre
Charles
in
Gooch
Cabinet
and
at
the
him
to
inquirehow
Street, Tottenham
Court
Road,
Theatre, King'sCross, it struck
the
purveyors
of the
entertain-
28
How
ments
was
at
these
from
his
I have
wise
in
Known,1 by
with
a
4
John
Mr.
Stage
profit. He
the subject. We
quote
Playersand Playwrights
out
on
narrative
own
the
on
placescame
made
soon
Get
to
Coleman
:
to induce
'Upon the understanding that I was
verdant than oursome
more
selves,
stage-struck
aspirants,
for the privilege
of making
to pay
liberally
fools of themselves,I was
allotted the part of young
Farningham in the play The Lords of Ellmgham,
and Higgins in the farce of Boots
On
at the Swan.
of three shillings,
payment (in advance) of the sum
I received
twelve
worth
of tickets,every
shillings1
of which
one
I sold
my parts for
the transaction."1
got
Emboldened
determined
my
go
this
into
Othello
up
that he made
Moor,' but
and
that you
nine
Box
hash
I
Chatterton
young
and
see
shillings
by
on
management
Cabinet
Theatre,
dreadful
a
; so
made
attempt,
account, engaging the
putting
friends
nothing,and
by
to
to
Cox.
of
his
and
there
He
the
own
fesses
con(
dusky
already conceived that management
in his way
than acting. An
was
more
ironmonger
in the Edgware Road
for
paid him thirtyshillings
the privilegeof playing lago, the respectiveexponents
of
and
Roderigo, Brabantio, Montano,
Ludovico
paid three and
sixpence each, and a
the sum
of
Clearing-houseclerk gladly laid down
"%
for the
opportunity of appearing as Cassio.
The
two
ladies paid nothing for their parts, and
rightwell they acted them ; the Emilia was a young
lady who in after -years supported Mrs, Langtry
he
-
-
Clubs
Amateur
the
at
under
The
Prince
the
and
of Wales1
Box
and
29
(then the Prince's)Theatre,
of
stage-name
parts of
Theatricals
Private
Adelaide
Miss
Bowring.
of
a
represented
payment
Cox
each.
three-and-sixpence
Clubs
Amateur
We
thus
to
very
poor
see
that
who
talented
but
company,
this
dained
dis-
not
the
footlightsin
have improved considerably
time.
things in our
to
of
state
have
actors
matters
indulge in
Theatricals.
Private
themselves
accustom
upon
Those
and
theatricals
amateur
not
are
nowadays for the most part composed of stage-struck
mend
boys and girlswithout an atom of abilityto recomthem
to
"
congregate in
galleryof
the
itself constituted
the
tastes
centre
the
With
theatrical
of audiences
class
the
of
the
who
minor
a
of
a
spread
wont
were
theatre
which
stage-struck
neighbourhood.
of
education, the
have
masses
advanced
to
wonderful
degree. Audiences no longer
altogether
in guying a company
of incompetent
find amusement
the simple stage-struck
amateurs
hero, who
so
; and
might be willingto pay for his follyin the way we
finds his opportunities
have indicated,
gone.
Amateur
to be regarded
actinghas in our day come
an
'
'
as
an
intellectual recreation
community.
When
we
among
find, for
all classes of the
example,
such
a
Iron
organization as the Thames
Works
giving every year a highly-creditable
formance
perof one
of the Savoy operas
without
the
all the parts being
assistance
professional
slightest
matter-of-fact
"
How
30
sustained
we
their
and
with
farces, our
out
curtain-raiser
and
clerks,
sweethearts
histrionic talent
in
the
most
can
"
be
unexpected
of
contentingthemselves with wornmodern
amateurs
perform highoften
And
success.
foremen,
that
class comedies, very
London
Stage
and
wives, sisters,
cultivated
places. Instead
the
on
workmen,
fain conclude
must
met
the
by
togetherwith
Get
to
a
when,
their
attracts
current
on
or
recent
a
occasion, a
notice, it
is
pretty
quickly
of all
repertoire.The consequence
this is that
amateurs
into
bring much
money
theatrical coffers. They are regularplaygoers,
while
of the
the fees they pay
go to swell the incomes
added
their
to
dramatists.
There
is not
in
theatricals,
doubt
slightest
the
form
that
another, have
amateur
been
largely
in raising
instrumental
the stage to its present proud
are
againstthe profession
position.The old prejudices
rapidlydisappearingbefore the broader views which
with theatrical affairs is spreada better acquaintance
ing
Since actinghas become
abroad.
we
fashionable,
far less of the allegedimmorality which
hear
was
and women
formerlythrust into the teeth of men
merely players.1
Certain
it is that
clubs and
amateur
private
theatricals have
largelyfed the professional
stage
To the familiar charge
during the last two decades.
of the professionby
invasion
that the wholesale
will let Mrs. Kendal
is to be deprecated,
amateurs
we
one
or
'
furnish
amateurs
an
answer.
'
I do not
take the bread
think,'she
says, that
mouths.
out of other people's
'
How
32
Get
to
it must
Stage
Profession.
Playersby
Of
the
on
be
imagined that because
all these, and
acquired a rudimentary
more,
many
knowledge of their art on amateur
boards, they were
sparedthe trials and disappointmentswhich follow
of the player by profession.Far from
in the wake
of them
it. Every one
could conjureup recollections
of long spells
of inactivity,
or
playingto a beggarly
with small prospect of drawing
array of empty benches,1
course,
not
'
their
close.
A
well-merited
the
the
glanceat
and
in the Era
the
agents1offices in
convince
have
when
in
dramatic
and
our
at
week's
the
"
cards
set forth
professional
Stage, or a visit to any one of
of the Strand, would
the vicinity
outsider
an
increased
a
honorarium
'
that,
however
day,there
artiste
earns
are
salaries
much
times
nothing at
by their own
or
liberty,1
and
seasons
all.
Some
showing to
be always resting,"at
disengaged."
the old order, engagements held good for
Under
of years.
Now
long periods,often for a number
of the piece,"
for the run
which, in the
they obtain
few nights only. It
of a failure,
event
mean
a
may
for a company,
after giving
is not
at all unusual
three weeks" rehearsals to a new
play,to find that
actors
actresses
appear
'
'
'
'
it will not
hold
the
boards.
production may be, but
public,the theatre closes
is
disbanded,
most
of them
An
artistic
if it does
its doors, and
being put
of their wits in quest of another
not
success
draw
the
the
the company
to the exercise
engagement.
Profession
Playersby
'
waylay a
To
introduction
an
know
you
;
essential
another
who
submit
to
to
well-cut
break
or
money,
in
was
for
to
want
and
disguise
smile
; to
on
father
scheme
; to
doesn't
clothes
success
your
in
rudeness
heart
your
to
preliminaries
have
you
goes
as
to
privationunder
Strand, and
he
man
33
in
the
the
private,are
the
a
stage unless
good actor'
"
keynoteof Mr. Leonard Merrick's powerful
novel, The Actor-Manager.' There must be many
with a feeling
re-echo this sentiment
actors who
can
lessly-atti
heart.
Anything in prospect?' we heard a faultask his companion in a Strand
actor
few days ago.
restaurant
a
'Absolutelynothing!'
aristocratic drawl.
the reply,delivered with an
was
But I don't mind
My
very much,' he continued.
decent
I have
a
income, and
people allow me
always a good home to go back to when I'm tired
of waiting for my
to
never
seems
chance, which
such
is the
'
'
'
'
come.'
Truly, a
to
an
actor
little money
in
or
out
is
of
a
an
useful
thing,especially
engagement
;
for let it
ments
forgottenthat actors have so many induceto run
through their incomes of which those
know
outside
the profession
nothing. I have a
salaryof "12 a week at the Blank Theatre, yet I
sion
can't save
the confidential admisa
was
halfpenny,'
of a popularlightcomedian
quiterecently. To
make
a
positionon the stage,and uphold it when
at theatrical
made, one must dress well,spend money
is to be gathered,belonghaunts where
intelligence
discard soiled
to a club or two, mix
freelyin society,
never
be
c
How
34
Get
to
the
on
Stage
and avoid contact with the dust of the street
gloves,
by much cab-riding. Little wonder that the shabbyinto
enter
genteelactors of the old school cannot
competitionwith the gentlemen playersof the new !
world is ever
The
march
with
must
progressive
; we
the
Let
the times.
dramatic
aspirant,therefore,
take
all these
makes
he
actualities
the fatal
The
playgoers;
parts
as
serve
consideration
above
that
that it is the
for which
models.
before
plunge.
Playgoer as
said
have
We
into
amateurs
natural
popular
The
Critic.
are
outcome
regular
of studying
and
actors
actresses
dramatic
be
aspirantcannot
play. By watching a
frequentvisitor to the
learn much
one
can
performance carefully,
more
about
stage techniquethan by privatestudy,or by
wholesale
and
drillingon the boards. The failings
shortcomingsof inartistic actors soon become apparent
to playgoerswho
at all critically
inclined.
are
Some
Dr. Westland
people are critics by nature.
a
too
tells
Marston
his first visit to
Almar,
Mr.
made
such
his
6
Recollections
the
the
play,he was
leading actor
incessant
use
other
earthward, like
folded
the
'
how,
even
led to wonder
at
of his
extended, the
antithetically
were
sails of
arms.
one
a
Sadler's
'
at
why
Wells,
Now
they
skyward, the
windmill
; now
sternlyacross his bosom ; now raised
denunciation
siderately
claspedin entreaty,and con; now
in their positionslong enough
maintained
they were
in
an
in
us
A
impress the
to
the
whether
could
I
been
occasional
the
whether
there
myself
gentleman
contrast
of
in
his
were,
between
opinion,any fatal incompatibility
natural gesturesand effective acting/ The
what
of
methods
studying the
A
of actors
and
could
in
Seat
be
It would
secure
the
excellent
an
who
of the
J. B.
a
house.
The
the
who
actresses
it.
overcome
thing for
the
aspirantif
humble
orchestra
and
positionin
attendants,
same
of his orchestra.
acumen
introduced,
was
difficulty
mastered
by
learn to
play every night, soon
a
judgment of good and indifferent acting.
had
Buckstone
an
abiding faith in the critical
see
form
and
Orchestra.
might with advantage accept a
front
easy
strument
engagement for a time as an intheatre orchestra,or, failing
that,
an
in
he
is best
to
learned,by long experience,
have
he
hands
the
do with
to
the
ask
to
of this
heightened by
and
repose,
enough
attitudes
35
leisure with
at
critical
was
heroic
more
have
not
audience
entire
effect intended.
Orchestra
in the
Seat
he
was
When
any
not
above
new
6
business
taking
'
their
opinion on it ; and at the last rehearsal of a new
play,he felt satisfied that if theyappeared to like it,
it would win a favourable receptionfrom the public.
John
impersonator of stage
Emery, the famous
in his youth a violin-player
at the
countrymen, was
Brighton Theatre.
It
was
Benjamin
due
to
Webster
his
musical
obtained
an
attainments
appearance
that
on
the
How
36
London
boards.
To
of nineteen
age
widow
with
going
a
the
into
neck.
Get
to
the
on
quote his
I had
the
Stage
words
own
misfortune
:
to
ready-made family,which
battle
of life with
"
marry
was
millstone
a
the
At
a
like
round
I
applied to Mr.
Beverley, of the
Street Theatre, for walking gentleman.
Tottenham
For little business and utility." Full."
Full."
For harlequinand dancing?"
Don't
do pantomime
ballet; besides,don't like male dancers."
or
my
"
"
"
"
"For
"
orchestra?"
the
you
were
but
I have
a
"Well,"
said
walking gentleman !"
had
a
musical
he, "just now
So
"
education,and
I
am,
sir ;
necessity
it to account."
to turn
On
violin
a
compels me
being produced,I was
engaged as leader of the
Had
orchestra at a guinea a week.
of gold
storm
a
fallen on
it could not have
delightedSemele
me,
I resolved to walk
than
to Croydon
me.
more
miles
ten
day to rehearsal,and back to
every
Shoreditch,on twopence a day one pennyworth of
and one
and I did it
oatmeal
pennyworth of milk
I indulged in
for six weeks, Sundays excepted,when
the luxury of shin of beef and ox- cheek.
the
At
end of the sixth week I had so pleasedMr. Beverley
asked
to
that I was
give a sailor's hornpipe. I
dashed on the stage,got through the double shuffle,
though feelingfaint ; but at last,
despite
every effort,
down
I broke
through sheer exhaustion, and the
and my hopes.' However, it
curtain dropped on
me
not long before Mr.
was
Beverleygave him a regular
his
engagement as walking gentleman,and he made
in London
in
first appearance
as
Henry Morland
"
"
"
"
A
Heir
The
His
Law.
at
Orchestra
in the
Seat
37
subsequent performanceas
made
a
for Measure
great hit,
he was
engaged to play leading parts
with
Madame
Vestris at
the
Olympic Theatre.
to be
serviceably
['Refuse nothing P is a motto
Pompey in
whereupon
acted
Measure
frequentlylaid
Edwin
the
in
upon
in
content, for very
place
of
end
of
he
soon
who
actor
an
a
successful
humble
the
was
wedge
offered
threw
his
up
a
has
career.
position
thus
with
theatre, but
American
an
thin
insertingthe
of
accepted the
once
it
profession
;
the foundations
Forrest
of gasman
dramatic
was
well
part
in the
he
engagement.
Augustus Harris waited upon
Mr.
Edgar Bruce, offeringto play anything from
lead down
he was
to
generalutility,'
emphatically
informed
that no opening of any kind could be found
When
the
'
'
for him.
let
future
Sir
'
'
Come
now,
said he, *
Bruce,*1
Mr.
stay till rehearsal is over, and then
I think we'll be able to
through the scrip,
sort
me
of small
the
part
reply;
'
I could
play ?'
I have
a
'
will you
if
we
find
look
some
P
Quite impossible
lot of
correspondenceto
attend to as soon
I can
as
get away from the stage.1
Then
it is very clear you
must
want
a
secretary;
Til stop and write your letters for you,1returned the
irrepressibleGussy.' His services were
accepted,
and in the course
of that secretarial appointment he
learned the details of management.
Miss
Wadman
made
it a pointnever
to refuse a part,however
small,
so
long as she could remain in the bill ; to this she
was
'
'
owed
her
two
and
GaietyTheatre.]
a
half
years1engagement
at
the
38
How
Get
to
Modern
Mr.
Oscar
management
desk
Drury
at
the
on
Actor-Musicians.
Barrett
while
developed a genius for stage
ductor's
wielding the baton at the con-
at the
Grecian
Lane.
M.
styleof
play
his
than
own
the
;
afterwards
Theatre, and
Auguste
was
orchestra.
of
much
better,as
Seated
Winkle
Van
for
uncontrollable
an
part
Rip
Biene
van
years a violoncellist in the theatre
he had
in his accustomed
corner,
desire to
Stage
after
a
self,
promised him-
he
applausein it. At
last he hazarded
the experiment,and succeeded even
beyond his expectations. Since then he has written,
caused to be written,a coupleof comedy-dramas
or
Romance
A Musician's
The Broken
Melody and
certain actors
who
won
"
'
'
around
"
his
'
'
with
violoncello,
he
which
'
now
stars
'
originally
provinces. Mr. George Rignold was
engaged in the orchestra at the Swansea Theatre, at
the same
time as his brother William
played utility
they that it
parts on the stage. So much alike were
from the other,
next
to impossible
to know
one
was
and often,for a bit of sport,they exchanged places,
the manager
remaining in ignorance of the proceeding,
until one
night the real actor's blundering
unrehearsed
entr'acte suddenlyrevealed the
an
over
the
true
An
state of affairs.
apt
illustration of the
will be found
seat in the orchestra
it
on
the
successful
Stage/
on
the
advantage
A
young
boards,
in
actor
at
our
who
nightly
Roughing-
of
'
was
a
none
too
length accepted an
How
40
'
useful
and
'
the
on
Stage
journals.Amateurs
in professional
confounded
in the theatrical
people
novices
Get
to
often
are
parlance.Incompetent would-be actors,whose failure
criminately
a
brings utter ruin upon
performance,are indisdubbed
with a sanguinary
amateurs
adjective. But these are novices pure and simple.
An
amateur, at least,though he may not be able to
how to tread the boards, study his part,
act, knows
'
c
"
and
take
things,he
a
cues.
claim
cannot
has
one
his
up
right to
no
to
these
do
Until
he
be
amateur, and
seek
an
can
engagement
an
such
the
on
stage proper.
Infelicitous First
It is not
much
too
actors, unless they have
brought
in
Appearances.
say that the most
had the good fortune
to
gifted
be
to
carefully-studied
part by a qualified
coach,1 are
hopelesslyat sea when they face the
footlightsfor the first time.
Acting a part with
others is a very different thing to delivering
tion
a recitaThe
solus.
noveltyof their situation,the glare
of the footlights,
the sea
ment
of human
faces,the exciteof the moment,
their
the strain of recollecting
lines and cues, are
so
disturbingelements that
many
first appearance.
John
mar
a
Kemble,
effectually
though the son of an actor-manager and the brother
out
a
'
of
him
ran
did
the
celebrated
Mrs.
Siddons
Douay to study for
away and joineda company
not acquithimself
at all
to
"
the
of
well
his father had
sent
but he
priesthood,
players
strolling
"
on
the occasion
of
Infelicitous First
his debut.
Nor
did
he
Appearances
make
41
for his shortcomings
amends
for
long afterwards ; indeed,he was described
the stage,but a perfect
as
a stick on
by his colleagues
gentleman off it.' George Anne Bellamy,a tragedy
of a former
ness
day,was so overcome
by nervousqueen
the first night that the curtain had perforce
on
to be dropped ; when, after an
interval,it was raised
again,she mustered courage to speak,but her voice
inaudible.
And
the same
was
might be said of many
and
actor
actress who
an
ultimatelycreated a very
different impression. We
have
ourselves a vivid
recollection of the agoniesof forgetting
our
opening
line,and all the rest,the instant we stepped on the
in the test before
boards, perfectthough we were
'
that memorable
first appearance.
The
The
Debut.
the
part
of
ambitious
an
Hamlet
at
The
is culled from
Royal, Paisley,
a Strolling
Player,'
alreadyreferred
'
of
Now
was
curtain
eventful
the
came
stage !"
minute
in
sensations
Theatre
the
a
of
graphicdescription
following
novice's
'
Story of
shouted
was
by
rung
I left the
the
manager
All
up.
"
moment.
;
sions
Confesto
:
Clear
and
at
this time, from
and
dressing-room,
the
the
last
the
while the ladies
in
strutted about
gentlemen of the company
the costumes
appropriateto their parts,I began to
experiencea growing queerness, and felt the coming
and
on
of
that
awful
sensation
ridiculed in others,known
which
to the
I had
initiated
so
as
"
often
stage-
How
42
Get
to
the
on
Stage
and
went
fright."As the first brief scene
on,
Francisco
spoke about the weather,etc.,the feeling
I was
increased ; and when
pushed into my placeto
be
discovered,"along with the Queen and Court, I
"
felt much
inclined to
be
greatnessto
and
away,
achieved
there
But
nerve.
run
by
they all
leave
others
were
who
histrionic
had
greater
impossible
;
escape
besides,I questionif the state of my knees would
permittedmy
'
When
the
asunder,
and
of State
round
of
in the
time
"
Castle,"there
was
a
the
new
was
of
honour
have
functions.
Elsinore
of
beheld
audience
applause in
all the
performedtheir
stony ramparts
the
Room
who
have
legsto
"
drew
II.
Scene
A
"
welcoming
Hamlet,
standing as if he
being hanged. The
in
were
state of
expectationof
be
cannot
feelingsduring these brief moments
my
described ; I felt unutterably helpless. All
the
evils that were
combined
ever
heaped on the devoted
head of any poor human
being could,I thought,be
when
it
nothing to what I suffered at the moment
in
to speak. I was
to my
turn
came
letter-perfect
had
and
the part of Hamlet,
frequentlygalloped
Indeed,
over
every word of it from beginningto end.
the whole
I knew
tragedyby heart
every sentence
but I was
was
suddenly
coursingvividlybefore me
instant
"
"
struck
and
could
sweat
ran
down
knees
were
dumb,
drops of
fire,my
glassy,the
converted
how
sea
into
horriblyhard
my
back,
heads
Cold
utterance.
no
my
head
decidedlyuneasy,
of human
one
make
felt
eyes grew
seemed
me
my
before
face
and,
great petrified
it looked at me
seeming to
"
"
on
oh !
read
The
soul.
very
my
Story of
tried
I
fixed
with
refuse
to
all
feelingcame
takingplacewas
individually.I
my
had
become
I
"
mind
of
breath
up
over
no
did
far
"
to
In
me.
a
if all that
was
nothing to
"
it.
I
me
in the
was
Dreamland
in
not
"
think
even
;
I
just the
moment
again I woke
thoughts my eyes
my
immovable,
statue
Then
me.
as
away
I did
seemed
that
at
if
as
it became
then
smile
understand
not
blank.
life in
tried
it seemed
of mine
concern
was
a
penetratingeyes,
I felt
me.
the
eyes, but
moment
one
of unconsciousness
and
of
icy contemptuous
sympathy, and mock
an
new
land
At
43
my
compassion,and
with
melt
shut
to
hundreds
gigantichead, with
still glaredon me.
it would
Debut
a
a
concentrate
but
with
"
brightened,and I gazed into the audience ; tried to
look unusually mild, philosophic,
and
intellectual.
I succeeded
I have
as
of
to
in
extent
some
since been
this,as
told,I only attained
lookingunutterably foolish.
Again and again my cue was
made
Answer
he
deep chest of the
silent.
My lipsmoved,
the
felt
and
choked
inky
but
my
sound
Dane."
voice
position
I heeded
issued from
He
was
but,
was
frozen.
too
I
My
up.
times
'
I
"
; no
;
legs quivered and quavered,
ment.
silentlydanced a quick, shaky kind of moveThe
prompter cried out the beginning of my
part several
but
none
the
given,but
4
it not.
I fancied
"
"
A
little more
"
a
only reply was
hopeless,helplessstare.
looked, and looked, and looked at the audience,
my
How
44
but
the
I had
say, but
the
on
all memory
could not
fact was,
to
Get
to
Stage
fled.
had
feltwhat
I
The
speak it.
audience
a
began to get impatient and hiss. All at once
across
thought of home came
vividly
me, and, glancing
sombre
at my
dress,I said to myself,as I thought :
"
What
would
making
*
such
I shall
"
and
never
the
then
audience
stage as
hard
the whole
And
shouted
with
The
excitement.
losingall sense of propriety,first tittered,
joined heartilyin the generalroar ; and I,
lookingfirst one
'
me
"
company,
and
an
saw
forgetthe roar that took place,for,
of merely thinkingthese words, I had spoken
they unwittingly found vocal expression
instead
them
say to this if she
my mother
infernal fool of myself?"
way
and
I could
as
another, bolted off the
then
amid
a
renewed
from
shout
audience.
so
ended
first appearance
my
on
any
stage.1
Stage-Fright.
Mr.
Charles
with
opening night
America.
hearted
and
drunk
He
is not
Wyndham
had
John
Mr.
to make
!' There
But
he
he
Wood's
his entrance
speech commencing,
enthusiasm.1
to forgethis
likely
c
I
am
company
with
drunk
in
light-
a
love
with
got beyond I am
stuck.
The manageincontinently
ment
never
'
dispensed with his services that evening.
Mr. John
Hare
was
actuallyhissed on his first appearance
for his seemingincompetence. Mr. Thomas
Thorne
unhappily mistook his cue to make his first
entrance, and completelyspoilta patheticscene.
Stage-Fright
J. D.
45
unceremoniouslydischarged
at the end of a week's trial as
utterlyincompetent,''
his deficiency
than stagearisingfrom nothing more
declared to be
a
fright. Mr. Charles Danby was
and cashiered on
the very first night ; the
duffer,'
Mr.
Beveridgewas
'
'
manager,
however, suffered him
to
remain
tion
condi-
on
of
having his salary materially reduced.
Mr.
Leonard
Boyne only held on to his initial
engagement by submitting to having his salary
of the
Cast for one
three shillings
cut down
a week.
six bridesmaids
in Hunted
Lives,Miss GeorgieEsmond
that she fell down
overcome
was
so
by nervousness
Miss
the
in sightof the audience.
CissyGrahame
did a
provincialactress
daughter of a well-known
pluckything at the Theatre Royal, Hull, by offering
who
the part of an
to take
actress
was
suddenly
lights
well, but facing the footindisposed. She meant
so
utterlyunnerved her that not one word of
heard by those friends in front.
the text was
"
"
The
Opera Chorus.
things considered,the aspirantwho has not
would be
had the slightest
experienceas an amateur
well advised
to avoid
seekingan engagement that
of a set phrase of words.
He
involves the delivery
he a good
should begin at the very beginning. Has
is easy.
him
Let
singingvoice ? If so, his course
the opera
chorus.
take the necessary steps to enter
By addressingthe musical director at a theatre
devoted
to comic
plays,an
opera or light musical
These
How
46
Get
to
appointment would
attend
on
Such
the
most
certain
a
examinations
have
Stage
be
likely
made
have
his
day
Theatre.
Savoy
the
on
to
long
The
been
voice
to
tried.
institution at
an
successful
for him
applicantsare
for and
permanently engaged as vacancies arise
in Mr. D'Oyly Carte's touring companies ; but those
have
who
N.G.
letters
quietly had the ominous
('No Good ')placedagainsttheir names, trouble that
theatre no
more.
Elsewhere, the impending production
sent
'
'
of
play affords
the applicantthe most
fitting
opportunityof gaining
he might
a
hearing. If he reside in the provinces,
address the musical
director of a touring company
(not dramatic) for permissionto undergo a vocal
test during its sojournin the town.
The
best London
agents have almost always openings
for 'ladies and
gentlemen of the chorus' in
musical
piecesabout to be exploitedor
operas and
sent
a
new
comic
opera
round
the
country.
that
the
so-called
or
It is well
'musical
agents'that congregate in York
music-hall
Street
are
essentially
no
connections
business
of the
with
of Covent
Garden.
ballet,'the
who
favourite
counts
and
ever,
how-
dramatic
and
Stamford
agents ; they have
theatres.
Some
in the
others
hood
neighbour-
Really serviceable dramatic
exist
between, though many
agents are few and far
that
might be described
agents of repute never
lines of business,also
know,
to
Road
class will also be found
same
schemer,
musical
shady. Established
advertise for 'peoplein all
as
choristers
device
upon
an
and
of
the
ladies
of
the
professional
immediate
rush
of
48
How
deserved
to
Get
to
do.
Mr.
the
on
Curtice
Stage
Pounds
obtained
his
of Patience in
engagement during the run
Savoy chorus, his well-trained voice causing him
first
be
at the
selected
time
the
to
understudyfor Mr.
Rutland
Barrington and Mr. Durwood
Lely. The
followingyear he was given a part to playin lolanthe ;
established
he is an
now
Savoy favourite. Mons.
Marius
was
originallya 'super1 at the Folies
Dramatiques, Paris; from that humble
positionhe
entered the chorus,and presently
to the dignity
rose
of small
same
parts.
"
The
as
would-be
Parts.'
Walking
actor
does
who
not
good
a
possess
singingvoice should not be too proud to learn his
business by acceptingwhat is called a 'walking part.1
is nothing derogatory in commencing as
There
a
The
supernumerary.
been
do
we
improved off
find
dress -suit
'
the
the West-End
in the
man
ill
that
traditional
young
men
and
women
Mr.
briefless barristers
content
'
decked
The
him.
a
been
No
longer
out
in
a
'Adelphi
object of ridicule
ousted by educated
to
Beerbohm
to
has almost
fit
calculated
scene.
drawing-room
'
super
boards.
street
becomes
who
formerly were
guests,'
for the galleryboys,have
'
'walk
do
Tree
on1
credit to
has
the
a
had
stage
during his management of the Haymarket Theatre.
The
Lyceum and Princess's supernumerariesare for
in
down
the most
part old stagers who have come
in a Drury Lane
The
the world.
'howling mob1
still be composed of sandwich
melodrama
men
may
The
and
a
like,but
the
Stage 'Super'
these
'
The
from
altogetherabsent
are
interior
sumptuously-furnished
The
49
set.1*
Stage 'Super/
rapid
strides of late in the matter
of picturesquetout
from the Meinensemble,a lesson learned originally
in
ingen Court Company at Drury Lane Theatre
memorable
1881.
In those
performancesof Julius
-
of
Caesar, scores
revelation to
Real soldiers
managers.
are
'
part
as
the
result of their
The
sake.
own
a
very
clerks took
German
for Art's
populace,'
careful drilling
was
made
has
stage manager's art
native
stagelargely
requisitioned
now
our
in
Harbour
productions
spectacular
Lights
; for The
the revival of H.M.S.
at the Adelphi and
Pinafore
naval contingents
at the Savoy Theatre
were
engaged.
the great
Indeed, the day is not far distant when
unwashed'
will figureas
more.
stage 'supers'no
This
but it is certainly
super,'
may be bad for the
good for the theatre. During the run of A Million
of Money at Drury Lane, Sir Augustus Harris
suddenlytook it into his head to replacehis supers
with
Much
about
the same
dischargedsoldiers.
'
'
'
'
*
at
a
To
An
interestingexperiment was made in May, 1898,
Paris theatre, on the production of Les Tissarands.
realism
the
to a certain
impart the utmost
scene,
'
introduced
real
a
manager
and
loafers.
He
addressed
rose,
'
Don't
whatever
is
said,was
mob
them
shout, all of you, the
you
like !'
The
'
of
beggars, tramps,
before
same
the
curtain
thing ;
call out
spontaneity of their cries, it
vastlyrelished by
the
lovers
of the
drama.'
4
'
muffin
raga-
How
50
time
Get
to
Langtry advertised
Mrs.
for 'one
hundred
feet ten
inches
auxiliaries
in
men,
the
on
in the
Daily Telegraph
discharged soldiers,five
all
high, and
Antony and
Stage
clean -shaven,' to
act
as
Cleopatra at the St.
Theatre.
The
James's
mute
performers in the
show, Olympia,
spectacularproductionsat Barnum's
1890
in
and
1897
were
soldiers to
a
man.
The
advantagesof this new departurein the former year
thus explained
himself :
were
by Mr. Barnum
Soldiers servingin the ranks make
the best and
reliable "supers." They are
the most
all marched
and
into the buildingtogether,
out again,under
the
officer. This saves
from the
me
charge of their own
of having a crowd
of "supers" loafing
annoyance
around
a
long time before they are wanted, others
for drink,others
stragglingin late,often the worse
awkward
not
showing up at all. They are never
and
what
character
ungainly,no matter
they are
called upon
The
to
sustain.
strict discipline
to
which they are used makes
civil to all around
them
be depended upon
to do what
them, and they can
need
of oaths and
is requiredwithout
bad language
the part of the stage-manager. But
on
perhaps
is their
their
highest recommendation
personal
in striking
contrast to the regulartheatre
cleanliness,
are
super." My men
paid good money, but their
to them
direct,but to the
earningsare not handed
officer in charge,who
banks it to their credit at the
6
"
that
barracks,so
they
have
when
they get
a
after their
decent
their
sum
to
engagement
draw
furloughs.1
as
is finished
pocket-money
*
'
Extra
Ladies
and
Gentlemen
Extra
Ladies
and
Gentlemen/
reliable soldier
however
Still,
'
*
supers
hardlyconsidered
5
1
be in
may
the correct
generalway, they are
thing in a societyplay. It is just here where a
to the
walking part offers itself most conveniently
seeker after stage experience.Many now
popular
and
actors
actresses
gained confidence behind the
in 'walking parts.' Miss
Beatrice Lamb
footlights
of the stately
was
one
guests in the first act of The
Miss
Red
Evelyn
Lamp at the Comedy Theatre.
Millard
simply 'walked on1 in The Dancing Girl
at the Haymarket Theatre,but subsequently
joined
Thome's
Miss Sarah
at Margate to gain
company
not
experiencein 'speakingparts.' It was
very
acters
long before she there essayedsuch ambitious charas
Juliet,Hero, Pauline, and with so much
that Mr. Thomas
success
Thorne, the brother of the
Margate manageress, engaged her to playthe nameMr.
Fred
part in Sophia on tour.
Terry confesses
that he accepteda
walking part at ^1 a week at
the Haymarket under
the Bancrofts.
Mr.
Mark
on
Kinghorne made his first appearance
any stage
in a Strand burlesque.As we
have
as
a spearsman
Marius
said already,Mons.
commenced
life as
a
super.' Mr. Frank Wyatt did not disdain to accept
a
'
'
'
'
'
a
one-line servant's
Mr.
in On
Bail
at the
Criterion,
in excess
offeringhim five shillings
for such parts on
usual salary
of his
account
Little did the latter imagine
intelligence.'
Wyndham
of the
'
part
extra
4"2
How
52
the possessor
day rival him
that
one
a
Get
to
of that
as
'
Stage
'
would
intelligence
and
popular lightcomedian
a
extra
to boot.
manager
Charles
passant, Mr.
En
the
on
entered
Wyndham
lately
made
indignant protest againsta statement
by
an
Clement
Mr.
Scott, in which
it
suggestedthat
the Criterion
played a
years ago
many
manager
mere
part in the burlesqueof Elack-Ey'd
super V
The
Susan
at the Royalty Theatre.
true version of
turned
the indictment
out to be that Mr. Wyndham
of the three principal
sustained one
characters in the
was
'
entertainment, but
Dewar
and
Danvers
were
it that
parison,
they reduced him, by comin
to the level of a
super.' One sentence
Wyndham's letter to the Daily Telegraph was
in
funny
so
Messrs.
c
Mr.
of the
characteristic
discredit in
no
of the
climb.1
ladder
Said
man.
being a
"
"
super
steps on,
one
Benjamin
Webster
the better
Now, there
one
is
the
rung
learns to
!
found
once
*
the lower
;
excellent dictum
An
he,
himself
in
Paris
pocket,and with the veriest
of a shirt in the shape of a collar and
make-believe
a
dickey.1 In this sad plighthe sought an engagement
The
theatre.
at a Boulevard
a
as
play
super
in which he appearedwas
a
militarydrama founded
the life of Napoleon,and a fancied resemblance
on
without
in
sou
a
his
'
'
'
to that
great
man
apotheosisof
'
heaven
with
the
ingloriouspart
he in
adversity,
caused
the
Little
King
thus
him
to
selected for
an
'
Corporal ascendingto
Out
of Rome.
sustained
after -years
be
in
made
the
much
of the
mute
days of his
capitalon
The
Pretty
Girls
audience
the
wig, he
Napoleon.
and
in
The
meed
in which
brought down
borne
who
reminds
"
drama
incident
an
"
series.
which
He
occurred
'
1
actors
in
written
my
husband
a
play
of the
author
had
called Blanche, which
the
Opinions.1
well-known
the
Sketchley,
Brown
Dramatic
'
Kendal
Mrs.
one
well springsuddenly
parts conspicuously
prominent positions.The question
of
me
her
a
literally
has
'
more
Arthur
Mrs.
in
such
To
instances
been
asked,' she writes, whether
been
play minor
into
by
the house.
his
unfrequently earns
not
actor
witness
often
have
Actor.
applause; ay, and there have
the deliveryof a singleword
of
has
little
a
One-Line
one-line
The
53
play entitled The
his back
to
of Stillberg
; by turning
and doing something to his coat, hat,
suddenly stood revealed as the great
boards
London
the
Actor
One-Line
three- act
a
and
I, on
playing at the Alexandra
from
taken
Theatre, Liverpool. The
an
plot was
old French
drama, and depended on a woman
being
It was
falselyaccused of poisoning her husband.
concerned.
very hard work, I remember, for everyone
tour
In
and
at
the
time,
last scene,
denounces
poisoned your
in the glassat
comes
to
say that
the
were
when
heroine
husband
such
!
and
forward
this
the
was
applause throughout
and
the
the
villain
with
I
saw
such
steps forward
words, "You
the
you
put
the
poison
time," a black
a
says
Liar
only
occasion
"
play.
So
!"" I
for
great
am
servant
man-
sorry
genuine
was
the
How
54
of
success
Get
to
this
minor
If
to
chances
curb
of
majorityof
commendable
Miss
on
West
desire to
he
I do
not
know,
and
actresses
at
could
the
A
such
be persuaded
would
be
the
large
becoming modesty is a
occasions.
communicated
become
for I
outset, their
first appearance
they are with
than
factor
that
Managers.
to
their ambition
their kind.
Florence
her ardent
actors
obtaininga
favourable
more
now
'
Writing-in
only embryo
Stage
immediately
prominent positionin the
Whether
he
leading man.
actor
jumped into a most
and became
a
provinces,
has kept his positiontill
have lost sightof him.1
'
the
on
an
to
Toole
Mr.
actress,trustinghe
might be able to assist her. The genialcomedian
be
afraid
she must
simply repliedthat he was
damsels
whose
numbered
the stage-struck
among
of success
chances
in an
already overcrowded
fession
prowere
She, however,
exceedingly remote.
that she
returned
the avowal
to the charge with
had not the slightest
wish to play Juliet,Pauline,or
character,but would be perfectly
any other ambitious
willingto go through all the successive gradesthat
might fall within the provinceof a humble beginner.
So pleasedwas
the actor-manager with the modesty
of her aspirations
that he at once
engaged her for
the part of Mary Belton in Uncle Dictfs Darling:
Mr.
James
Welch
Playgoers1Club
how
has
he
told
the
members
planted his
foot
of the
on
the
How
56
Ah
"
!"
Get
to
I'll let you
Mr.
pen
contract
not
"
letter
a
with him
at
The
second
the
for at
the
care
a
new
"
to
act, Mr.
and
venture
American
come
round
possiblesuccess
the
on
cue
will
cheered
me
I
came
over,
a
firm
voices
your
new
of
the
reallybe
and
came,
off,and
hand
in
on
the
for
but
that
me,
I
world
of
for I
was
*'
was
in
Mr.
thoughtfulness
I
was
put
for
that
best?
"
too
Fairyland.
Barrett
every
your
;
foot
"let
little
when
must
us
words
scene
I felt
listen to
doubt
to
inventing
realize anything
kindness
That
showed
me
of the kindest
one
Oh, you
dazed
to
waiting
those
away,
applause,"no
time
you." My
The
walking
said,
his first
was
wish
I've
wonder
my
position
on
ladder,"he added
shoulder,while
my
first round
one
do
to
been
all
his mind
his old
and
me,
scene
he, with
Yet
golden ladder
a
the
on
I say, found
life.
it any
was
up
with
in my
My
boy-clerkin
beginningof
being
"
was
"
saved.
a
entrance, where
hands
first rung
hope it
The
to town.
came
the
at
had
yet he,
"
of
theatre
new
far
to the
shake
on,
go
tour
been
Til
few
a
productionon
new
a
a
had
not
town, for he
in
long
to
at
So I
minutes.
ten
of
!
on
came
Barrett
worry
back
:
days
preferbeing
when
that
one,
I
Ladder.
least another
get
company
labour
excellent
Golden
I'lldo
if I would
asking me
of hard
an
what
astonishment
my
came
years
put
pantomime at Leeds."
fifteen shillings
a week, either
in his London
My five
part was
I
as
in my
signed. Imagine
later
of thing
anydown
the
If I hear
I tell you
said,"
part
a
Stage
story:
;" but
know
Barrett
give you
the old
"
thought I,
the
on
to
me
and
and
every
The
of his
member
Rung
actor
one
57
I will venture
and
company,
is not
there
that
Bottom
or
has
who
actress
to
say
been
the
could
but
testifyto
management
encouragement and sympathetichelp they have
his
under
ceived
re-
at his hands.'
The
In
"
old
the
super ".'was
his
Rung.
the
stock-company days
entrusted
never
would
That
two.
Bottom
fellows,and,
caused
have
gentleman.''We
dire
have
croachment
en-
an
4
utility
story told
the
all heard
been
of the
ordinarybusiness
have
intelligent
speakingline or
jealousyamong
a
would
moreover,
the
on
with
'
of
than
something more
mute
was
never
a
gratified.He had served the
that cherished
management long and faithfully
; still,
denied him.
At length
speakingline was persistently
guishing
he resolved to improvise an
opportunity of distinhimself.
Stepping down to the footlights,
he electrified the house with a grandiloquentdelivery
of this virtuous
less appropriate
sentiment, more
or
the
'
'
super
to the
whose
action
that
ambition
had
to be
gone
before
'
:
The
who
man
would
in an
act
save
lay his hand upon a woman,
of kindness,is a wretch
whom
be a gross
it would
of
to call a coward
!' He
received
round
a
flattery
applause,followed by his instant dismissal from the
theatre.
Things are different nowadays. Stage-managers
give their supernumerariesevery encouragement to
The
who can
improve themselves.
super
say, My
'
'
'
How
58
Get
to
the
on
Stage
becoming dignityis
understudy for
speedilypromoted. He is made
the small 'utility
actor,'who has, perhaps, half a
dozen one-line parts in one
and the same
play. All
the parts in a modern
production are understudied,
from the highestdown
to the lowest.
Consequently,
of an actor or actress failing
in the event
to appear,
there is particularly
tour
on
a
general exchange
of parts, and
the lines of the least important
so
be delivered by the
member
of the company
may
In first-classtouringorganizamost intelligent
tions,
'super.1
the
are
permanently attached to the
supers
it follows that they are of a vastly
; hence
company
superiororder than used to obtain when they were
picked up for six nights only in the various towns
these
visited. But by calling
we
are, perhaps,
supers
selves
doing them an injustice.They love to stylethemamateur
extra
comedians,1
gentlemen,1or
lord, the carriagewaits
P with
'
'
"
"
'
'
'
'
"*
'
'
'
and
'
extra
ladies.1
Understudies.
In
production the
London
a
understudies
are
simply walk on,'
is a
dearth
of
walking parts,1the
or, if there
expected to report
supplementaryperformersare
the
themselves
at the theatre
every evening in case
often
committed
to
those
'
who
'
need
for
their
services
lot is not
or
amends
for months
her
arise.
usuallya happy
chance
last his
should
comes
of weary
The
one,
yet
round, it
makes
waiting.
study's
under-
when
at
ample
Understudies
59
for the principals
understudies
Generallyspeaking,
until the playhas proved an assured
not provided
are
of the
then some
unimportant member
success, and
distinction by playing
win honourable
may
company
leading part
a
at
a
notice.
moments
Wilson
Mr.
quite a beginner,made his first hit
the
by promptly stepping into the breach when
leadingjuvenile was unable to playhis part through
drinking not wisely,but too well.1 Mr. Laurence
advancement
Cautley entirelyowed his professional
befell Mr. Kyrle Bellew on the
accident which
to an
He
Theatre.
at the Globe
first night of Mankind
the injured actor's part on
the
offered to continue
saved the management
spur of the moment, and thus
Miss
Grace
from
Hawthorne
dilemma.
a
emerged
the disappointmentsof understudying parts
from
called upon
she was
which
to play by successfully
never
taking the place of the leadinglady,who fell
Barrett, when
'
4
c
this
ill. After
she
achievement
was
for the
cast
play next in the order of production.
The
temptationto keep on quoting similar instances
of unlooked-for
opportunitiesof mounting the professional
heroine
in the
ladder
to
is very
needlessly
occupy
Miss
still more
Loie
great,but
our
space
Fuller's first
singularmanner.
with
success
She
have
we
no
desire
them.
came
about
actuallymade
in
a
her
by such a fluke. All her efforts to obtain a
footing on the boards had proved futile. Almost
York
in despair,
she strolled into the pit of a New
theatre one
night to see an actress play a part of
careful study. The
she had
which
herself made
a
debut
60
How
Get
to
first pieceover, the manager
that the
sudden
the
on
forward
came
popular actress could
and, as no
indisposition,
found, it would
Thereupon
door, and
Miss
sent
not
in word
the
to
to
announce
appear
substitute
be
necessary
Fuller went
Stage
round
to
could
be
the
to
that
manager
play.
the
change
to
owing
stageshe
was
quite ready to sustain the part. Her
proffered
service was
gladly accepted. She acquittedherself
admirably, and offers of engagements poured in
upon
her.
Truly,
taken
'
there is
the
at
theatrical
tide in the affairs of
flood, leads
on
professionsuch
sooner
everyone
a
or
talent to make
later.
the most
It
to
that,
men
fortune.'
In
the
to
opportunitiescome
onlyrests with individual
of them.
Touring Companies.
The
actor
amateur
amateur, not
the novice
salaryor
"
can
the
qualification,
the
often
secure
for himself
first-class
engagement in a
offeringhis services
by
touring company
in a
subordinate
part for a
salaryat all. Obviously, this
an
nominal
note
"
no
that he has a little money
friends
or
presupposes
His
to fall back
travelling
upon.
expenses would,
of course,
be covered.
of
The
addresses
route
en
theatrical
found
companies
on
the road
'
'
are
always to
be
Companies1Page in the Era and the
Stage. Or he might write to the London
manager
of the latest success, askinghim to register
his name
in view of the time when
the play is to be sent on
on
the
'
'
61
Touring Companies
The
tour.
be
at
which
that
address
rights
in their
the
for
engaged
night, as
their
'
the
will
not
as
the
rehearsals
detail.
taking
be
tolerated.
originality
might endanger
This
dramatic
art, but
it is
West-End
a
who
managers
A
points
'
win
that
of
performer's
respects bad
many
apply
their
out
for
of
concomitant
remarks
a
at
attempt
enthusiastic
send
found
be
reading
new
least
natural
like
The
touring system.
in
is
'
The
an
will
ing
carefullywatch-
house
gallery.
after
progress,
'
in all the
and
the
Night
in
are
ful
faith-
a
of
company
parts of the
pit
engagement.
give
to
have
they
original exponents
minutest
play, and
from
part
the
artistes
London
specially-selected
applause
retain
stage-manager
expected
are
the
in various
seated
Gatti
own
The
to
long
to
necessary
Messrs.
their
by
tour
of
down
touring
panies
productions, their provincial com-
Theatre.
the
imitation
drama,
direct.
be
ever,
how-
may,
established
an
would
it
rehearsed
Adelphi
play
new
a
by
up
event
manager
being
at
snapped
once
in
manager,
all
country rights of
to
the
other
own
vincial
pro-
companies.
On
the
other
hand,
where
country
a
purchases the provincialrights of
latitude;
travels
though
down
ideas
with
actors
success,
to
superintend the
it
the
may
of
the
their
happen
first town
final rehearsals.
manager
latest London
own
that
visited
have
the
in
more
author
order
to
6
How
2
Get
to
on
Part
Playing a
the
Stage
Times.
Many
Yet, after all,playing the
provincesevery night
the
for
two
part
same
or
three
round
the
is not
years
of valuable
kind
manded
experiencethat was to be comin the old stock-companydays. Long runs
in London
often pleasantlyvaried by special
are
matinee
performancesfor copyright purposes, while
individual
from
members
their
may
be released
take
part in new
Metropolitan theatres.
other
fall to
never
company
to
engagements
at
diversions
of the
the
lot of
the
ductions
pro-
Such
actor
in
a
Constant
touring company.
repetitionof his one
palls. He loses all interest in it ; goes
part soon
and comes
to regard it as a
through it mechanically,
nightlytoil for his dailybread.
Playinga part a great many times without change
is anything but an unmixed
blessing.Mr. Beerbohm
Tree
has
has
told
in
us
a
recent
lecture
how
'
the
long
deleterious effect upon
an
actor, because it
stifles ambition, it induces
slovenliness of performances,
run
a
and
after
in his work
a
which
time
that dreadful
is the
achievement.1
Mr.
interest in the
part
A.
he
lack
greatestbar
W.
Pinero
played in
of
to true
admits
interest
artistic
that
his
the
Lyceum production
of The Merchant
of'Venice rapidlydeclined
after the first few weeks.
But
the longestrun
is as
nothing compared with the monotony of a starring
tour with a single
play. Miss Minnie Palmer played
the part of Tina
in My
Sweetheart
for four years
c
'
How
64
actuallygo
to
on
the
every endeavour
also referred to the
cheer
him
'
the
to
I asked
it,but
from
of
nature
the
suffered
never
from
that
it.
in the
Often
same
formula
his constant
narrated
dread
an
aim
Mr.
Booth
Fox,
whose
absolute
season,
had
he had
he
idiocy,
ultimately
him
on
of
repeatedhundreds
had
doubt
no
middle
the
the effect
was
part afforded
anything more
during the day
the
he
up.
was
after
repliedthat
He
times.
him
which
what
the lines of Hamlet, which
of
funny stories,and
him, and constantly
asylum.
insane
Booth
Mr.
Stage
of the comedian
case
part of Humpty Dumpty,
repeated for hours season
drove
him
stage with
to
use
the
on
him, tell
with
dine
and
Get
to
suffered
much
that the sensible
much
relief.
than
He
had
intense weariness
of the
season
he would
of
going through
in the approachingevening,
though
He
to improve in the art.
was
instance
from
prospect
his
experiencethat
part most clearly.He
own
feelingsin this
at the Chestnut
was
presentingthe play of Hamlet
Street Theatre, in Philadelphia,
to a packed house.
of the famous
In the midst
two
soliloquy,
roughseated in one
lookingand uncultured men, who were
of the upper
began to get rather uneasy.
rows,
Suddenly one of them exclaimed,in a voice that was
easilyheard in the breathless stillness of the house,
audience
Oh, hell ! let's get out of this.1' The
manifested
its great displeasure
at the disturbance,
but Mr. Booth
said that he was
compelledto smile,
and he added,
I felt like repeatingthe remark, and
applyingit to myself."
illustrates his
"
"
'
of
Disadvantages
the
Disadvantagesof
The
Touring System 65
the
effect
psychological
Touring System.
of
playing a
year'send
country from
from
infinitesimal ; still,
part round
may
be
of
view,an
the
of this kind
engagement
to be desired.
If
an
an
actor
subordinate
year'send
educational point
to
leaves very much
the
possesses
artistic
true
which
that lack of training
he deplores
can
instinct,
only be obtained in a hardworking stock company.
lover of pleasure,
If,on the other hand, he is a mere
for
a
touring engagement affords him every facility
enjoyinghimself. There are no rehearsals to attend,
demands
no
leads induces
on
constantly
for
fresh
laziness
the
or
move,
c
easy life he
restlessness born of being
and
study,1
a
and
an
the
addiction
(
to
have
a
important event in the racingcalendar.
of his salary
lives up to the last shilling
He
; the
arises in his mind.
As long
thought of savingnever
is to be
of the manager
the commercial
as
stability
the slightest
not
relied upon, he makes
attempt to
improve his position. He is content to play his one
part for an indefinite period without strivingafter
an
producing a
engagement in a better company
good
superiorclass of play. The talents of many
often wasted
actors are
plays that are beneath
upon
Such
criticism.
as
they may possess is
originality
is quenched ;
suffered to lie dormant
; their ambition
the
of
ladder
effort to
mount
no
they make
bit
'
on
each
Fame.
Under
these conditions
the
active
pursuitof
5
the
How
66
actor's
the old
way
His
on
Get
to
the
on
Stage
professionis very different to what it was in
days. Then a young actor had to make his
the boards by sheer hard work and versatility.
first
engagement
command.
all times
at
was
commenced
He
difficult to
,'
'general utility
playing any part the stage-manager cast him for,
the same
often two or three small parts on
evening.
The
constantly changed. Rehearsals
plays were
o'clock until midway in the afternoon,a
from
ten
heavy performance at night, and 'study' until the
actor's daily
the provincial
small hours, constituted
became
He
programme.
as
well
so
versed
in
the
legitimate that after a couple of years he could
notice.
play a round of characters at a moment's
By
each
generalutility,'
servingan apprenticeshipto
'
'
'
new
best
actor
suited
discovered
for; it
the
was
'
his
'
line of business
ambition
he
to
'
get
he
out
was
of
All
possiblycould.
the most
successful actors of to-day owe
their positions
in the
to the rough trainingthey underwent
provinces.
Now, under the touringsystem,the beginnerhas no
of discovering
his true line of business.
He
means
may be engaged for and drilled into a part, and he
may succeed in keeping his engagement, or, as like as
taken by some
new-comer
not, his placeis very soon
for reasons
notice.
not
specifiedin his fortnight's
of
Scores
for alleged
cashiered
actors
are
young
of fact,they have
when, as a matter
incompetence,'
line of business.
unwittinglytaken up a mistaken
Others, again,fail to make a positionfor themselves,
6
'
responsiblesas
soon
as
of
Disadvantages
because, for
a
the
Touring System 67
like reason,
they only playtheir
if the chance
well,whereas
part passably
one
afforded
were
of
them
their
appearing in a varietyof characters,
abilities would be practically
put to the test.
Mrs.
(now Lady) Bancroft hit the nail on the
head
when,
after her
soon
she wrote
few
such
in her
theatres
now
as
'
retirement
from
'
Reminiscences
that
the old
or
Theatre, Bristol],
[the old King Street
Edinburgh Theatre, so
by Mr. and Mrs. Robert
admirablygoverned for years
should
then have
not
Wyndham ! We
the fact that there are no longer schools
actors
and
actresses
to
'
:
the fession,
proOh for a
as
serve,
to
bewail
for young
it were,
a
proper
apprenticeship
by playing every line of character in
from farcical comedy
the theatrical pharmacopoeia,
high tragedy,under the direction of an
before settling
the branch
on
manager,
to
which
seek and
work
for future
able
of
excellence
stageart
in
just
after studyingthe anatomy
as
a general
practitioner,
of the entire human
frame, becomes a specialist.'
One
effect of the touring system has been the
boards of many
permanent removal from the London
time
at one
sound, experiencedactors who
were
acknowledged favourites at the so called minor
The
theatres.
of working up their
probability
way
West-End
to
a
engagement is thus
exceedingly
Out of sight,
out of mind.1
remote.
Metropolitan
audiences
soon
forgetan actor who takes to 'the
This is why the provincial
road.1
actor-manager is
to
;
-
'
so
anxious
of the
to
suburban
book
a
houses
date
once
for
a
a
week's
year,
visit to
though, to
5"2
one
be
How
68
Such
London.
in
capital
order
in
season,
make
to
fail,but
play may
result of
member
some
brief
a
summer
The
green.
of his company
may
secondary part, with the happy
by a London
having his services requisitioned
in
hit
a
productionfor
keep his memory
West-End
a
Stage
part of theatrical
prepared to risk his
meaner
is often
one
a
the
on
the
is but
Suburbia
sure,
Get
to
chief
former
his
when
manager
a
takes
once
to
more
the road.
The
made
the
suburban
the
weekly visits
The
thing which has
theatre
a
paying possibility.
the touring companies relieve
of all risk,inasmuch
his
as
is the
touring system
suburban
patrons
are
of
manager
enabled to
at their
one
witness
doors
West-End
a
success
popular prices. And it
in the provinces. Any local tradesis justthe same
man
the
at a profitwithout
run
a theatre
can
now
least theatrical experience. People go to the theatre
one
week, and do not like the play ; they console
almost
themselves
own
with
the
better will be
are
play
to
takes
never
be
all the
all,the
London
at
reflection that
before
set
heard
risks upon
successes
them.
of, unless
exploited,or
the
his
next
the
week
New
author
thing
some-
tions
producof
the
speculativestranger,
own
shoulders.
After
constantlygoing the rounds
as
provincialaudiences
nearlyso numerous
fondlyimagine. Plays which have failed in London
in the country on the strengthof a six
boomed
are
theatre.
casionall
Ocnights1run at this or that West-End
has to be filled in by
week
too, a vacant
knows
the resident manager
a play of which
nothing.
are
not
the
of
Disadvantages
only rely upon
town
a
Then, again, when
He
a
few
weeks
the
from
them.
scene
situated
of
former
its
have
few
invited
They are
by the
makes
house
a
audiences
country
a
to
two
but
to
the
see
this way
placed before
In
play performed
same
two
three
or
stoneVthrow
a
novelties
posters.
visit after
return
a
visit.
company
same
of
contains
often
company
show
good
a
can
theatres,a
Touring System 69
or
three
times
year.
touring system is also responsiblefor
societyscandals and divorce proceedingswhich
to light in these modern
come
days. Actors
The
actresses
caused
form
can
them
town, who
during
be
to
could
the
liaisons
several months.
that, whereas
loathed
of
Nor
the
a
must
c
6
hear
we
good
folk
and
have
of
a
relations
extending
sightof the
actors
have
over
fact
'
are
now
so
a
bygone day made
circuit of the provinces
with an exhaustive
repertoire.
For this reason,
if for no
other, the present touring
be discounted
artistic developas
an
ment.
system must
The
leadinglightsof the dramatic profession
have
degenerated into parrot actors, while their
supporters lack the experiencewhich can only come
from
the study of many
parts. In this respect,at
numerous,
the
least,our
modern
with
those
'
stars
of
lose
would
of their
'
season
one-part
'
which
the
by
fail to
not
period
tour
on
many
histrions
a
compare
of the old school.
most
ably
unfavour-
Sociallysuperior
they may be, and better paid they are, but they can
boast of that practical
never
trainingwhich was to
be acquiredunder the old regime.
How
jo
Another
Get
to
consideration
the
on
the
which
Stage
of the
advocates
companiesuniformlyoverlook is that stagetravelling
find their occupation
and prompters now
managers
A resident stage-manager (worthy the name)
gone.
with
in the country at large,
to be met
is nowhere
while
the prompter has entirelydisappeared from
nominal
the face of the theatrical globe. Such
stage-management as is requiredunder the touring
hung in
system consists solelyin seeingthe scenes
their proper
in
a
the company
of the '
little supervision
as
positions
town, and
a
arrives
as
soon
property
night's performance. The
of stage-management has, in short,
business
whole
been usurped by the original producer of the play,
and country. In London
both in town
particularly,
the prompter is an
altogetherfictitious personage ;
have rendered
weeks1 rehearsals and long runs
many
his services superfluous.If he exists at all,he styles
since the nominal
himself
assistant stage-manager,'
happens to be either the actor-manager
stage-manager
in the company.
himself or the leadingman
of the touring system has also
The
universality
scenic artist and
the resident
abolished
practically
theatre out of
the wardrobe-keeper. Is there one
wardrobe
London
that
?
a
Special
possesses
carried by all travelling
is now
companies,
scenery
and
the 'magnificentsets' that
are
supposed to
viewed in broad
when
astonish the natives
at night,'
evidences of hard usage
daylight,bear unmistakable
Gone
the road.
the days when
a provincial
on
are
could put up any play that might be desired
manager
man'
during
the
first
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
How
72
to
which
advancement,
on
is not
at
the
Get
all my
idea
The
learning his business.
companies has completely
actor
stock
which
in
training schools
make
headway
Stage
closed
novice
a
should
until
sight of
Miss
a
a
"
Sarah
number
as
Sarah
in
Tearle
and
is very
but
and
as
no
similar
who
actor
actor
'
found
be
should
some
quite
Osmond
panies
Com-
to
the
roughed
beginner
a
Don't
!'
the
thoroughly in earnest, and
evidence
of his fitness for
Shakespearian Repertoire Companies,
otherwise,being
be
still
who,
it is
has
would-be
cannot
while
The
openings
without
also expect to furnish
;
Shakespearian
unhesitatinglyreceive
advice,
tendering Punches
or
speaking
actresses
would
the vocation.
or
nursery.
great, but
Tearle's
might possiblyoffer
it himself
first
individually.Messrs.
Edmund
gifted aspirant;
Benson's
walking parts,'reallylearned
the
able
superintendence of
'
them
name
R.
Royal, Margate,
actors
under
Thorne
to
a
Lawrence
son
institution
dramatic
genuine
graduating
Miss
his
secure
Theatre
well-known
business
found
that the amateur
similar educational
a
their
only
"
Thome's
of
needless
to
the
Smyth's Shakespearian Company
have
two
we
or
latterlylost
ago
year
it
flourishes
after
endeavour
Laurence
part.
was
of this kind
company
of
formerly
he
profession.'Yet
His younger
way out of the difficulty.
Mr.
F.
into
was
presently drafted
ShakespearianRepertoireCompany.
It is in
young-
the
could
his
in
a
abolition
actor
an
of
in these
for all
days
new-comers.
very, very
few, room
First
undergo
or
and
Stage
The
Stage
'
73
Coach/
tuition with
of
'
Coach
'
applicant should
foremost, then, the
course
a
a
well-known
pupilsfor the stage.
prepares
something to do this,but the time and
who
actress
cost
The
actor
It will
money
portment
exceedinglywell spent. Elocution and dethe primary essentials of the actor's art
At the
actors.
too often neglectedby would-be
are
be too
careful in the
same
time, the aspirantcannot
of selectinga
matter
Self-styled
qualifiedtutor.
old actors,1 late stageprofessorsof elocution
and
for
who
advertise
others
pupils,
managers,"1
The
should
generally be avoided.
enterprising
gentleman who at one time offered to teach
young
elocution through the post was
possiblynot overtisement
successful with his startling
innovation; his adverIf the
the public eye.
no
longer meets
in a
aspirant finds himself
position to pay for
should
tuition at all,he
not
begrudge an extra
the best obtainable.
A
guinea or two to command
Vezin or Mr. James
sterlingactor like Mr. Herman
Fernandez, or a retired popular actress like Mrs. John
bring out the best qualitiesof
Billington,would
a
gifted pupil in a remarkably short time, and
him
her to a professional
introduce
afterwards
or
will
be
"
"
'
4
6
'
'
6
engagement.
When
we
hear
of
suddenly sprung, as
and wonderinglyask
a
new
actress
or
prima
the London
upon
she came,
ourselves whence
it were,
donna
stage,
it will
How
74
be found
to
the
case
ladder
professional
examples are few and
adorn
now
unheard
parts,though
owed
introduction
her
musical, as
or
thus hoisted
be
To
the
ladies who
she
Stage
'coach,''dramatic
be.
may
the
on
inquirythat
on
influential
an
Get
to
the
to
top of
pleasant,but such
far between.
Many of the
the London
stage in leading
of until they actuallymade
is very
in a new
or
specialmatinee
duction,
prolights
not
were
altogetherstrangersto the footfashionable
amateurs, or in walkingparts,1
their debut
at
a
'
as
perhapsunder
Mr.
with
6
Mr.
part
a
different
Brandon
the Kendals
'
Brandon
The
Thomas
played
for
years
some
until he
; not
in Messrs.
name.
and
Herman
Golden
Band,
at
small
very
under
the
parts
of
name
offered the
leading
drama,
Wills's powerful melothe Olympic Theatre,
was
did he appear under
his full name.
studied for six months
Mr.
under
Hare
John
Mr.
Leigh Murray.
Miss Mabel
in her earlyparts for
Love
coached
was
the
Gaiety by Miss Carlotta Leclercq. The same
coach
her pupil Miss
excellent
Edith
introduced
Jordan
to play the leading part of Hetty Sorrel in
'
'
the dramatized
Theatre,
the
brief
Mrs.
version
when
that
of Adam
defunct
now
of
management
Conover,
actress
-
Mr.
house
of
manageress
coaches
'
of modern
under
was
George
a
Olympic Theatre, was
pupil of Mrs.
Miss Margaret Ayrtoun studied under
best
Holborn
at the
Bede
Rignold.
the
old
Chippendale.
three
of the
Chippendale,
Mr.
Horace
Wigan, and Mr. Dallas Glyn. Mr.
Charles
a
Cartwright was
pupil of the
originally
'
times
"
Mr.
The
late William
old
out
Creswick.
and
Theatre,
Lane
Stage
favourites.
another
was
actors
John
Mr.
75
Ryder, of Drury
of
stage manager
Haymarket Theatre, brought
Mr.
standing at the
quite a number
'Coach'
Coe,
a
-
popular
pupilswho are now
The
late Mrs.
Stirling
(Lady Gregory)
experienced 'coach,1 to whom
many
and
of
owed
actresses
their
introduction
to
School
a
profession. The Neville Dramatic
of many
also boast
still existinginstitution
can
under
enlisted
its banner.
capable recruits who
Benson's
have
R.
Mr.
F.
We
already mentioned
Shakespearian Company as an excellent training-
the
"
"
for the
ground
Hatton,
Miss
gained
their
Rosina
experience while yet 'unwept,
unsung,"in the Metropolis.
honoured, and
Miss
tyro ; therein Miss Bessie
Philippi,and sundry others,
dramatic
The
Experimental Matinee.
Jessie
Millward
did
a
very
bold
un-
thing
to
bring herself into public notice, albeit her talent,
the step. Having had
it proved,fullywarranted
as
a
walking part under the Kendals at the St. James's
amateur
friends,
Theatre, she, with the help of some
at
experimentalmatinee of Loves Sacrifice
gave an
The
of her performance
Toole's Theatre.
success
resulted in the offer of a speaking
in this venture
'
'
part by
an
and
Mr.
of note
amateur
Vezin.
amateur
Mrs.
"
Mrs.
made
"
Brown
her
Kendal.
became
-Potter
Mrs.
a
"
Bernard
pupil of
Mr.
"
Herman
fashionable
another
first appearance
Beere
on
the
pro-
How
j6
Get
to
of
fessional stage in aid
Stage
charityat
a
York
New
Square Theatre,
the
on
while
;
the
Madison
Mrs.
Patrick
Campbell, though sustaininga very small part in
organized by Mr. Herman
a
provincial
company
the
saluted
as
Vezin, was
coming actress
by
'
Scott, when,
Clement
Mr.
'
as
of
matter
a
fact,the
the
Daily Telegraph critic had travelled down
country for the express purpose of witnessingthe
performance of a debutante in the leadingcharacter.
Thereupon she hazarded a matinee of As You Like
her own
Miss Sophie Scottie, disaccount.
It on
contente
with
walking parts that never
promised
to develop into
speaking parts on the London
at last audacious
boards, became
enough to risk a
of Wales^s
matinee
in a play
Theatre
at the Prince
from
in a leading
our
pen to enable her to appear
Her
character.
a
walkingparts are now
thing of
the past.*
So much
be done when
the aspiranthas talent
can
'
'
'
'
'
c
Both
and
money.
short-cut to
the
tuition
*
The
is not
to
debutante
at
Drury
her
own
sole
and
and
determination
who
herself
makes
Siddons
Lane
fresh
words
object of
it were,
in
the
world
a
all
can
of invitingcriticism in this
responsibility
way
be lightlyundertaken.
Many an ambitious
great Mrs.
at
as
a
the
experimental matinee,
an
the
to make
very necessary
alone
position,but with money
are
:
described,and
from
The
awful
"
by
to
human
may
me
she
provinces.
immense
intellect
be
can
made
from
imagined,
never
be
but
feel
her
space
top
can
to
one
"
are
is
lined,
bottom,
never
forgotten.'
as
debut
These
that
consciousness
that
attraction
night/ must
at
the
of
centre
felt when
attention
with
all around
'
or
"
be
The
Experimental Matinee
on
upon
many
after
fails does
said
have
(or her) abilityin
lead
to
will
course,
make
who
'strut
is heard
it would
under
be
forced
occasion
The
a
ambitious
and
no
of
fret his
more.''
futile to seek
cherished
A
false pretences might
under
always wise
the ambition
The
hero
the
on
been
to
first-classrepertoire
company
furnish some
proofs of his
its way
it is
that results from
"
the
to
that
most
avoid
the
trying
check
itself.
overleaps
Fit-up' Tour.
advice
to
be
is unable
to
command
best
has
lead
to
ignominious expulsion. Talent, of
an
conditions,but
The
truth
speaking part.
a
obtained
first appearance
then
above,
engagement in a
the aspirantcan
an
be
indeed
the stage,and
upon
unless
only
actors
must
pretentious
premiere.
or
aspirantwho
we
That
would-be
trial matinee
As
there
boards.
the
success
hour
Talent
nothing.
avail
77
given
the
the
stage-struck
of
services
a
coach is to strive after an
qualified
engagement in a
fit-uptouring company.1 By a fit-upcompany
is meant
one
visitingpublic halls,corn
exchanges,
that do not
assembly-rooms,and the like,in towns
All the appurtenances of
possess a regulartheatre.
the stage the bare
platform alone excepted are
of
The
framework
the
carried.
proscenium and
is naturallymade
comprising the
fit-up,'
scenery,
and pack into the smallest compass.
to take to pieces
Some
fit-ups are very compact contrivances,and
the scenes
are
very prettilypainted; those sent
'
4
c
"
"
c
'
'
How
78
the
round
Get
to
smaller
the
on
Mr.
by
towns
Stage
D'Oyly
Carte
are
feast to the eye.
quitea
however
Yet,
well
adapted
'
a
'
be
fit-up may
for
ordinary halls, there is often considerable cutting
when
arrives in a strange
the company
and contriving
known
have
the ceiling
to be so low as
place. We
the employment of the scenic framework
to render
which
in
the
usual
event
utterly impracticable,
perforce to be dispensed with
proscenium had
and
the
scenes
wings fixed in
altogether,and
positionas best they could. At times the hall is
innocent of a platform,or it is so narrow
perfectly
for the performersto jump
that it becomes
necessary
almost in sight of the audience.
down
the floor
on
Under
these circumstances
a
majesticstride off is
not calculated to be very impressive. In some
cases,
dimensions
of the hall precludes
again,the narrow
the provisionof a passage-way
behind
the wings,so
that all entrances
and exits have
to be
necessarily
made
'up the stage1 a procedurethat involves no
small amount
of squeezinground
the sides of the
"
'
"
'back
cloth.'' Or,
as
the
in
an
as
like
illuminant
at
not, gas
as
the
wanderingThespians. Some
the programme,
from
resulting
will be
found
recorded
in
our
'
may
temporary
ludicrous
be
abode
items
known
un-
of
not
these
shortcomings,
Roughing-it on the
Stage:
fit-uptour,' provided the company
plays a
of pieces,
affords the beginnerevery facility
repertoire
for learninghis business.
(We are now
assuming
that he has successfully
the distressing
overcome
A
'
8o
How
Get
to
Memorizing
The
unfledgedactor
informed
how
and
rightway
themselves
a
may
wrong
with
Stage
Part.
a
in this
placebe profitably
his
there
memorize
to
the
on
part, for
who
Amateurs
way.
is
a
provide
printed copy of the play do not
study their parts to the best advantage. Lines and
committed
speechesother than those to be actually
to memory
are
distractingto the eye and to the
mind ; they should
be
run
through with a pen.
a
still it would
Better
beginning to
be
to
the
copy
end.
part out from
a
great aid to
Transcriptionis
The
the memory.
'cues'
are
just as important to
remember
the spoken words.
It is almost
as
fluous
superto explain that the cues
consist of the last
word
two
or
preceding the line or speech to be
does not
delivered.
An
actor
requireto know who
it is that gives him
his cue ; the words
themselves
be fixed in his mind.
must
for them, and
all will
careful to deliver
and
exactness
with
*
"
lock
The
in
actor's
may
on
be
be
the final words
take
for
the
them
Merchant
of service
comparison with
a
He
should
extract
the
the
on
the alert
also
be
of his
speecheswith
might almost say
of
Old
of Venice,as
to
be
one
"
up.*
transcriptionfrom
him
benefit
following short
The
well.
distinctness
emphasis
to
listening
Let
those
who
stagersare
from
are
gener-
the part of
Shy-
it would
acting
in an
appear
edition of the play,
beginner.
handy volume
It will
of
be
seen,
Shakespeare's
Memorizing
his proper
actor
young
arise either from
caieless
givinga
which
habit
a
cues,
in
remiss
allyvery
may
likingfor heaping confusion upon him.
in the text, yet cannot
is letter-perfect
modate
accomhe
himself to a strange phrasingof the cue
study
If he
waits
or
a
betide
for, woe
works, that
furnish
cues
the
due
If you
deny it,let
Upon
charter
the
your
You'll ask me,
why
A weight of carrion
Three
But
and
say, it is my
the
what
I
I purpose
to
I'll not
humour
!
reason,
nor
:
bond.
choose
flesh,than
?
several
sworn
danger light
freedom
your city's
I rather
ducats
thousand
of
happens,he
between
forfeit of my
and
world
a
:
Jew.
gentle answer,
I have possessedyour grace of
have
And
by our holy Sabbath
have
often
as
is made
the
is
There
!
when,
distinction
no
who
characters
him
for him
trouble in store
To
81
Part
a
to
!
have
receive
that,
answer
Is it answer'd
?
*****
So
I
can
More
than
I
I will not,
lodg'd hate, and
a
losingsuit against him.
of thy cruelty.
am
a
certain
loathing
Antonio, that I follow thus
I bear
A
give no
not
bound
do
not
Are
please thee
to
the thing he
any man
hate at first.
What,
wouldst
thou
are
have
a
not
my
answer.
draw
would
not
kill ?
serpent sting thee
twice
six.
If every ducat in six thousand
Were
in six parts, and every
I would
with
?
love ?
Hates
here
answer'd
you
them.
ducats
part
I would
a
ducat,
have
my
bond/
6
?
8
How
2
to
is looked
by
upon
amateur,' and
the
on
his comrades
so
every
still more.
him
confound
Get
Stage
confounded
'a
as
opportunity is
Should
he
seized
to
the
have
suspicionof this,his only safe plan will be,
rehearsal,to take in the drift of the speechthat
smallest
at
leads up to his cue, and consider in what way other
words
might possiblybe substituted to convey the
meaning.
same
endeavour, in whatever
But, after all,he should
he may
of company
find himself,to make
colleagueshis friends. Pride and exclusiveness
kind
the
actor's
young
everythingto
afford
learn
stand
to
in his
aloof
While
enemies.
worst
vocation, he
new
from
those
who
could
his
are
has
he
can
be
ill
of
Professional
sociability,
however, does not imply always treatingand being
treated to drinks at a neighbouring house
of call.
There is not the slightest
to allow himself
necessity
to fall into drinkinghabits
a danger againstwhich
should
be
actor
carefullyguarded.
every young
material
assistance to him.
"
Should
the
he
chance
be
a
total
abstainer,so much
will be respectedso long
principles
he
acts
as
manfully up to them and betraysno
bigotry. The assumptionthat the strictly
temperate
is despisedby his confreresis altogether
actor
founded.
un-
To
better.
to
His
his
After
general'read
the novice
through' of the whole
transcription,
should
confine himself
to studying one
at a
page
time.
Better far to have
few scenes
a
thoroughly
by heart than a smatteringacquaintancewith three
return
to
part.
a
Memorizing
or
five acts.
privatewill
rather
the
firmlyfixed
Loud
not
Part
a
declamation
be
of
the
contrary, for
in his mind,
83
of his
smallest
until
he
speechesin
help to him ;
has
the
words
his
thought of actingpart is out of the question. This is where the
hero and the untaught amateur
make
stage-struck
their great mistake ; they try to act their part
before they know
their lines. Where
fresh part
a
has to be studied every day,the beginnerhas enough
to do
to
cram
the text
all
his poor brain, without
the effects he would produce.
into
himself about
troubling
This being so, acting may well be left to take care
mistaken his vocation,
of itself. If he has not utterly
Let him
in good time.
to him
acting will come
take up and
strive at first to
speak the speech,1
give his cues, and simply walk through his part.
who
The
'stage duffer' is not generallythe one
'
cannot
act, but he who
creates
confusion
among
his
imperfectacquaintancewith his part.
Numerous
examplesmight be here cited of beginners
afterwards
who
developed into good actors, whose
alleged incompetence in their early days arose
entirelyfrom hopeless 'sticking1in the words.
The
finest conception of
a
part is absolutely
committed
worthless while the text is imperfectly
fellows
by
'
an
'
to memory.
6"2
How
84
Get
to
Stage
It goes
without
directions must
remains
also
be
to
by
to
Stage
Directions.
saying that the printedstagecopiedinto an actor's part ; much
be
pencilledin from hints and
suggestionsreceived
tyro needs
the
on
have
rehearsal.
at
all his wits
about
him
profit
to
Failure
instructions.
stage-manager's
remember
the precise
spot where
the
and
dramatic
The
he should
to note
stand,
and go off,or his cue
to
on
placea chair,fall,come
over
cross
accordingto the language of the
(ccross,'
confusion
'at
night' than is
stage),creates more
good for the play or pleasantfor the players.
amateur
To
an
actor, explanationof the printed
from
the play-book
initials to be transcribed
(left upper
I.E.R.
right), L.U.E.
(firstentrance
(practicable
(door in flat),P.W.
entrance), D.F.
window), D.R.C.
(door right centre), P.S. (prompt
"
side
otherwise,the left-hand
;
side of the
stage when
facingthe audience),o.p. (oppositethe prompt
prompter'sside),etc. will be superfluous
; but
'
"
be
not
may
of technical
novice
well
so
informed.
will
terms
also
Some
be
very
'
or
the
ledge
know-
useful,
of ignorancein this respectoftdisplay
instance
times makes the judicious
grieve. A solitary
make
from
to
our
our
experiencewill serve
meaning
clear. Thus, in a provincial
performance of that old,
since
a
woeful
old melodrama
'
cross
the
Forsaken,
stage with
a
a
novice
pair of
actor
braces
was
'
"
told to
short
iron
Professional
rods
of
used
strutted
with
Scene
for
bracing up piecesof
when
general consternation
the
youth
Slang
a
pair of
boards
the
across
85
scenery.
that
in
the
Judge
guileless
Saw-mill
braces !
trouser
Professional
Slang.
slang,
bringsus to the subjectof professional
an
acquaintancewith which should form part of the
if he wishes to stand
actor's stock-in-trade,
young
This
well with
A
his fellows.
is called
'
crowd,' a
play a piece,'
a
performancea show,' a matinee a morning show,'
an
a
engagement
'shop,'the act -drop or green
curtain
the rag,'and
payment of the salarylist
time
the
round
for
comes
'treasury.' When
and
cluster round
the manager's
actors
treasury,'
door waiting to be paid,the common
question is,
Is the Ghost
walking?' Very often that shadowy
out
scents the morning air,and vanishes withpersonage
manifestinghimself to the expectant mortals
who
are
dependent upon his good offices for their
The
Ghost
forthcoming Sunday'sdinner.
forgot
to walk !' is tantamount
to saying the salaries were
has
never
paid. Not one actor out of a thousand
the remotest
idea of the originof this expression.
It arose
in this way : A
certain eighteenth-century
of the
a
bogus type had in his company
manager
self-willed actor whose
singularly
strongestpart was
company
a
'
f
'
4
6
'
'
6
'
How
86
the
in
Ghost
Get
to
the
on
This
Hamlet.
Stage
gentleman
never
mitted
sub-
the
when
being put off with excuses
Saturdaymorning's treasury was not open for all
declined to walk
at night.1
concerned ; he resolutely
if Mr.
The
was
Bogus did not make
consequence
his company's demands, he
to satisfy
it convenient
had either to change the play or send on an inferior
to play the part. It is said that the ladies
actor
and
usuallyassembled
gentlemen of the company
at 'treasury'
time until
in an adjacentpublic-house
word
was
brought to them that the Ghost would
walk.
Such
actors
unanimity among
rarelycomes
to lightin these days.*
left in the lurch by an
A
absconding
company
of
account
or
on
prematurelydisbanded
manager,
is called
bad business,experienceswhat
a
dry-up.'
of
advent
The
a dry-up member,' so
styledbecause
held engagements under
he has repeatedly
insolvent
is always regarded as an
ill omen
for the
managers,
he has just joined; and, strange to say, it
company
is not
fears come
be
to
long before their worst
to
'
'
'
'
c
realized.
*
To
refer to
'
the
'
manager
would
be
to
bad
a
Mossop, the tragedian, was
master,
paybut
he
found
his
one
night
unexpectedly
match.
of
When,
as
King Lear, he lay in the arms
Kent, the actor
playing that character whispered to
Henry
him, 'If you
don't
give
me
your
word
of honour
that
of salaryto-night,I'll let you
you'llpay me my arrears
now/ growled Mossop ; get
drop.' Don't talk to me
with the play !'
on
Promise, or I'll suit the action to
the word
I will, I will !' was
the rejoinder. Mossop
kept it.
gave his promise and religiously
'
(
'
"
88
How
etc.,are
placed under
to
Get
the
on
the
Stage
charge of
the
'property
man.'
dressingof a modern
play forms no small
item in an actor's expenditure,
for he is expectedto
find everything,
from
his wigs down
to his shoes.
Costume
and in the
plays are now, in the West-End
best touring companies,completely dressed
by the
the
management ; but in all inferior organizations
time-honoured
rule still holds good, viz.,that actors
must
shoes,boot-tops,
providetheir own
tights,
wigs,
gloves or gauntlets,
crepe hair,frills,ballet shirts,'
hats, feathers,swords and sword-belts, and various
The
'
'
'
other
oddments
too
of
originator
this rule
Sir
Charles
D'Avenant,
the
many
'
with
1660.
shall
'
was
no
less
since
inserted
The
particularize.
a
It
was
it
formed
one
in his articles of
provide
not
follows
as
the
actors
c
:
than
personage
his company
of playerson
the
license of the SalisburyCourt
by royal
in
items
to
numerous
The
with
of
ment
agree-
opening
Theatre
management
hats, feathers,
gloves,ribbons, swords, belts, bands, shoes, and
the stock companies were
versally
unistockings.'When
in vogue,
had
its
own
each
theatre
and
in town
country
wardrobe, comprising shirts,'shapes,'
'
6
'
'
adays
square-cuts,'
tuck-ups ; nowtogas, gowns, and
for a West-End
everythingis ordered new
of the piece stored
production,and after the run
away or sold off by auction to the highestbidder.
When
clusion
writing-in for an engagement, the inof the all-important
robe
wardsentence, Good
and off the stage,'
has great weight with
on
'
(
'
'
Actors'
'
89
Properties
c
of a reperwith the manager
particularly
toire
A bad actor is often tolerated
touringcompany.
in an inferior company
if he bringswith him a goodly
for to dress a
of serviceable properties,
assortment
a
manager,
part well
reflects credit
amateur
an
can
props,'
company,
who
alwaysmake
according as
at the
hamper
management.
novice, suppliedwith
a
or
friends
he
enemies
or
a
good
small
place his
willingto
is
c
in
comrades
of his less fortunate
service
over,
More-
the
on
obligedto part with their
by piecemealat the sign of the Three
If he refuses point blank, they will
have, perhaps,been
'
'
own
props
Balls.
Brass
play him
-
tricks,
'
'
gag
him
of his
lines,
give him
wilfully
hundred
different ways
make
It would
to him.
burden
to make
new-comer
of his
would
old
stager could
of
be
wrong
and
cues,
in
a
life a
professional
bad policyfor the
his
be
himself
disliked at the very outset
article or
loan of a trifling
The
career.
two
of all recollection
out
amply repaidby
render
him,
the
more
help which every
in the
especially
'
making up his face,which is an art in
while
the mysteries of
itself,
faking a costume
can
only be learned by keeping one's eyes open in a
actor's dressing-room.It is really
wonderful
strolling
to note
the effects that may
be produced by the
ingeniousout of few materials.
have
We
not
yet quite done with professional
slang. The novice who blunders on to the stage
matter
'
'
6
at the wrong
An
'
actor
moment
uncertain
and
shaky,'
takes
bears the
name
of
of his lines confesses
every
opportunityof
a
'
fluffer.'
being
conning his
to
How
90
Get
to
the
on
Stage
This is
wings while waitingto go on.
called
winging it.' To cut another actor out of his
for him, from whatever
lines,or spoilhis scene
cause
is to
him, or
arising,
queer
queer his biz.1 Actors
never
speak of gaining applause. They say, 'I
couldn't get a hand.1
Trying a new
play in some
of the
out
in
country place is described
way
theatrical parlanceas
trying it on the dog.1 The
same
a
new
expressionobtains when
production,
intended
for the
Metropolis, is exploited at a
on
provincialtheatre. A play utterlycondemned
productionproves a 'frost1;a bad play is laconically
dubbed
rot.1
Mr.
Chippendale is said to have
part
in the
'
'
c
-
'
-
-
'
'
scribbled
word
this
Robertson^
of
back
the
on
Society another
experiencedactors
of
proof
"
and
poor
that the
is
managers
Tom
judgment
by no
infallible.
means
An
part consists of
actors
'
so
many
lengths,1
each
consistingof fortylines. A part in which he
down
to
expects to score
heavilyis said to suit him
the ground.1 A male
part played by an actress is
called a
breeches part.1 An
oyster part contains
only one speech,though it may be a long one ; like
but once.
A
an
oyster,the actor opens his mouth
'
'
'
fat part
is
'
is
plentyof
one
it.
which
all actors
Considered
part would
be
assuredly
Mr.
Bouchier
Arthur
character
of
the
'
'
in the
usual
in its literal sense,
that
of Sir John
relates how, when
there
a
fat
Falstaff.
playingthis
night,he wore, instead
arrangement, a fearfullyand
provincesone
wicker
wonderfullymade
love,because
tunic
inflated
with
air.
While
'Wheezes'
and
'Gags'
91
wing waiting to go on the stage,
of his companions deftly
one
punctured the blownin several placeswith a bodkin, the
contrivance
out
that the burlyknight became
result of which
was
clap-trap
visiblythinner as the play proceeded. A
the
standing at
'
'
speech
sentiments
in virtuous
abounds
tist's
the drama-
applause from
trap for
traditional
"
pit
and
gallery.
and
'Gags'
The
is
Instead
actor's
meaning
true
own
of the
these
to
'
'
disconcert
the
of his
will,for the greater success
sweet
purposelyemployed
performer. Hence, by
words
meant
part,they originally
in order
'
and
ging'
gaggag
entirelymisunderstood.
words
days
implying interpolatedspeechesat
in
of
'Wheezes.'
another
propoundingquestionswhich the latter was unable to
or
ignoringhis own
answer,
gagger
proper cues, the
metaphorically
put a gag over the other's mouth, or
Couldn't
Actor
Who
shut him up.
The
Gag is
'
'
'
"
the
title of
one
of
our
recent
contributions
to
the
theatrical
journals.
of the
the recognisedprivilege
Gagging is now
In pantomime and
low comedian.
burlesquehe is
he likes. It has
allowed
to do pretty nearly what
In the
however.
its limitations,
legitimateit would
of
here the wisdom
of place mark
be entirely
out
in melodrama
while
Advice
Hamlet's
to the Players
'
'
'
'
"
"
it becomes
a
matter
of
arrangement
with
the
How
92
Get
to
the
on
stage-manager. Gagging has
of the Savoy operas.
any
made
Williams
Arthur
Mr.
6
gags,
wheezes,and
go for
*
A
business
'
been
never
the
On
into
Without
'
the
an
extempore
nothing.
'
wheeze
differs from
'
'
a
gag
in that
Irishman
P exclaims
melodrama
There's
in the
will be
they have
heard
the
wheezes
new
any
is the
stage, in
asking one
c
Drury
exit.
an
pantomime
to
another
give
as
?'
away
soon
as
engagements.
Business/
general term
contradiction
three kinds
are
in the
he
Stage
'
to
injustice
P says the
settled their Christmas
Business
of the
the
on
scene.
appears
in request for pantomime
largely
are
Got
'
it is the
course
he makes
time
coming
instant
Originalwheezes
actors
each
trouble
the
purposes.
the comic
Youth
more
comedian
There
is
parts he playswould
Oireland
on
the
by
small part of
his
'Another
'
in
hand,
Roberts
phraserepeatedad nauseam
playby an individual actor.
'
other
the
Arthur
same
Lane
allowed
his first great hit
successful gags he introduced
Lurcher
in Dorothy. Mr.
accomplished gagger.1
Stage
of business
for
to
"
everythingdone
what
is spoken.
the bus set down
in the
play-book,that suggestedby the author or
and that invented by the
stage-managerat rehearsal,
actor
himself.
Once
has
a
piece of stage-business
been
found
to
In the
go
well
with
the
legitimate
drama,
audience,it
such
is
business
tained.
re-
has
Stage
been
handed
part
and
from
parcelof
an
theatrical
from
away
down
of
93
generationto generationas
accepted reading. To break
tradition
the
school
did
is
offence
an
which
readilycondone.
It is in this that true artistic genius asserts itself.
Edmund
Kean
encountered
much
oppositionon his
Theatre
first appearance
in the
at
Drury Lane
for wearing a black wig instead
character of Shylock,
red one.
This was
of the traditional
not
really
business,'in the ordinaryacceptationof the word.
actors
old
'
Business
'
not
4
All
the
it evidenced
same,
a
discrimination
nice
of
things,which the generalrun of actors
ignore. Sir Henry Irving is a master of
habitually
The amount
of thought he bestows
dramatic detail.
the fitness of
he
trifles in connection
the merest
upon
has
made
he is ; the
his
has
own
with
expedition
which
practice. 'By
strict attention
hands
the
on
must
their
careless
be invested
he rolled
have
Brothers
say
of a
make
helpedto
in the Corsican
tradesmen
with
to
a
the
parts
him
what
cigarette
weeks
cost him
business'
"
as
of
the
part, which in
performerwould be nothing
circulars
with
"
a
importance altogether
of by manager
and by critic.
undreamt
Creatinga
part is nothing less than developingits possibilities
is sufficiently
it is not
who
but
actor
an
every
in a small
artiste to discover the hidden
possibilities
at
all,can
an
'
'
part.
'
a
to
Look
part
at that
out
Edmund
storm.
of
man
!
He
nothing !' exclaimed
Kean
He
little
before he
years
laboured
at
the
tryingto make
an
actor, pointing
took the town
by
is
veriest
trifles.
John
How
94
Philip Kemble
Hamlet
out
wrote
the
after
Baker,
'
pace
and
all acted
were
attitudes.
and
over
he
over
again.' This
achieved
Gibber,
'
fame.
was
went
'The
short
is too
told
are
by
every
Barton
direction,to
the
ment,
deport-
with
every
characters
His
his
again,and
glad to
speeches
breathe
for years,
on
he
Macready
theatre
familiar with
recited,till,tired out, he
fresh air
in the
up
entrances, and
varietyof gestures and
career
fortytimes.
stage in every
the
exits
improving his
his theatrical
less than
ease, to become
with
Stage
with
we
morning service,
and
give himself
of
himself
shut
Sunday
done
course
part no
to
wont
was
the
on
never
was
in the
;
Get
to
the
after
even
longestlife,1
says Colley
the almost
endless study
for
of the actor."*
Gibber
himself
was
a
notable
example
be
accomplishedby enthusiasm
despitephysicalshortcomings. Of
can
actors
at
made.
are
Those
who
never
rehearsal, saying, It'll be
'
cannot
expect
to
profession
; they
which
all
perseverance,
such stuff great
attempt to act
right at night,1
headway in
utterlydevoid
is in the end
crowned
what
and
make
are
of
their
of
with
the
adopted
siasm
enthu-
success.
elder Kean
The
alwaysrecited in front of a mirror.
Beerbohm
Tree
Mr.
fully-thought-ou
habituallysubmits his carebusiness to the critical judgment
of his wife and fellow artiste in private. And
it is
equally true that every actor worthy the name
devotes
part
Askew
as
the
same
should
Sothern
minute
attention
pertain to
found
little
the
to
the
smallest
greatest. Edward
enough to work upon
How
96
she
to
was
to
receive
Get
^100
the
on
Stage
week, failed
a
to
draw
the
of old
time, there are scores
public. At the same
for acting of the
comedies, affording
plentiful
scope
be drawn
highestorder, that might profitably
upon
fidence
by actors and actresses who have gained the conof managers.
The
for which
stereotyped lines of business,**
artistes were
formerlyengaged by the year, may
be said to be well-nigh
extinct.
drama
now
Only in melodo we
with the leadingman
and leading
meet
lady (hero and heroine),
juvenileladyand gentleman,
first old man
or
heavy father,heavy lady,heavy
first old woman,
low comedian,
gentleman or villain,
character
or
actor, light comedian, chambermaid
singing soubrette,and these are not nearlyso well
defined as
of old.
of them,
they were
Any one
in fact, might be more
correctlydescribed as a
'character
part,1natural or eccentric,accordingto
the exigenciesof the play.
Utilities
and
reno
sponsibles1are known
by these names
longer;
school
the new
of actors
will have
nothing to do
'
"*
'
with
terms
so
common.
'
After
with
the
'
all,the
'
Creating
smallest
greatest,when
a
part
the
Part.
is
on
an
histrion
artistic level
exercises
the
to 'hold
the mirror
intellectuality
up to Nature.'
The day when
actor
not now
an
we
are
speakingof
the novice
could simply look a part and leisurely
"
"
'
Creating
'
walk
there
farcical
one
Part
97
by. A genuine touch
gone
be in every acted part, however
must
be.
For
eccentric it may
no
it has
through
of nature
a
or
character; that is wholly beyond
actor, novelist,or
playwright;it
invented
ever
of
power
all sorts and
be sought for among
must
in the world around, as Dickens
of men
the
conditions
sought for
A
byways of London.
be copied from
human
distinctive trait may
one
from
second
a
document, a marked
peculiarity
and a third, the whole
being ingeniouslyblended.
So
is always human
nature.
Character
that,
parts are not created; they can
properlyspeaking,
photographed,touched
only be reproducedfrom life,
might say. A character,as it
up, redrawn, as one
differs from that
of a playwright,
leaves the hands
inasmuch
it is more
less sketchy,
of a novelist,
as
or
detail
and purposelyso ; the pages of descriptive
relative to character delineation must
give placeto
in the person of the actor from his
a
livingreality
it in
the
highways
observations
of Art
of
and
men
is to simulate
'It is the
and
The
manners.
mission
true
Nature.
easiest
thing in
Southey to
the
world
write
to
a
said Robert
his maiden
aunt
one
play,1
Is it,indeed ?' exclaimed
day in his twelfth year.
the answer
that
lady in surprise. Yes,' was
;
because you have only to study what
you would
in the place of the characters,
and
say if you were
make
this was
them
most
a
say it.' Theoretically
admirable
dictum, but the young poet'sinexperience
did not take into account
the artistic faculty
which
6
'
4
7
How
98
Get
to
on
the
Stage
himself
in the
placeof
different characters,and make
so
capitalout
many
moods
and
With
of their various
idiosyncrasies.
is somewhat
the actor the difficulty
simplified.He
character to impersonate,
and that he
has but one
in
will accomplish successfully
proportion as he
its relation to the other characters
studies,firstly,
of the play; secondly,
its relation to the action of
the play; and thirdly,
its relation to that particular
speciesof humanity moving in the world at largeof
which his character part, as suppliedto him by the
author, is merelya skeleton idea.
John
Emery, the most famous countryman the
enables
the
stage has
copying
playwrightto put
ever
the
rustic clad
boots, which
in
seen,
peoplehe
with
them
direct to
not
himself
content
with
doddering, half idiotic
drivelling,
and
hob-nailed
smock-frock,gaiters,
-
had
satisfied theatrical
because
generations,
and
did
that
audiences
for
type easilyrecognised
understood.
He
mixed
freelywith the
wished to portray,ate, drank, and chatted
in country taverns
went
; in short, he
Nature
for his
was
raw
a
material.
Mr.
Henry
Neville is the finest
living
exponent of the Lancashire
lad.
This
bit of characterwas
a
by no means
actingevolved in the study,but from the type itself,
while the actor was
ceiving,
earning,though not always rehis ridiculously
small salary
at the Theatres
Royal and Rural in Bob Brierly'sown
country.
Still less did Miss
Clara
elaborate their faithful
Jecks
and
Miss
Louie
Freer
of the London
impersonations
of
and the ignorant domestic
lodging-houseslavey,
'Creating*a
Part
99
superiorclass,out of their inner consciousness ;
they studied their character from the life in its
native atmosphere. As we know, Mr. E. S. Willard,
before producingThe Middleman
at the Shaftesbury
a
Theatre, spent
time
some
of local colour
in search
pottery districts of Stoke and Worcester.
Miss Dorothy Dene
made
her great hit in the part
of Pauline in Called Back, but neither playgoers
nor
in
the
critics
were
where
madness
that
aware
it could
she
had
best be
previouslystudied
studied
in its most
terrible
or,
other
Lionel
Bedlamites,
aspect,namely, among
words, at the Bethlehem
Hospital. Mr.
in
Rignold is particularly
happy in his impersonations
Jack
of cabmen, sportingcharacters,longshoremen,
Tars, and kindred types of humanity, and this for
that it has always been his custom
to
the reason
an
acquaintancewith the very folk who
scrape
for stage
stand him in good service as object-lessons
purposes.
Mistaken
'
Lines
of Business/
people who are not artistes by nature are
indifferent exhibitions
judging from the many
prone
they witness in these days to place low
comedy on a level with buffoonery.But this is
The
is as much
true low comedian
quitea mistake.
the exponent of the higher comedy,
artiste as
an
ranks with tragedy. Tragedy deals with the
which
The
comedy with habits and manners.
passions,
Most
"
"
7"2
How
ioo
Get
to
the
on
Stage
"
line of business unknown
in
was
a
lightcomedian
actor
the palmy days of the drama
who, after
; an
discoveringhis real powers, eschewed
tragicparts,
was
simply a comedian.'
Comedy has a much wider
on
beingtold
answer,
range than tragedy. Gibbers
in his way :
I think
not
that a certain part was
anything naturallywritten ought to be in everybody's
artistic
way that pretendsto be an actor,'was
in theory,but it could not be appliedin practice.
voice or a stunted
A harsh,unmusical
figurewould
show
not
a
tragedianin a favourable light;there
to be
are
physicalas well as mental qualifications
in playing a diversityof parts. Still,
considered
Kean
there are
was
a
exceptions. Edmund
very
fc
'
'
short man,
Othello
much
diminutive
he
to
look
commenced
the
part of
speakhis
stature
was
forgotten,and he appeared a giant.
Kean
of the
was
a
tragedian,and one
essentially
greatest. An actor like David Garrick or Sir Henry
Irving excels in both comedy and tragedy,but such
Siddons
failed utterlyin
Mrs.
geniusesare rare.
comedy ; not until she returned to the provinces
after her initial engagement at Drury Lane did she
discover her real gifts. On the other hand, some
of
the most
successful comedians
have firmlyand persistently
believed
themselves
for tragedy.
cut
out
Colley Gibber, against all better counsel, would
as
Wolsey, Richard the Third, and lago ;
appear
in the
the
;
but
too
soon
as
last-named
stage,while
into
as
ridicule.
as
character
Richard
he
he
Quin made
to
was
once
turned
his
the
hissed
off
performance
audience
laugh
Mistaken
when
outright
backed
Samuel
Foote
and
Portia
when
Venice
for
maker
of
stage,
he
John
comic
courted
Nevertheless,
his
presently
a
mistakes
Such
;
what
is
company,
thus
the
its
modern
making
public give
have
them
actors
in
be
more
credit
for.
belief
in
of
top
afforded
of
in
house
the
Romeo.
the
fession
proor
company,
touring
a
tragic
fortunately,
stock
a
discernment
his
set
are
the
laughing-stock
a
discovered
figured
and
substitute,
to
Liston,
in
to
in
score
abiding
him
at
actor
likely
would
failure
he
been,
to
small
is not
managers
when
have
confined
however,
of
intended
not
roar
led
face-
undeceived.
his
of
champion
he
dire
and
Merchant
stage-manager,
as
he
burlesque
Shylock
The
the
cessful
suc-
Beauts
a
of
up
quickly
impersonations.
in
The
what
convinced
felt
next
made
put
Kemble,
powers
night
Munden,
was
powers,
tragic
the
in
Clive
former
benefit.
his
but
until
his
the
the
tragedy,
Kitty
crook-
but
imagine
can
the
anything
Scrubb
as
everyone
One
was
101
of
part
character;
same
Stratagem.
Business'
the
Weston
the
delighted
too,
essayed
he
monarch.
in
of
Lines
'
an
repertoire
opportunity
himself.
than
the
Stageoutside
How
102
The
Get
to
the
on
in the
Novice-Actor
If,in the foregoingdissertation
kindred
and
matters,
labouringto
actor
young
part, we
have
attempt
to teach
he has
is
his
footing.
how
to
them, but
The
rudiments
and
work
The
would-be
that
alone
literary
tyro
not
or
artist
may
produce
will
may
be
channels
be
if
he
retains
be
taught
certain
of
effects
him
instructed
an
in the
technique
acceptable
disposalof
authorshipwithout
for the
indicated,but
cannot
actor
an
make
never
of his craft,a certain amount
suitable
may
whether
the
get on the
being there, his
matter, and
his colours,and
mix
artist.
unwittingly.We
so
determine
from
his first speaking
memorize
a
different
a
abilities must
with
stage 'business1
on
person how to become
for it. How
to
the vocation
not
stage
done
not
Study.
strayedaway
have
we
Stage
the
facultymust ever be love's labour lost.
literary
of a
It is the same
with acting. In the absence
qualifiedtutor
by preferencean actor or stageof established
reputation the beginner
manager
will have to make
a hard
study of everythingappertaining
to elocution
and deportment. Such things
not to be learned
from books, though
are
exclusively
serviceable hints might be given to the student
many
in these pages did
but direct
can
space permit. We
him to the
duction
Hints
to Reciters
forming our introThe
to
Century Reciter ; it would only
be going over
the same
ground needlesslyto retrue
"
"
'
'
'
'
How
104
Get
to
Differingfrom a theatre
than
by day is nothing more
as
mounted
not
are
Stage
Rehearsal.
At
scenes
the
on
a
stage
platform(such
square
rollers
on
the
where
proper,
being
'
struck
'
leaned,like the 'wings,'flat againstthe back
porarily
side walls),there will in a public hall tem-
and
and
converted
of
'back
the
their
remains
rung
places,while
well
as
encumbered
theatre
as
with
it
as
tions
indicaplentiful
be
appeared
down, the
was
behind,
a
previous night's performance.
cloth1
curtain
into
'
wings
the
'entrances'
the
'
boards
'
when
'
The
the
still in
are
and
passages
themselves,
are
furniture, costumes,
'properties,'
and
In the centre
of the
stray piecesof scenery.
stands the
stage,down by the footlights,
promptthere should
table,'and on it,beside the play-book,
'
be
a
table'
pronouncing dictionary. At
sits the stage-manager with
auditorium.
'
at
lend
and
a
it will be
course
when
night,'
costumed
to
Of
the male
made
hand
members
the
his back
promptto
the
all very different
of the company,
up for their parts,are
the scene-shifting
and
at
'
expected
property-
carrying.
All which
might
the
'
is very useful
otherwise
mistake
of
scenery
entrance,'
Where
so
or
much
a
'
the
to
an
boxed-in
the
actor, who
young
unintentional
in
gap
'
drawing-room for an
of a
set
significance
piece.'
is left to
'
the
imaginationat
re-
Rehearsal
At
hearsal
any
such
(forthe
than
more
the actors
mistakes
Nothing
of
are
for the
set
never
frequent
very
the
day-time,
occurrence.
excitement
actor
young
in the
in their costumes),
rehearse
is easier, under
than
moment,
are
scenes
105
to
walk
of
the
on
the
seeminglysolid wall, or from the
instead
chimney-cornerof an old-fashioned fireplace
of through the door.
Inattention to the disposition
is generally
of the various portionsof a
set scene
in the
incident
not
ludicrous
fraught with some
stage through
a
'
'
programme.
Well
do
recollect
we
assuming
an
easy
attitude
againsta projecting
pieceof
the stage at a largeLondon
back
scenery at the
theatre one
night
accordance
of the
with
the
business
"
play
"
while
of
in
an
going forward between two
of our
comrades
down
by the footlights.Presently
strange pantomimic signs on the part of a stagethat
carpenter standingin the wings made us aware
evidentlyamiss. We
glanced down
something was
not in
costume
was
our
person, thinkingperhaps our
Still the mysteriouspantomime
apple-pie order.
colloquywas
interesting
continued, until
way
round
to
the
his
length the carpenter made
at
'
entrance,'situated
within
a
few
matter?'
the
elbow.
'What's
we
yards of our
leaningagainst
inquiredin a stage-aside.'You're
the startling
a waterfall P was
reply. Truth to tell,
the 'terrific
had
what
appeared to us a rock was
fore
It is therebeholden
cataract
as
by the audience.
ful
highlynecessary for a young actor to take carestock of a scene
before
making his entrance.
'
106
How
The
theatrical
To
"
'
'
fit-upwill
return
the
to
hunt
for the
will occupy
to sally
forth to his
of the
and
company,
who
actor
with
in connection
fullyapparent.
tedious
The
the
the
usual
stated
hour.
final
a
*
till the
The
study of
time
run-
comes
scription
tran-
the
one
round
at
'
'
now
survive
a
evening'stoil. Such is the daily
beginnerin a fit-up or small stock
of every
such has been the experience
thoroughly. It
any
next
him
capacityof
bespeak of
night'sperformance,and
part and
new
in hand
routine
thus be
will be
at
same
of his
'
rehearsal.
'
Stage
the
property man
through ended, there
the play-book for the
a
the
on
advantage of assistingin
scene-shifter and
a
Get
to
can
claim
know
to
work
killing
all. Verily,it
is
;
his
business
the wonder
is that
needs
a
strong
stitution
con-
pull through his
when
to downrightwear
long novitiate,particularly
and
of body and
mind
added
tear
are
pecuniary
anxieties arisingfrom
the dishonestyof the typical
and
are
Still, while we
bogus manager.
young
sanguine,we can bear much of that which in middle
kill outright,
for which reason
the novice
age would
too young.
enter the dramatic
can
scarcely
profession
to
He
becomes
soon
vocation
short
enable
;
after
the devotee
accustomed
to
few weeks
the
a
notice will
present no
to
the
toil of his
new
study of a part at
and by that
difficulties,
its entire
will have
exhausted
company
repertoire.Then is his opportunityto act his part,
time
the
whereas
before
Playing the
will enable
he
to
only battle
with
the words.
parts in different towns
continually
improve himself; new
round
same
him
could
of
Rehearsal
At
bits of business
will become
107
will suggest themselves, and
acting
delight,hard work though it must
This
is,of course, assuming that he
always be.
remains in the company
long enough to be through
of an
with the daily
to make
Americanism
use
itself is not
study of new
parts; that the company
disbanded
by the manager's order, or stranded in
some
out-of-the-way place by the irresponsible
finds
Mr.
Bogus. Unhappy the poor actor who
himself
thrown
of his employment from
out
any
a
"*
'
"
"
one
of these
of
studyover
causes
;
he will have
again when
a
new
all his weary
round
engagement
is met
with.
of the
Customs
details of the time-honoured
Some
not
usefullyset down in
paid for, though an
in
an
attendance
customs
in the dramatic
financial matters
be
Theatre.
at
this
place.
actor
London
a
ing
govern-
profession
may
Rehearsals
may
have
to
theatre, or
are
put
travel
town, many
provincial
days prior to the
play. Even when the play is
productionof a new
enjoying a successful run, the stage-manager may
post up a 'call' for all concerned, with the object
of improving certain scenes
or
rehearsingone of the
performer has been specially
parts for which a new
engaged. In the case of a musical playthe orchestral
often calls the company
conductor
togetherin broad
certed
daylightfor the introduction of a new song or condown
to
a
piece,while
the
'
second
edition
'
of
a
panto-
io8
How
mime
Get
to
similar
imposes
the
upon
in
rehearsal,strolling
at
coming late to the
stage waiting at night,
half-hour's
usual
after the
Stage
inconveniences
Non-attendance
artistes.
the
on
grace,
performanceor keeping the
i.e.,
fluffing,1
cuttinganother actor out of his lines
at the wrong
or
or
moment,
making an entrance
standingin the 'prompt entrance' when the performer
'
has
business
no
be there, results in
to
a
fine.
Half-
morning performersobtain everywhere,
unless the terms
for a weekly
of agreement stipulate
matinee.
the stated
During the pantomime season
includes so many
salarygenerally
day performances.
salaries for
'If
the
curtain
ladies
rise,'the
not
and
lose a night's salary.
company
This is very convenient
who
often
for the manager,
dismisses a scanty audience rather than play to bad
gentlemen
business.
to
of
does
the
The
actors
go on.'
'
No
theatre,'against
The
risingof
the
bandsmen
times
arrive
at
a
it is too
'
no
of the
the custom
be
can
curtain,however,
appeal.
no
does
struck
have
affect
not
the
up
a
shirk
the
claims
considerable
behind
the
curtain
of
his orchestra.
saving when
that
there
the
fiat
is to
be
show.'
Another
notice
we
there
'
ing
wait-
entitled to their full
late to
forth
it is
;
and
night'ssalary.
the astute
does not
definitely
manager
decision regarding the performanceuntil
Still,he effects
goes
fullydressed
provided they
;
overture, they are
At
matter
which
the
be
may
have
to
old-fashioned
terminate
stated
custom
is the
engagements.
already,
engagements
In
are
fortnight's
London,
made
'
as
for
of the
Customs
the
of
run
release
to
brief
unless
piece,"*
who
artiste
an
elsewhere,or
for
the
else
c
lend
'
the
to
a
109
chooses
manager
received
has
him
In
Theatre
brother
offer
an
manager
touring company
every
is subjectto the usual fortnight's
actor
notice,and
of course
the notice works
both ways.
It is quite
who
wishes to rid
a
common
thing for a manager
himself of a particularly
member
obnoxious
of the
a
company
season.
a
the obnoxiousness
"
may
arise from
in
his persistence
of salary to post up the
claimingarrears
followingnotice : The ladies and gentlemenof the
that the season
will
are
hereby informed
company
This
terminate
notice
on
Saturday evening.
"
'
.
does
affect Messrs.
not
Obviously,there
him
to
desire
a
act
to
would
in such
terminate
nor
be
an
an
not
the
underhanded
individual
.
the
.
Misses
.'
need
slightest
manner
if his
engagement
in that case
a
legitimate
privatenote,
one;
a fortnight's
notice,would suffice.
The
The
for
was
veying
con-
Bogus Manager.
to shirk
typicalbogus manager never
scruples
his responsibilities
when
it suits him
by posting up
notice.
a
general fortnight's
Promising to settle all
claims
the first convenient
on
opportunity,he is
allowed to depart with his belongingsby those who
have not yet deserted him, and very soon
he breaks
with a fresh company
out
in another
place,it may
be under a convenient
alias. This, however, he does
How
1 1 o
only
as
manager
as
a
last
has
florins and
on
The
resource.
the
Stage
policyof
the
keep his company
possibleto put them off
been
ever
it is
long as
Get
to
half-crowns
to
bogus
together
with
odd
account.
on
Looking back through the long vista of years
the time present from our
earlytheatrical
separating
astounded
at the audacityof the
we
are
experiences,
have known.
There was
various bogus managers
we
toiled for him
who, though his company
one
early
and late,and patiently
starved,denied himself none
of the
luxuries
of
life.
Sad
indeed
it must
have
outsider
understandingthe position,
him waylaidin the street of an afternoon
to see
by
intent upon
first one, then another
player,'
poor
from his particularly
tight
extractinga few shillings
purse under a threat of refusingto go on at night.'
all the time Mr.
And
Bogus would be laden with
the poulterer's,
good thingspurchasedat the fruiterer's,
appearedto
an
'
'
and
the Italian warehouseman's
his fat wife's table.
class looked
Another
all the
store
for his
adventurer
own
of the
and
same
late on
dressing-rooms
J?10
a
note, for which
Saturday night flourishing
salaries.
he requiredchange to enable him
to pay
As
was
one
no
wealth, and
possessedof so much
the neighbouringpublicanshad just put up their
deferred
settlement
of
shutters, he reluctantly
a
until Monday morning. But
the
when
accounts
round, he failed to put in
Monday morning came
and at night the discoverythat he
an
appearance,
made
the week's business
it
had
lost heavilyon
impossiblefor him to pay out anything like a
into
How
1 1 2
to
Get
outside
deficit from
on
the
Stage
And
when,
sources.
the
on
Monday night following,the happy instrumentalist
invited to throw in his lot with the
was
respectfully
less happy ladies and gentlemen who
had
infinitely
agreed to form a commonwealth, he refused pointblank.
So every night we
plodded through our work
for that piano-pounder's
specialbehoof.
Commonwealth
The
The
commonwealth
institution.
since
ever
know,
we
It has
survived
actingbecame
very old theatrical
all the changes of time
is
the
a
distinct
a
earliest secular
the
before
actresses
system
System.
actors
for,as
profession,
there
"
Restoration, female
were
no
parts being
were
gentlemen attached to
playedby young men
the royalhousehold,or performingunder the patronage
of the nobility. Their Majesty's
Servants
were
entitled to wear
the royallivery
of scarlet and gold.
When
the actors
finallydiscarded the royal or
noblemen's
it was
livery,
relegatedto the attendants
of the patent theatres,as may stillbe seen
at Drury
Lane
and Co vent Garden
when
the stage-attendants
"
'
'
before
come
down
to the
the
Act
the
actors
of Parliament
all times
Manor
barn, the
to extend
orchestra,in
the less-favoured
by
curtain
"
"
the
the
were
the
garb of
'
stage carpet
footmen.
and
All
'
vagabonds
at
strollers,
essentially
rogues
of the Lord of
dependent on the humour
for permissionto perform,whether
in a
of an inn, or under cover
of a
largestroom
The
booth.
Commonwealth
The
of
never
strolling
company
singlefamily,with
a
than
more
who
glad
were
terms
This
the
"
System
half
to
dozen
a
tender
few
a
of
accessions
outside
their services
commonwealth
system,
arrangement, however,
3
posed
cominvariably
was
"
1 1
"
players,
sharing
on
it is called.
as
always a standing
for the lion's share
grievancewith the hired players,
of the receiptsnaturallyfound
its way
into the
pocketsof the manager and his family. Only in the
in process of time regular theatres
when
circuits,
into existence,was
anything like a stated
sprang
salaryestablished for a particular line of business.1
was
'
Even
then, when
had
generally
It is the
in
audiences
scanty,recourse
were
was
to the commonwealth.
same
the strollers actingin
among
booths,
stock
small
companies, and in luckless 'fit-up1
organizationsto-day. Directlythe ghost declines
the propositionis
to walk, a meeting is held, and
stick to the ship
for a time, at least
carried to
the commonwealth
on
system. Let us see how this
'
c
"
"
works
out.
The
takes
manager
share
one
as
manager,
for the use
of
one
as
actor, one
proprietor,
his scenes
and one for wear
and properties,
and tear
in commercial
depreciation,
parlance.Thus, with
two
as
"
the
claims
of his
perhaps,twelve
so
and
that when
orchestra
enough
wife
and
shares out
the
have
necessary
been
for his outside
children,he
of the
captures,
regulationtwenty ;
deductions
for rent, gas,
made, there remains
supporters.
8
little
How
ii4
The
Get
to
Stage
of the
Side
Seamy
the
on
Profession.
Experienceslike these hard work and poor pay
in
actors
to the lot of old and young
fall plentifully
not
adverse times.
altogetherunknown
They were
before the touring system placed the
in London
houses
minor
on
a
provincialbasis. All which
youths and
pointsthe moral that the stage-struck
of our
maidens
generationshould not rashlytempt
histrionic
with
unless
Dame
Fortune
aspirations,
they can rely upon remittances from their friends
to back
insignificant
earnings. The
up their own
temptationsto which poor actresses are exposed
the difficulties they encounter
result mainly from
of irate landladies.
the demands
in satisfying
Bogus
"
and
managers
'
a
company
others
"
of
kind
their
(take in would
it
express
draw
actor
young
the line at the sterner
the sad
eloquent over
wax
the
*
what
the
fell at last
who
women
a
stony-hearted
manager
little do
'How
passes
countenances
hearts !'
"
behind
those
!
How
of actors
harm,
no
We
sex.
starve.*
to the
himself
but
before
little
of what
WashingtonIrving.
the
would
we
frail young
tempter
often
"
sheer force
scenes
know
they judge
can
is
the
could, in fact,
from
"
does
time
of
experiences
prey
out
without
better),
of stone : they
capitalwhatsoever, have hearts
thrive,while their dependentstoil and
To rough it in the provincesfor a
any
enthusiastic
'take
who
passing
in
of
from
their
The
of
circumstances,after they
miseries of
In
our
layin
;
an
endured
the weaker
who
desecration
Let
fingerof
distinction
the
Prims
scorn
at
between
Would
"
thus
there
Heaven
addressed
of
actress
his
vastlyfollowed, I
fineryor any other
commit
Want
an
Anne
'
:
from
pride
fully
unsuccess-
like
inducement
in
case
Bellamy,*the
dear, you
My
not
Men
'
whose
managers
for the former
George
indiscretion.
actresses
more
serve
company
Do
hear.
'
the
!
were
the illustration will
!
who
star
to
the demon
and
those
of the
battle with
trophe
catas-
the victim
bodilytemple arises
and
those who
self-aggrandisement,
Quin
all the
inevitable
bear when
to
sex.
direct the
charitable
a
and
5
an
off the
to stave
power
but famine is hard
belongsto
draw
and
had
1 1
'
our
Prudes
achingheart
Profession
impoverished
purse.
own
poor
way, during the period partly
by Roughing-iton the Stage,"we did what
covered
"
of the
Side
Seamy
let the
prevailon
generalare
are
love
of
to
you
rascals ;
if you want
anythingwhich it is in my
that money
to
come
can
or
purchase,
"
James
such
Quin, give me
shall be at your service/
Sad
enough it is to
reflect that
assails poor woman,
men
which amongst Christians
lonelyand
the
bleed for the
world
the
*
Her
a
mostly lack
should
the unfortunate.
plightof
with
all its
first Christian
power to do
and
me
say :
and my purse
thing,1'
the
poor
when
the
was
compassion
be exercised toward
It makes
actress
the heart
thrown
temptations,and
name
poverty
upon
without
a
reallyGeorgette.
8"2
1 1
6
How
she
friend
to
call her
can
with
content
the
for years, until
that the
sources
is
engagement
the young
To
'
the
on
she
be
can
Stage
Better
own.
walkingpart
'
in
a
far to
assured
theatre
from
reliable
offers her
Without
she knows
sorrows
remain
London
touring manager who
commerciallystable.
she flies to
assurance
an
Get
an
such
of.
not
actor, happilyfortified with
private
sympatheticfriends,a word of advice may
from the very earliest
be given. Let him be mindful
with his professional
associates not to make
contact
rather affect to
Let him
a
paradeof his resources.
be as
impecunious as themselves, and outwardly
means
or
suffer all the
inconveniences
existence; otherwise
'
*
sponge
upon
him.
they
To
will be
his letters in
open
decline to share lodgings
with
not
a
hand-to-mouth
almost
certain
this end, he should
be
to
ful
care-
private,and
absolutely
a would-be
companion.*
instant the impression
gains ground that he is
hood,
wholly dependent upon his salaryfor a liveli-
to
The
of
all
manner
of artifices will be
relieve him
of his
is made
of all sorts and
resorted
to
to
surpluscash, while the manager
will take good care
himself
to put him
off with
even
a
honeyed words, instead of paying him
The
world
portion of the salarythat is his due.
up
theatrical
God
*
him
idle
knows
too,
profession,
conditions
has
its
of
men
;
the
shady characters,
!
After
defrayingour joint lodgings,and providing
with
pocket-money to enable him to tide over an
in the
fortnight,a fellow -actor
handsomely
long ago unmade
off with
our
wardrobe
baskets.
Actors'
Actors'
On
a
from
a
Landladies
117
Landladies.
par with the excitements
close-fisted manager
are
of
extorting
money
those
attendant
on
looking for lodgings. In all well-ordered touring
week
theatre towns, lodgingsare
companies visiting
by week bespoken by the agent in advance for the
his
ladies and
list, professional
gentlemen on
advertised in the theatrical
lodgings being regularly
well as posted up within the portalsof
as
journals,
A
'professional
lodging'is
every stage entrance.
but away from the beaten track
LibertyHall itself,
often hard to
of the touringcompanies lodgings
are
find,for the old prejudicesagainstthe theatre and
play-actingfolk still linger in the mind of the
amateur
landlady. Nor is it only in places off the
be encountered
that trouble can
by a company
map
The search for lodgings
newly arrived in the town.
instincts have
in benightedspots where
puritanical
the broader
survived
spiritof the age is generally
wearying to the flesh and mortifyingto the spirit.
of this kind will never
little personaladventure
A
'
'
'
?
fade
better
quote
from
our
set
memory,
forth in the
it verbatim
contributions
to
from
the Era
but
as
it will read
first person, we
of our
one
many
will
much
here
fugitive
:
happened on my arrival in a town that had a
bigotsthan sensible
reputationfor harbouring more
I had
been warned
folk.
by my fellow-actors (who
fc
It
n8
How
Get
to
the
on
Stage
placebefore)to keep my profession
in the background if I did not wish to be
studiously
shut out of every lodgingI might encounter.
At
I reprethe first house where I made
my application,
sented
is it you travel
What
myselfas a traveller.
in?" demanded
the lady. "In
shoes"
I replied.
This
the
explanationbeing deemed
satisfactory,
had
visited the
"
terms
her in her true
to be
'
a
discussed.
next
were
character.
'
Christian
she asked
whether
I told
but
"
what
me
It
her
was
then
I discovered
She
acknowledgedherself
and chargedaccordingly.
Then
I forgetnow
chapelI attended.
I was
a
Wesleyan or a Presbyterian,
whichever
it
her
answer
my
gave
much
tell you
so
pleasure. "I must
why I am
"
about
such matters," she said.
It's not
particular
long
took
here
in
"
an
a
the agony
under
was
careful.
the
a
since
ago
was
neighbour of mine unknowingly
who belongedto the theatre
ungodly man
a
follower
of Satan
that
poor
her roof!
I don't
my
few tracts aloud
their business.
woman
know
but
evenings,
and
to
You'll
So, you
what
all his pomps.
suffered all the week
see,
your
one
must
habits
Oh,
he
needs
be
be
in
may
gentlemen lodgersalwaysread
after they come
home
from
me
be very comfortable
with
me,
though I say it myself. I'm a perfectmother to my
to stop
lodgers;I am.
They have no inducement
out
at night,because
front-door
is
they know
my
ten o'clock,
to keep
always locked at half-past
so
as
them out of the temptationsof the streets."
This intelligence
bit of a stunner.
was
a
Still,
the theatre was
as
the corner,
I
only just round
'
How
120
she had
local
my
noticed
travel
cannot
of the world
round
twofold
roof
the
on
here
night,so
us,
stood
on
that
firm
makes
This
not
was
at
line of
by paying
than
run
for
week's
a
should
we
quit
the
morning, namely, on
of
the
week's
his work
when
astonishment
our
half-sovereign
accommodation
!
week,' she declared.
a
another
on
two
nightsdue
to
extraordinaryreasoning,it
all
'accordingto Cocker';
me
struck
but
she
say to the
difficulties arisingout of our
foreseeing
against everythingwe
contrary, and
own
evening
Monday morning,
on
Saturday night. As you
money
on
Friday
Sunday, your week was
up
to
goes
now.'
to
her
in'
us
Sunday
a
satisfied with
rest
gets his
came
up
to
husband
and
Monday
agreed to pay for the
are
only six days in
'There
on
creatures
'took
remember,
bargain with
day. Judge, then,
had
My
the
dear
of these
was
himself
considers
man
arrangement being that
she declined
'
It
sense.
struck
we
ninth
scarcely
lady
prosaiclandsuperioracquaintance
a
One
well
domesticity,we
her
I
so
the
Even
mere
a
informed.
lodging,our
we
which
on
alreadywell
when
become
provincesin a professional
knowledge
gleaningmuch
and
matters
a
tion
expira-
the
its ways.
affect
sometimes
will
in
the
had
I
engagement
capacitywithout
of
before
Long
it.'
One
with
Stage
strange performance that
to this
habituated
the
on
in the ballet !
been
of
Get
to
argument,
her
for
the risk of
one
had
to
compromised the matter
night'sextra lodging rather
we
losingour
train.
Adventures
off the
Stage
Adventures
off the
Stage.
121
amusing adventures which fall to the lot of
touringactor would fill a volume, notwithstanding
The
a
the
novel
life
is full of
for
are
sorrowful
profession,
merriment
limited
that
over
indeed
must
whose
actor
been
have
often be
experienceof
the
is silent
tongue
the
scope
and
supper-table,
actor's
an
of
offer abundant
of their occurrence,
time
downs
they may
as
recent
actor's life
An
and
ups
a
incidents in
the
'
The
in
writer
the
adventure.
dramatic
at the
well-known
a
stage,that
usuallyvery few.1
dealingwith
actor's
an
of
asseveration
such
on
sion.
occa-
an
Speaking for ourselves,we have often found an
opportunityto furnish our quota of narrative to a
assembled
little coterie of actors
the
on
stroke of
it is said
sit up
to
think
actor's
share
of these will
serve
resuming the
by the
We
we
thread
of
hour
unhappy
wives
off the
of adventures
to make
humble
spouses doubtless
boast of even
more
can
our
our
statement
repast
when
fated
do the
than
stage.
good
One
before
discourse
practical
braced
em-
title of this work.
established
had
and
a
solemn
that
"
for their belated
We
same.
an
midnight
churchyardsyawn,
at
our
lodgingsin
an
upper
On
the Friday
overlookingthe street.
a
night, after an exhausting performance it was
benefit night we draggedour
weary feet homewards,
chamber
"
"
How
122
bed
to
went
dressing-table,
observe
morning,
flashed
truth
of
our
distance
in
slept
at
house
the
Fortunately,
the
fortunate
'
tumbled
the
passed
and
herself
bedroom,
From
crept
the
bed
night
What
to
in
We
for
water
the
the
in
sake,
other
discovering
we
leave
lodgings
let
a
then
the
us
the
return
wide
as
the
if
for
own
her
we
of
to
have
disordered
to
our
use
must
our
chamber,
our
liberal
a
open.
entered
we
appear
imagination
of
as
that
to
a
quence
conse-
clear
was
descended
landlady
on
to
it
in
door
stood
when
it, made
form's
that
make
into
block
circumstance
way
the
performed
the
coast
noiselessly up
to
when
and
same
door
street
was
not
was
domicile.
'
the
This
ourselves
fitted
spicuous
con-
been
street.
bed,
in
and
the
toilet-table,
strange
a
had
way,
let
strange
a
latchkey having
our
departure,
landlady
had
We
the
to
ordinarily
the
up
at
astonished
surroundings,
our
us.
lodgings.
Equally
little
of
slept
engaged
side
similarly-constructed
lawful
whilst
a
and
moon,
opposite
doors1
ablutions
the
signboard,
upon
house,
strange
Stage
builder's
examine
to
us
of
not
were
we
several
caused
our
next
the
on
removed
pale light
the
that
the
on
the
by
The
soundly.
Get
to
had
soap
fast.
break-
thought
state
!
players.
of
her
Choosing
a
Choosing
When
the
a
now,
boards
in
Professional
Name.
a
stage
less fashionable
was
123
it is
than
on
invariablychanged his name
profession.There was often very good
enteringthe
for
Name
actor
young
reason
Professional
this,since
so
many
persons
took
to
the
direct
oppositionto the wishes of their
or
later,however, they had
guardians. If, sooner
the good fortune to command
in a
an
appearance
leadingpart at a theatre of high repute,they were
advised to take refugeunder an anonymous
generally
a
designation. Thus, they figuredon the bills as
gentleman [or young lady],his [or her] first
young
the stage [orin this character].1
There
on
appearance
still extant
old playbills
which Mrs. Siddons,
are
on
David
Garrick,and many other brightluminaries of
announced
the theatrical firmament, were
in this
*
After
fully,
passingthrough the ordeal successoriginally
they again fell back upon the names
adopted in their strolling
days,or assumed their own
patronymics.
Garrick made his first appearance
at Ipswich under
the name
of Lydford. The future celebrated
Dora
manner.
Francis
at
the
who
whom
have
The
the
assumed
suggestionof
nom
Tate
de theatre of Mrs.
Wilkinson,
gave her her first promising
she consulted on the matter.
crossed
the
Jordan,
applicationwas
not
so
Jordan
the
manager,
engagement, and
Said he
Til call you
c
:
You
Jordan/
direct, albeit
particularly
How
124
joinedhis
had
she
from
over
Get
to
after
crossing
Waterford.
be
to
news
in these
that, whereas
originalstage
their
retain
Stage
at Leeds
company
It will doubtless
to learn
the
on
-
of
many
days married
or
names,
readers
our
actresses
at
any
rate
prefix 'Miss,' those of the century gone by
This
Mrs.1
was
a
uniformlystyled themselves
of the ladies of our
survival of the generalcustom
(datingback to the days
country,married and single
under
of the Merry Monarch), whose social prefix
was
the
'
all circumstances
'
Mistress,1in contradistinction
of loose character,who
women
'
'
term
the
"
mistress
we
earlypart of
alluded
was
we
Mrs.
to
familiar
are
popularlydesignated
the modern
of the
significance
well acquainted,
but down
to
present century a kept woman
With
Miss.1
are
the
were
So-and-So's
as
'Mr.
in
stage
Pritchard, Mrs.
annals
the
Hence
of
names
Mrs.
Bracegirdle,
Woffington,Mrs. Clive,and
not
one
many
entered
the
had
them
miss.1
with
Mrs.
of
to
Bellamy,
though
more,
matrimonial
state.
Nowadays fashion dictates the contrary.
there are
exceptions. Mrs. Langtry, Mrs.
Beere, Mrs. Brown-Potter, and
their mark
made
so
that to
change
sought
success
been
mistake
of
a
view.
British
Mrs.
their
the
Bernard
Patrick
Mrs.
course
bell
Camp-
actresses,
stage as society
names
when
they afterwards
boards
would
have
professional
from the managers1point
at least,
Kendal
in the styleof 'the
rejoices
on
"
Matron,1 from
in
on
Of
which
her
her
refusal
devoted
to
accept
husband
an
gagement
en-
cannot
Choosing
play the
been
Mr.
dual
and
lover
to
fortunate
a
Professional
her.
Few
married
Name
actresses
125
have
in their choice of
parts. The late
and Mrs.
Dacre
cherished
the like fancy,but
engagements could not alwaysbe commanded,
so
rather
than
suffer
separationin a distant colony,
theyresolved to die together a tragicincident which
be fresh in the mind
of the reader.
must
Truly
the stage calls for sacrifices to which
the
success
on
of mortals are
common
run
strangers.
Generallyspeaking,an actress clingsto her professional
Miss
So-and-So,1 as long as she
name,
adorns the stage. Managerial policywould
to
seem
dictate that the fact of an
attractive actress being
should
obtrude
itself on
married
not
a
playbill.
can
Indeed, one
imagine that in the eyes of the
value of a fascinating
world the commercial
burlesque
discounted
by the
actress,for instance,is somewhat
in the
public knowledge of there being a husband
background. After all,the privatelives of actors
and actresses
are
things apart from those talents
"
'
which
attract
in
is this view
might
be
an
named
audience
America
to the theatre.
that
So extreme
several
who
managers
decline to retain in their company
couple, well knowing that the modern
lays bare the domestic relations
interviewingcraze
of our
public notabilities. A certain well-known
has recently
been ousted from a
Transatlantic
actor
he chose to marry
lucrative engagement because
a
so
they
prominent actress in the same
company,
to England in search of an
opening.
came
a
married
At
times
a
fictitious forename
comes
to
be foisted
126
How
to the
on
witness
of
character
mark.
Miss
'
Christian
time
part
Couple.
he
the
made
The
the
There
famous
in
came
name
centenarian
'
greatest
kind
same
of
matter
a
of
name
her
made
is
fact, her
also
was
an
old-
long as he
Jubilee Dicky,'from
Farquhar's Constant
of a French
family,
he
anglicizedinto
Norris, who,
Garriques, whose
Garrick.
as
Garrick
David
of
instance
named
by
unexpected
Robinson, by virtue
she
is Genie.
comedian
the
in which
Norreys ;
name
lived,went
the
"*
Rose
Stage
artiste from
an
'Perdita'
Mrs.
modern
A
the
on
de theatre of
nom
causes;
the
Get
to
actor
as
Macklin
saxonized
his Hibernian
patronymic McLaughlin, which was
certainlyan advantage for professionalpurposes ;
while Braham, the singer,beheaded
curtailed
and
his Jewish familyname,
Abrahams.
The
choice of a nom
de theatre frequently
has a
A young
actor whom
well-thought-out
significance.
had the good fortune to introduce to a London
we
of Ludford
engagement took pride in the name
Barry ; the first was his mother's maiden name, and
the second he adopted out of his worship of Barry
Sullivan,the celebrated Irish tragedian. Sir Henry
Irving,when he first went on the stage,discarded
his patronymic Brodribb
in favour of that of the
American
writer Washington Irving,whose
works
he in his youth so
much
admired.
It is almost
needless to add that Sir Henry has taken the necessary
the name
of Irvingfor his two
stepsto legalize
and Henry Brodribb.
sons, Lawrence
Quite
a
number
of actors
have made
their Christian
1
28
How
to
Get
Fairs into
familyname
the
on
Stage
its present form.
but
merely representative,
as
guidesto the beginner.*
the stage-players
As
of our
time
the stigma of beingclassed as
rogues
a
actor
young
in
regard to
proper
avoid
exercise
can
a
nom
Care
name.
de
an
going
fore-
they will
are
'
The
serve
longerbear
and vagabonds,"*
free choice
absolutely
theatre,or
no
retain
should, however,
be
his
own
taken
to
which
has
selectinga name
already been
of actors
appropriated. Among the many hundreds
and actresses
of to-day,it is not at all easy to hit
upon a euphoniousstage-name that shall be original.
Mistakes
of this kind, made
have
inadvertently,
How
caused, and are
causing,infinite confusion.
often do we find an
actor
that, owing to
advertising
his name
it may
be his real name
even
no
longer
being his sole monopoly, he wishes in future to be
known
Mr. So-and-So
for
! The
as
only safe course
the beginner is to consult the 'Professional
Cards1
and the Stage.
in the Era
should
be chosen
with
Foreign-soundingnames
caution; they have frequentlyled to unexpected
"
*
Unlike
their
"
actors, public singersrarelythink
though they may
Italianizingthem.
Signer Foli was
many
known
Dublin
Jack
as
Foley.
carpenter,
exercise
names,
Irishman
of
a
changing
fancy for
years
Odoardo
a
ago
Barri
a composer,
formerlya vocalist,but now
having lost his voice through the shock of being a
Fire of Chicago in October, 1871
to the Great
witness
his real name
Mr. CampBarry. When
being Edward
bell
first came
out
at the Royal Italian Opera, he metamorphosed
himself into Signer Campobello.
is another
"
"
Actors'
results.
written
For
-
number
example,
in
to
for
an
comedian
worthies
Charles
!
too
because
My
so
129
Vezin
times
the
much
light-hearted
as
a
reply.
introduced
these
dressing-room. Mr.
utmost
'Ah,
cordiality.
'
Are
dear fellow,I
never
had
without
Mathews's
exclaimed.
Mathews
Mathews
Coleman
received with the
was
Herman
engagement, but
John
in
Mr.
deigned him
never
last Mr.
At
Superstitions
two
Vezin
Vezin!'
An
actor,
you Vezin ?
answered
those letters
the fact is,I
a
thought you were
conjurer,
I did all my
and
hanky-panky business myself.'
in allusion to a burlesque
in which Mathews
This was
scored greatlyby imitatingthe tricks of Professor
Anderson, the Wizard
of the North.
Actors'
This
appears
disposeof one
to
us
Superstitions.
the most
convenient
place to
which
in the
superstitions
dramatic
are
so
profession
deep-rooted.With the
exception of sailors,there is perhaps no class of
than
more
actors
swayed by superstition
persons
and
To
or
two
actresses.
open
an
umbrella
on
the stage is considered
unlucky; it is extremelydoubtful whether the
oldest playgoerhas
ever
seen
a
performer court
versally
unidisaster by so doing. Peacocks' feathers are
held in superstitious
awe
by the profession.
that no
It is said,and firmly
believed,
playin which
very
9
How
130
Get
to
the
on
Stage
elegant'properties'have been employed has
Again, it may have been noticed by
enjoyeda run.
these
who have
non-professionals
that
and
attended
theatre rehearsals
speak the
tag,1
the last line or rhymed coupletof a play,before
i.e.9
the play is actuallyproduced 'at night,'
of
out
the superstitious
belief that failure would
certainly
for the altogether
This accounts
irrelevant
ensue.
of such
substitution
the
a
save
phrase as 'God
Ask
for the real
a
Queen,' or
policeman,'
tag at
actors
actresses
'
never
'
'
'
rehearsal.
Dramatic
of the
'
When
authors,too, have
the
tag,'as
Victor
Notre
Dame
be
mindful
followinglittle story will
converted
Hugo
de
to
reason
Paris
'
his
into
famous
show.
novel,
under
the
opera
title of Esmeralda, he brought his libretto to a close
'
with
the
ominous
word
an
'
And
a
fatality.'
fatality
everythingconnected with Esmeralda
proved. The
failed utterly.Madame
Falcon, the primaopera
donna, lost her voice, and
Mons.
artiste,committed
distinguished
after
Channel
with
ridinga
valuable
were
in
the
A
ship
the
Esmeralda,
with
suicide.
foundered
in the
Irish
opera
of Orleans,
all hands ; while the Duke
named
name
Nourrit, another
another
horse, to which
in
a
had
given the
into
came
steeplechase,
horseman
consequences
setting aside the
he
of
and
Victor
judgment
was
killed.
Hugo's
of
his
lision
colSuch
rashness
theatrical
contemporaries.
have a mutual
objection
Managers and performers
to producing a new
play,or inauguratinga season,
Actors'
Friday.
Superstitions
131
enough,new
playshave within
the past few years
been occasionally
produced on a
to our
Friday,but they have never
knowledgeheld
the stage. The
thirteen superstition
has also taken
Failure is
deep root in the dramatic profession.
popularlysupposed to attend the productionof a
new
play when it falls on the thirteenth day of the
ventures
month, though such hazardous
are
rare.
Actors
and actresses fightshy of takinglodgingsin
No.
13 in a street,while
house which figures
a
as
leadingartistes have been known to add a fictitious
when
the unlucky
figureto their chamber-door
choice at a hotel.
fell to their unwilling
number
is a significant
stock
with a white hat
The man
phrase,implyingan unfavourable receptionfor a new
play. This had its originin a spiritedargument
which
a
popular actor-manager carried on with a
hat on the
in the pitwho wore
a white
man
young
first nightof an
important and highlyunsuccessful
so
production. Since then the presence of a pittite
crowned
is considered to bode no
good for the play
newly set before the public.
be in a cherry-wood stick
What
there should
to
understanding;
provoke misfortune
surpasses
that
still,the fact remains
experienced actors
consider themselves
superiorto the allegedfolly
behind
the footlights.
of handling a cherry-woodcane
on
a
True
'
'
'
'
-
something,too, in the gardenia
invests it with a superstitious
symbolicismin
would
actor
for no
mind
of the player,
ever
There
that
the
must
be
9"2
How
132
of
think
wearing
is told
story
Get
to
of
this flower
actor
an
cynicaldays laughed at
would
be
certain
flower
odorous
the
on
to
while
in the
in the
in
idea
The
stage.
his
and
young
that
something
if he disportedthe
go wrong
playinghis part ; but a single
night'sexperiencesufficed to
subject. He forgothis lines
false entrance
the
on
who
the
Stage
make
him
wise
the
on
in the first act, made
a
hissed
for his formance
perinjuredhis knee
finally
second, was
third,and
scene-dock
on
by wandering into an ill-lighted
the dressing-room after the curtain
to
way
his
had
fallen.
Among other thingswhich actors superstitiously
persuadethemselves they must not do in the theatre,
is to whistle or sing in the dressing-rooms.
Theatre
The
of
good luck generallyrecognised
is the appearance
of
profession
only portent
The
in the
Cat.
dramatic
that a cat
is easy to understand
be a very useful animal to have about a theatre,
must
do damage to the
the ravages of mice would
where
a
black
Every
scenes.
black
out
It
cat.
A
one.
of
deemed
number
stray
in
theatre
grey
or
has
a
a
white
cat, but
cat
is
it is
chased
speedily
building why such a one
unlucky history deponeth not
of black-coated
grimalkinsthat
by day or night are welcomed
the
always a
should
"
"
but
any
choose
as
be
to
good
The
When
omens.
the
Theatre
theatre
Cat
133
walks
cat
across
stage duringthe performance,although it makes
audience
and
tends
the
the
the
garded
play,it is reby everyone behind the curtain as a signof
itself
good luck. And if the animal so distinguishes
the first night of a new
on
play,the play is certain
titter
to prove
a
to
mar
success.
croft
entertainingbook, Mr. and Mrs. Banwife
Off the Stage,1the talented
On
and
:
(now Lady Bancroft)of the quondam actor-manager
relates her own
experiencesof the theatre cat as
In
'
their
follows
:
coincidence
odd
'An
with
Theatre
at any
our
was
management
for
many
years
nected
con-
of Wales's
of the Prince
be worth
telling
; its relation,
may
and amuse
rate, will interest the superstitious
which
by the
sceptical.I allude to the appearance
stage-dooron the eve of successful productions of
The
a black
mystic time for
cat, or rather kitten.
this apparitionwas
always night, and each fresh
of
after a leading character
christened
arrival was
the coming play. It reallysounds
incredible,but
on
tions
Fridays precedingthe Saturday producmany
in. It
little harbinger of good luck ran
our
the foreteller
as
grew to be recognisedby everyone
the
of
the
were
success;
and
when
we
arrived
at
the
theatre
on
Saturday,on which day we nearlyalways produced
venture, we
our
plays or started any new
the news,
hall -porter with
greeted by our
announced
in all seriousness," The
arrived,madam
!"
black
cat
has
How
134
For
'
Get
to
many
sable friend
our
years
the
on
Stage
presentedhimself
the
stage-door,
passed through the hall,and ran
On
the Friday night
straight into the theatre.
after the last rehearsal of The School for Scandal, we
were
leavingthe theatre on our way home, and I
felt much
disappointedthat our ghostlyvisitor had
at
failed us, when
the
street, a
before
had
we
black
wee
reached
rat, rushed
knew
stood
him
hall
past us, as if he
still to watch, and saw
-door, and
then
little thing was
became
faithful
was
happy
during rehearsals,for
with
terms
like
than
a
was
late.
I
through the
delighted. The
run
friend.
namesake,
as
of
Joseph Surface, and soon
but, unlike his
everyone,
christened
a
he
home
went
great pet with
a
bigger
thing, no
end
the
all the
He
he
was
was
on
and
company,
never
was
so
tionate
affecmore
abroad
for
dog in sagacity. While we were
the
under
this holiday he died, and
buried
was
Haymarket stage by the servants, who had often
fondled him.
Everyone in the theatre felt a sincere
a
of
pang
I
regret
asked
Mr.
have
of
either
Gilbert
the
at
for
friends
Had
Joe.'1
of "dear
Burnand
Mr.
or
epitaph,they doubtless would
in suggesting"RequiescAT in
an
forestalled
my
death
me
pace.'1'
Miss
Yohe
May
portents of
cat
a
run
for
But
firm
believer in black
According
success.
directlythe
theatre
is
of
the
to
her
cats
experience,
to
end,
an
play comes
time being always dies or
a
this is not
all.
Before
the
as
next
the
appears.
dis-
play
How
136
grinning
that
The
have
onlyrequireda
the figure-head
of
We
dab
were
or
Punch
two
in his
out
prompter
on
there
"*
manager
Missing Word.'
*
previouspage that the abolition
improved the
companies has virtually
In a repertoire
of existence.
pany
com-
seen
stock
the
cheeks.
mood.
merriest
of
Stage
we
to realize
of carmine
the
on
distended
and
teeth
told afterwards
We
Get
to
may
to hold
a
be
nominal
a
book
the
;
but
'assistant
stage-
he
always
since
plays a part himself,he is rarelyat hand when his
services are
most
required. The prolonged agony
of being stuck for the missingword is an experience
not
actors
have no
soon
forgotten. Even veteran
guarantee against a temporary lapse of memory.
Charles
Kemble
certain of his
was
by no means
lines in the parts he played so well.
Whenever
it
he had a couple of girlsin attencould be arranged,
dance
him
up
dressed
pages, who
in his speechesto act as faithful
on
The
prompter's box
from
dilemma.
himself
which
to
In
French
in the
very
as
is not
render
an
theatres
centre
were
coached
'
prompters.
always the best position
actor
timelyaid in a
the
of the
prompter
posts
stage behind the
the Opera.
at
like the chorus
master
footlights,
The advantage of this arrangement cannot
screen
unsightlythough the wooden
-
f
be underrated,
behind
The
which
he
When
shelters
the
good
is
of
business,"* and
'
neither
tone
We
at
the
doing"
the
to
be
by
sally quite
the
had
to
be
'
first
box.
I
the
and
book,
'
all
in
a
prompter's
the
remainder
through.
missing
'I
at
again,
and
This
made
he
was
voice
house.
entire
upset
gagged
Mead,
looked
but
the
what
a
"
at
was
Rome,'
stared
said
Rome,'
at
was
'But
cried
the
stuck
he
I
in
who,
the
O.P.
'
way
voice
was
was
prompter.
the
Mead,
often
entrance
Then
his
a
actor
an
in
Tom
puzzled,
was
be
to
when
'Rome1
'Yes,
?'
he
as
to
little
of
everyone
pitch
to
word
the
his
Rome
heard
dropped
late
the
to
actor.
from
at
the
Mead
came.
prompter.
official
low.
the
exclaimed
repeated
too
prompter.
down
Rome,'
nor
of
is
pausing
able
high
for
the
way
merely
"
that
word
at
loss
to
be
actor
an
word
discriminate
or
reminded
a
towards
to
too
are
being
his
word,
a
given
audience.
(opposite prompt
o.p.
or
not
the
to
spoken
nicely
to
for
'
is
137
play require
stage,
It
prompter,
stuck
'
the
prompter's
him.
to
be
must
of
the
up
the
entrance),
service
himself
exigences
well
remain
Word*
'Missing
devil
loud
that
I
was
enough
unexpected
equilibrium
of
the
;
he
farce
How
138
Get
to
Stage
What
may
be
stage stumbles
best actors
Mead
the
On
Mead,
first
as
one
was
noted
a
night of
are
not
ingly
exceed-
are
unfrequently
line,and
well-remembered
a
caught tripping over
turning it into ridicule.
Tom
Stage
Stumbles.
termed
The
common.
the
on
offender
in this
productionof
the
of the Witches
respect.
Macbeth,
Blasted
in the
Heath
Scene, instead of saying Spiritof a dragon'sblood,1
cried, to Irving'shorror, ' Spiritof a dragoon's
'
blood.1
The
side after the
it's "
man,
See
that
that
Lyceum
scene
was
Spiritof
a
it doesn't
it should
took
manager
and
over,
him
said,
'
on
one
I say, old
blood."
dragons,not dragoon's,
occur
promised
again.' Mead
not, and
much
was
excited
he
when
followingnight.
Sure enough,he cried loudly, Spiritof a drgaoori's
blood;' then, catching sight of Irving'sface, he
forgotall about his part,and stamping his foot in
off the stage, exclaiming, Done
it
rage, walked
again, by Jove !' Yes,' cried Irving angrily,and
went
on
for the
same
scene
the
on
'
'
*
'
mistake
no
An
about
it this time, either !'
historic instance
of the
same
kind
is related of
the
of Miss Sterling
in The Clandestine
representative
to her
Marriage, who, trying to force an entrance
sister
Fanny's room,
'locked
the key and
spoke
put
of
the
her
maid
door
in
as
her
having
pocket.'
Stumbles
Stage
This
say
quite
was
with
"
in the
on
Miss
piece
a
the
famous
stage
coming
down
the
Heidelberg
Mrs.
have
candle
with
another
Yet
'
corridor
a
the
put
exclamation,
the
was
I
sworn
cupboard.'
my
stumble
an
as
I could
'
in
pocket
as
"
would
American
'
who,
Davenport,
play, said,
same
of
keys
'
139
She's
in
her
hand'!
the
Perhaps
the
was
Balance
in
were
you
This
he
wit
ready
I
when
was
but
plays
have
Thus,
line
the
at
received
with
cried,
This
from
was
pit
'
been
of
Flesh
the
signal
for
and
gallery.
cannot
how
you
utterly
ment,
merri-
damned
by
by
blood
until
can
ironical
a
one
mischief.
stand
cheers
play
new
of
it
and
an
performer
a
averting coming
silence
and
tell
harmless
cause
Theatre
Olympic
mute
I
'
Her
died.'
simply
knack
what
born?'
can
faithfullydelivered
the
not
ask
I
replied,
I
age
married?'
'
was
she
:
mother
my
these
infelicitous
had
enough
like
Instances
who
mother
your
Peg
'What
was
by adding,
question, sir, but
your
addressed
Sylvia,
mother
corrected
when
you
answer
dear
your
Justice
playing
was
playing
was
quickly
was
old
who
when
were
Quin
stumbles
stage
Recruiting Officer,he
The
Woffington,
age
When
following :
all
of
amusing
most
the
no
'
was
ters
charac-
longer
cat-calls
f
'
How
140
The
Get
to
of
Value
the
on
Stage
Wit.
Impromptu
an
the
on
stage at the
happy resourcefulness
is invaluable.
The celebrated
moment
psychological
once
comedienne, Miss Fanny Horton, was
roundly
hissed for her performance. She immediately
paused
in her part, and
to the footlights,
stepping down
A
addressed
playing
my
better
but
at
"
or
the
before
'
:
least,I hope
I
What
be
to
situation, for the
place
gave
My
able
alter.1
cannot
to
playing I can
to pleaseyou
Her
ready wit
"
hisses
of
a
spontaneous
a
dislike,
is it you
person?
my
person
my
saved
audience
the
moment
of
burst
applause.
modern
A
sure,
for
he
was
the
low
a
word,
and
roar,
the
a
out
which
A
Arthur
in
ends
panic
Roberts
the
made
a
was
theatre
his
once
by
once
his
had
reappearance
prince of 4
the
of
means
ready wit.
to
appeared
be
on
stuck
imminent, when
the
stage.
a
in
subsided
to
see
gaggers,1
averting
odds
Some
of scenery had taken fire,
and
of burning alarmed
odour
the
seemed
be
the house
put
merriment
That
matter.
Roberts,
at
the
time
had
the
was
panic
and
by
prompter
what
Mr.
and
"
to
his
from
prompter away
the utterly irrelevant line,
the
4
Surrey Theatre
findinghimself
"
comedian
post,suddenlybawled
Oh, I do like jam f
a
the
at
actor
very perceptible
spectators.
Mr.
Arthur
'Ladies
and
'Doubling'
Parts
141
he said, compose
gentlemen,'
yourselves.There is
no
danger. I give you my word of honour, there is
reassured.
no
danger.' The audience did not seem
and
Ladies
the comedian,
gentlemen,'continued
risingto the necessities of the occasion, confound it
all ! do you
think if there was
be
any danger Fd
The
here?'
panic collapsed.Of course, before a
thus successfully
actor
the tables on
turn
can
young
be thoroughlyat home
in the
audience, he must
an
part he is sustaining.
'
4
'
"
Doubling
'
Parts.
ordinarywork of a repertoirecompany
undoubtedly is,it is emphasized when the beginner
Hard
as
the
finds himself
for two
cast
play. This
travelling
expenses
is called
which
and
distinct characters
in the
the
'doubling.'Where
of a touring company
are
a consideration,
a
generally
producesa round of
manager
be arranged.
playswith as few peopleas can possibly
his salaries also, and
By so doing he cuts down
thereby deceives the public; for though the full
the bills,he takes care
cast of the play appears
on
to insert fictitious names
against those characters
same
"
the
actors
actresses
are
called
upon
to
double.'
doubles
Some
when
a
enables
character
the
same
for example,
very convenient, as,
is killed off earlyin the play; this
are
actor
to
impersonate
another
How
142
after
character
however,
acts,
be very
a
short
the
on
interval
character
then
and
scenes,
in his business
parts up, by speakingthe
two
change his
frequently,
to
'
even
or
well up
Stage
make-up/ More
plays two different characters
actor
an
alternate
Get
alter his
and
costume
to
to
avoid
he
in
must
mixing the
lines set down
for
one
appropriateto the other.
of making a
The hurry-scurry
quickchange in the
several times during the eveningcertainly
dressing-room
in the
costume
'
'
adds
This
is
chances
behind
excitement
the
particularly
doubled
so
the
to
to
case
when
be that of
one
the
scenes.
of the
parts
a
negro.
this kind came
within
amusing instance of
own
our
experiencelong years ago, as related in
Roughing it on the Stage."*Having appeared as
An
'
-
St. Clair in Uncle
Tom's
Cabin,
we
the
dressing-room
directly
curtain
the
Sambo,
'
act
to
discovered
artiste
'
'
could
habiliments
with
make
up
for
in the
rushed
had
who
followingact.
have divested
scarcely
proper
to
the
greater alacritythan
occasion,and the burnt cork
'
A
character
off to the
fallen
on
the
all but
was
quick-change
himself
of
St.
of the
Clair
displayed on that
was
alreadyappliedto
face when the stage-manager looked in to report
our
that the audience
insisted on our
respondingto a
call
before
the
curtain.
But
it's impossible,1
the reply; Tin
was
just making up for Sambo/
Remonstrances
of no
were
avail,for the boisterous
applausecontinued until we reluctantlymade our
bow
in acknowledgment of the compliment. But
the audience
the character
quite failed to recognise
'
'
we
c
How
144
was
thrust
keep
lips,but
to
on
his
Get
to
to
back
on
the
representRichmond,
well
to
the
Stage
with
directions
his
open
devil,""while
audience,not
"fight like the
Elliston, shiftingabout his positionand changing
and
hurled defiance at Richard
his tones, alternately
at
the
cue
Richmond.1
The
Portable
Theatre.
speak of the lowest rung of the
ladder, the portabletheatre.
Acting in
professional
form
of the strolling
a
'portable1is the modern
playingwhich obtained in bygone days those none
too
halcyon days when great actors and actresses
of an
performed in barns or in the largestroom
inn by sufferance of the local squire. The
stage
friends to advance
his
or
aspirantwithout money
is thoroughly in earnest,
interests,who
professional
and
preparedto rough it for a time as a steppingdisdain to join a
not
to higher things,need
stone
Let
it not
be
of players in a booth.
company
imaginedthat, once attached to such a rough school,
from all opportunityof bettering
be debarred
he would
it. He
from
would
Far
himself.
undoubtedly
and the rough schooling
learn his business thoroughly,
preparationfor
so
gained should prove a fitting
touring
experienceof a higher order in a 'fit-up1
thrown
his
A would-be
actor
on
entirely
company.
find
for a livelihood may
resources
own
writing-in
This
bringsus
to
"
'
'
The
Portable
Theatre
145
tedious and
a
touring managers
unsatisfactory
an
procedure
;
engagement in a booth is easily
found.
theatre are invariably
Vacancies in a portable
advertised in the Stage. A stated salaryin these
humble
playhousesis a thing unknown, as we have
wealth
already observed; sharingterms on the Commonsystem are the order of the day. 'Terms,
to
shares
;
houses
Of
course,
theatre
to
bide
checked,'so
the
his time
do
we
the
runs
familiar
recommend
not
ambitious
would-be
the
tisement.
adver-
portable
who
actor
can
until the cherished
opportunityoffers
itself to join a repertoire
to
or
touring company,
theatre.
obtain a small part in a London
There
are
portablesand portables.Many of those which
abound
in the country at large,
more
particularly
in all respects well-appointed
in Scotland, are
establishments,and, what
anxieties connected
to
the actor's due.
can
generallybe
than
more
can
be
with
Some
earned
said
is
the honorarium
life of
rough-and-tumble
denied, for
we
may
are
which
no
falls
approach to a livelihood
which
is
in a 'portable,"1
of the majorityof inferior
touring companies.
to
there are unpleasantnesses
That
in the
there
more,
say at
once
a
be
booth
that
the
borne
is not
with
to be
traditional
structure
to the dilapidated
preferable
of
with the name
folk nowadays dignify
which some
a
'portabletheatre.' The followingletter in the
Era, headed 'Six Nights in a "Portable,"' tells its
barn would
own
be
story:
10
How
146
Get
to
the
on
Stage
'SlR,
Awfully jollylife ! Dress with the ladies,and
!" said, I rememall that sort of thing,don't cher know
ber,
by one of those Johnnies who are so fond of coming
in Yorkshire, recently I
At
"behind."
Moresodden,
should
had
have
dress with
to
certainlythought we
the ladies,and all that sort of thing,don't cher know."
the
But the good-hearted landlady of the old inn across
the "portable" stands
where
waste
helped us out of
in our
the difficulty.
There
are
gloriousprofessionan
who
do not
know
what
a
overflowing majority
able"
porthad
this one
I have
is.
photographed a few
with tar on
the top of a few planks. In
sacks covered
the tar melts
and
the
summer
drips through ; in the
the
the
does
winter
snow
same
thing. This month
the rain has gone one
wet
better
one,
being a peculiarly
"
'
"
"
"
the
both
on
and
snow
the
Our
tar.
is
masterpiece
we
played in parts in evening dress. At Moresodden
The
through in mackintoshes.
managed to meander
"staff"' consists of a gentleman ludicrously
dubbed
the
and
two
beclogged boys. On Monday, by
manager
removing four bits of orange-box nailed together,which
comprised the "stage-door,"I entered, to find myself
"
"
with
an
inspector of the S.P.C.A.
were
no
animals
entombed
he could
he
going, when
was
beings would
said,
"
with
Oh,
the
"
manager
if he
occupants for
see
and
that
the company
about
the best
been
walking
respectable house
mighty
him
of
some
a
sequently
con-
knew
that
human
nights. He only
passed out, resplendent
six
someone
up
the
street
Later
we
dog.
"hung"
The
weight pulled the roof out, and
rain in.
Desperate indignation from
of the wooden
enterprise. As the day
more
close
that
his
overfeed
"cloths."
some
place,and
there
give the proprietor three months,
players!"
to
the
in
I asked
the
be
gold braid,
didn't
the
not
Satisfied that
of the
flood
was
closed
came
to
hand.
Four
two
let
"
the
proceeded,
had
part of the night,as every
against them.
Towards
day they got comfortably settled, but
the main
their
streets, filling
swept down
The
Theatre
Portable
sitting-room waist-high,and
driving them like rats to
the garret. There they remained
two
days and nights,
with only the off-chance of
foodless,drinkless,lightless,
ing
chicken floata stick of celery,
a cabbage, or
a drowned
down
hole
of
the
on
like this
of the
bosom
tide.
"
portable should
dressing-room accommodation,
"
saying. Where
them
off the
have
a
zinc
immunity
did
we
put
be
of
on
continuallywetted
lining in my basket, so
the
rain, which
of the sacks
And
be
of
blew
one,
I
through.
expected some
us
drained
three
roof
out
goes withclothes and take
our
stayed there
night but
entirelydestitute
rain
; but
wretched
a
course,
baskets, filled mine, and
last
That
of the
out
brimful.
which
other
On
our
formed
the
off,and
not
placed,
reduring our
stay they were
allowingjust a little more
elementary mischief.
it was
to this (and worse) that
a
pany
respectablecomhad
been
need
not
inveigled! The humiliation
the awful
risk of life,the setting
enlarged upon
those
deadly seeds of by-and-by some
consuming
"
disease, to which
of those
sake
amongst
ever
must
we
turn
pitiablecreatures
these
licensingunsound
places for
immediate
demands
whose
and
the
is for
existence
charnel-houses, the
wooden
For
attention.
our
question
of
dramatic
sentations
repre-
forcible
public
inquiry.
'
Yours
truly,
"
this
have
SATURATED
hoped there are not many
above
letter
description
; the
It is to
of
A
ACTOR.'
be
fallen in with
the
worst.
The
*
-
?
portables
writer
more
must
general
complaintswhich the educated young novice-actor
might have to lodge against playhousesof this
be the rough-and-ready
character would
styleof the
the hole-and-corner
modation,
dressingaccomperformances,
and
not
unfrequentlythe 'going on
10"2
How
148
the
parade' for
the
of
manner
'
booth
in
show
and
'
'
a
this:
costumes
on
elevated
an
instrumentation
there
has
been
evening,and
Saturday. Short
one
conditions
curtailed when
a
in which
a
event
the
go once
has filled the
It is said
who
of
began
this
more
'
on
sists
con-
outside
no
in
actors
their
within, while, moreover,
half
dozen
a
on
a
these
liable to be still further
has
inquiryfor
the
performancesin
performancesunder
fresh audience
signalfor winding up
is
about
strut
as
many
loud
difference
latter the
three
or
be, they are
must
to
attracted
as
as
the
between
platform outside until a
vociferation
and
by much
always two
are
the
there
in
expected
are
sufficient audience
a
former
whatsoever, whereas
actresses
difference
day a
and
portable,'
our
the
In
Stage
gaping crowd, after
Show.
Properly
a
Richardson's
a
is in
and
the
on
edification of
speaking,there
a
Get
to
'
gathered outside,
fi
show.'
parade until
John
Audley f
Then
the
new
the
is
pany
com-
audience
house.'
that
life as
method
Shuter, the
a
of
celebrated
comedian,
strolling
player,was the inventor
bringingthe performance to an
unexpectedtermination.*
the only actor who
Nor was
Shuter
passedfrom a
strollingexperienceto the regular stage. Tom
and a dramatist
to
King, another famous comedian
afterwards
held the proud positionof
boot, who
Garrick,
stage-manager at Drury Lane under David
*
here
In
?'
his
day
the
signal was
:
'
Is
Hiram
Festiman
The
was
Portable
fellow-stroller with
a
barns
and
at
in Yates's
out
and
ran
away
Ned
Bartholomew
booth
Shuter
Fair
at Windsor
engaged
from
Theatre
him
in the Kentish
while
was
that Garrick
for Old
home
it
;
149
found
him
Booth
Barton
Drury.
at the age
acting
of seventeen
to
join
of
strollingplayers in the Eastern
Counties, and also appeared at Bartholomew
Fair,
from
which
rough training-groundhe passed into
the regulartheatrical circuits,
and subsequently
won
a
company
his
after
way,
Drury
poor
brief
engagement
of the
O'Neill,one
best
emotional
to
actresses
the daughter
known, was
stage has ever
her
and very rough was
strolling
player,
from
experience,even
happened that she was acting in
the
at
Dublin,
at
Lane.
Miss
the
a
when
time
very
the
childhood.
a
'star'
booth
of
a
fessional
pro-
It
so
in Dublin
actress
at
the
city broke faith with the
almost
and
compelled him to close the
manager,
house; but someone
suggestedthat the very clever
of the difficulty.
out
Miss O'Neill might help him
the
This
hint
great Miss
being acted upon,
Theatre
of
Royal
that
*
O'Neill'
with
success,
Theatre
offered
the
Royal
her
a
result
until
three
at
was
Juliet, in
part of
the
future
of the
once
which
that
she
scored
saw
years'engagement
with
great
a
she remained
Kemble
John
entrusted
at
the
her, and
at
Covent
Garden.
urged that
present day,
If it be
at
the
many
modern
these
let
us
examples do
hasten
actors, rather than
to
remain
not
apply
state
that
idle,do
not
How
150
Get
to
fill in the
the
on
dead
Stage
by acceptingan
with their
concurrently
engagement in a booth, even
in the theatrical journals
that they are
announcement
at liberty.1*
or
By way of emphasizing
resting,'
hesitate
to
season
'
4
this
truth, we
add
may
several
that
of
associates
our
South Wales, which,
Royal,*'
Llanelly,
despiteits proud title,was in many respectsinferior
to a booth
(vide Roughing-it on the Stage '),only
temple of the
spent their time at that ramshackle
drama
The juvenile
as a temporary resource.
gentleman
afterwards
went
soon
on
a
starringtour with
well-known
actress ; the
a
leading lady met with
of repute,
an
engagement at a regular theatre
and two
years later playedan important part in one
of our
dramas
own
produced in London ; while the
at the
4
Theatre
4
*
Still lower
theatre
in the
is what
professionalscale
is called
the
'
"
seat
at
over
twopence.
Charles
other
was
Dillon
parts.
dresses
did
appeared
in
To
First
the
make
"
Macbeth
on
the
at
in 1878.
Drury
Lane
affair
of
an
in Walworth.
I had
a
engagement,
The
reserved
"Lane"
jump
and
one
or
and
two
were
low
my
Theatre!'
out
Surrey
ludicrous, the
stage, and
a
the
was
more
was
What
under
early days
Witch,
That
the
seeing
played Macbeth,
finances
!
I remember
and
Dillon
private dress
played
to
Arthur
arrive
not
Dillon
"gaff"
cowshed,
Macduff,
Charles
management
a
able
port-
An
penny
this
playgoerrecentlycontributed
to a popular morning
:
newspaper
Arthur
Dillon
in my
play Macbeth
Dillon
funny circumstances.
very
"heavy" under Davidge, but being
a gaff" down
a street
opened
auditorium
the
than
old
gaff/
personal reminiscence
'
my
last
under
from
"
and
first peep
when
was
all
at
he
Chatterton's
the Walworth
How
152
to
Get
the
on
the
pleasingthe groundlings,
to
article entitled
our
which
appearedin
'A
Stage
reader
Drama
the Era, March
may
be referred
in
Penn'orths,1
21, 1896.
Salaries.
Actors'
already that the commonwealth
the
system takes the place of a stated salaryamong
If on
occasion
performersin the portabletheatre.
this could onlyhappen when
an
exceptionbe made
of the
the rulingspirit
portable is a widow with
the salary
actresses
as
daughtersfiguring
grown-up
of
offered would
amount
to the
magnificentsum
with
combined
,"1 a week
'for leading business,"*
painting),
(possiblyalso scene
stage management
and
haranguing the crowd from the parade platform
outside.
small
stock
In
companies, such
still exist in out-of-the-wayplaces,
where
as
some
has hired
a
typical old stager,tired of 'resting,'
dilapidatedfifth -rate theatre by the week with
borrowed
his advertisement
for
people
money,
generallycontains the words, Salarylow, but sure,"
a week
thirtyshillings
being considered adequatefor
a
leadingactor or lady,the familiar 'one-one1 (a
fifteen
guinea) for other lines of business, and
for the small
actor.1
shillings
utility
All thingsconsidered,the emoluments
of touring
We
have
seen
"
'
'
"
-
*
'
'
actors
are
still very much
on
a
par with
those which
'
Actors'
ruled
in
the
salarywent
a
old
stock
long way
Salaries
a
year in
small
A
days.
days,when
company
in those
settled for the best part of
was
153
an
actor
able
comfort-
a
lodging,and took his meals with the landlady's
family; whereas now, under the touringsystem, a six
economical, and the
nights'lodgingis by no means
actor
being free to enjoy himself during the day,
has so many
inducements
A
to spend all he earns.
first-class company
round
the provincesby a
sent
of a
West-End
the privateenterprise
or
manager,
star
from
actor
actress,is
or
a
desirable
very
connection
point of view ; but in all ordinary
touring organizationsthe salaries are cut down to
the lowest possible
limit.
Where
a country manager
exact
can
a
premium for the privilegeof playinga
small part on
tour, he does so; indeed, there are
and
amateurs
very few inferior companies in which
novices of both sexes
not
received; if they do
are
absent
not actually
are
pay a premium, their names
from
the salarylist. But
to come
to those more
experienced,who do not see the force of giving
their services for nothing. Salaries are
in all cases
From
regulatedby the status of the company.
week
for a small
a
twenty-fiveto thirty shillings
a
financial
part, from
"%
to
for
""
a
line of business, with
juvenilelead,may
of an
be said to strike an
actor's salary
on
average
command
than thirtyChoristers rarely
tour.
more
five shillings,
while the
show-girls in a burlesque
a
maximum
of "5
for
heavy
or
'
'
company
is why
so
have
often
many
of the
to
be
content
smaller
with
members
less.
of
a
This
travel-
How
154
lingtheatrical
to
on
the
share
the
Get
company
Stage
cost
of bed
and
board.
With
theatres
not now
we
are
regardto London
speakingof the suburban houses,which are nowadays
lines
run
on
provincial
managers
pay good salaries,
but it must
also be borne
in mind
that wigs and
"
"
modern
costumes
the
best.
the
artistes in
The
cost
money,
and
these
must
be
of
of the play for
probability
which
actor
has been
an
speciallyengaged failing
to attract the public is always a substantial
set-off
againstthe highlyrespectablesalarywhich a WestEnd
engagement represents,and side by side with
the fact of beingtemporarily
thrown
idle,an engagement
for a subsequentproductionnaturallyinvolves
extreme
expenses
anew.
Even
the
one-line
expectedto providehis own wig and a good
suit of clothes for the stage,though his salary
may
not
amount
to
than
more
twenty -five or thirty
be the sum
A guinea would
a week.
paid
shillings
for a
walkingpart/ From "% to "5 a week might
be set down
the average salaryof a subordinate
as
in a West-End
actor
theatre,according to the part
actor
is
'
he is cast for.
point upwards it is difficult to
since actors
of positionare
generalize,
very prone
to parade their stamped engagements,'
from which
it would
that they earn
to the uninitiated
appear
is
almost
fact is, there
princelysalaries. The
in many
also a
cases
private agreement which,
on
actually
being compared with the document
stamped at Somerset House, would show a marked
From
this
*
Salaries
Actors'
155
when
actor
an
discrepancyin the figures.Hence
or
emphasizes his boast that he is getting "%Q
"25
week
a
by exclaiming,'My boy, I can show
the
you
taken
"
engagement
"
P this information
be
must
proverbialgrain of salt, for he is
from
the
most
likelytaking but half that sum
weeklytreasury. Actors and actresses of undoubted
popularitywho reallydraw the public,no matter
what
the play,or
the location of the theatre may
be, are worth the large salaries which
pass current
notable
but these are
exceptions,
playgoers,
among
with
the
their emoluments
forming a
""7,""10, "12, and
the
sometimes
marked
"15
week
a,
exponents of secondary characters.
weekly salaryof a chorister in
theatre
to the
contrast
paid
The
a
to
mum
maxi-
West-End
is "2.
6
Making-up
'
for the
Stage.
subjectof making-up for the stage little
in this department of the
need be said.
Proficiency
perience,
exactor's art can
only be acquired from practical
by watching others and so findingout what
in the
to do
dressing-room. Existing books on
Make
Theatrical
up," with coloured plates,were
On
'
'
the
4
-
very serviceable
but
they
are
to
now
actors
ten
obsolete.
or
twenty
The
fuller's earth, powdered blue, rouge,
years
ago,
prepared chalk,
carmine, burnt
How
156
Get
to
on
the
Stage
cork, camel's-hair
and
brush,hare's-foot,
dry paintswhich
in the
old
days formed
one
an
two
or
actor's
ments
longersuffice for present require; elaborate
grease paintshave completely
planted
supin the portable
theatre.
them, except,perhaps,
These grease paintsare identical with the composition
which
of
wigformerly went by the name
sole function was
whose
actor's
to secure
an
paste,'
wig to his forehead and conceal the joining. The
flesh-coloured grease paint still performs the same
and
duty ; but,like all the other tints the 'light-red
dark-red,'
employed for heighteningthe complexion
after a palergroundwork has been laid on, excepted
it is known
(3),and sold in sticks.
by a number
deal
Chemists
almost
in grease
everywhere now
store-priceis 4Jd. per stick. As
paints. The
as
are
kept in stock,but there
twenty numbers
many
is really
for the beginnerto be extravagant
no
necessity
his initial outlayfor making-up requisites.
over
The
two
box,' so
guinea make
generally
up
recommended
by the theatrical wig-maker,bespeaks
no
stock-in-trade,
'
'
"
4
"
'
'
'
-
-
the well-to-do
dozen
of the
serve
long time.
and
brown
amateur.
lowest
A
numbers
fit-out of about
half
a
will,for ordinarypurposes,
the young
actor or actress
In addition to the grease
liningpencil; a cake of
very well for a
paints,a black
lip-salve
; some
groundwork for old men's faces ;
cotton-wool
for pimples,Bardolph
roughed over
bloated
cheeks; and powdered blue for
or
noses,
givingthe chin an unshaven appearance, or producing
hollow cheeks,should be procured.
yellowchrome
as
a
'
that
Now
'
Making-up
they have
be
advised
on
their arms,
to
the
use
for the
face
which
paints,ladies may
powder-puffsparingly,
except
neck, and
shoulders.
must
have
crepe
hair, and
that
be made
must
157
the grease
actresses,however, remember
the
Stage
Let
and
actors
it is not
simply
up ; the neck and ears
else audiences will cern
dis-
equal attention,or
between
the
plainlythe line of demarcation
paint and the natural skin. Amateurs
may not be
perhaps,that artificial beards, moustaches,
aware,
whiskers,and eyebrowscan be deftlyfashioned out of
affixed to
Professional
varnish.*
the
actors
face with
never
hard
white
these hirsute
buy
appendagesready-made. As to the mode of applying
the grease paints,
printed instructions would be
of very little use ; the beginnermust
experiment for
himself,both at the theatre and in private. The
readiest way
one^s make-up is to rub a
to remove
little lard or vaseline into the paint,then wipe off
the whole with a special
dry towel.
Some
reallywonderful effects can be produced by
attention to making-up.'
actors who pay the requisite
Tree
is a perfectmaster
Mr. Beerbohm
of the art.
Those who saw him playSir John Falstaff and Captain
Swift at the Haymarket Theatre
could not
easily
persuadethemselves that the performerof these two
characters
and
the same
was
one
widely-different
c
artiste.
During
the
house, Mr.
*
White
at
Tree
hard
any
of Jim
run
down
ran
varnish
oilman's
the Penman
may
store.
to
be
Oxford
at the
to
procured by
same
play
the
the
worth
penny-
158
How
part
of
back
to
Get
to
the
on
Stage
specialmatinee performanceof
Othello at the University. The
length of the
tragedy and the inevitable speechat its close delayed
him so considerably
that he found it quiteimpossible
his ordinaryattire in time to catch his train
to don
and
with
feld
lago
in
a
London.
taken
He
foreseen
had
this,however,
'
Haymarket props down to Oxford
him, intendingto change from lago to Harthis
'
'
'
A
route.
en
cab
soon
whisked
off to
him
the
and having 'tipped1 the guard to
railway-station,
give him a first-class compartment to himself and
lock
him
in, he commenced
to
undress
as
the
train
the first
platform. When
was
reached, the guard, on passing
stopping-place
his
the carriage-window,
much
to see
was
surprised
transformed
into a clean-shaven
man.
gentlepassenger
This looks rather dicky!'he said to himself,
oblivious
of the fact that the Haymarket actorhad previously
under
worn
a stage costume
manager
his long overcoat.
By the time the train drew up at
the only remaining stopping-place,
tickets
where
steamed
from
away
the
'
to
were
be
collected,Mr.
had
Tree
assumed
the
Hartfeld
now
plete
wig and hook nose, and effected a comcountenance
change of attire. His forbidding
confirmed
the guard'ssuspicions,
the more
so
when
4
it
was
discovered
Come, now,' he said
those
Honest
Some
men
who
'
;
live
to hie away
he
had
this won't
by scheming;
people don't
was
explanation
enabled
that
alter their
do.
lost his ticket !
You're
one
of
I know
your sort.
phizog like that.'
necessary before Mr. Tree was
to the Haymarket performance.
160
How
Get
to
the
on
Stage
Benefits.
virtuallythingsof the past ;
hears of nowadays are
about
the only benefits one
those taken by the
principal
boy in a pantomime,
and
the leading lady in a small repertoire
touring
In the old days a seasonal benefit fell to
company.
of a
line of business
the share of each representative
and this was
in a hard-workingstock company,
set-off to his salary,
since his
a substantial
generally
Actors'* benefits
are
'
'
6
**
residence
months'*
many
count
upon
if he
Benefits
Charles
the
he
Kemble
before
of
him
to
larly
supporters,particuhimself
favourite.
a
not
always profitable,however.
used
to
tell the
who
dancer
once
never
On
venture.
enabled
town
established
had
were
was
a
goodly number
a
pantomimist and
taking a benefit
but
in
a
year
known
to
such
one
with
story of
in the
was
from
a
occasion
habit
of
of
duty,
by
expenses
he appeared
sense
clear his
French
a
beaming countenance, and
after making a politebow, conveyed his thanks
in
Dear
these terms :
moche
public,
oblige; very good
benefic ; only lose half a crown
dis dime.
/ gom
again r
Nowadays there are no benefits to augment an
actor's earnings the touringsystem has swept them
This is in some
respectsgood for the actors
away.
the
responsiblesand
general utilities especially
the curtain
a
'
"
"
'
'
"
who
had
terrible work
'
"
before
them
to
get
up
two
Benefits
three
or
heavy parts
in
merelyonce
week.
And
a
way,
at
a
but
1
few
it
6
1
hours'
notice, not
be
every other
benefit were
might
the
plays put up for a
rarelyof a high order, the policyof the beneficiaire
naturallybeing to fill the house with a certain
So that on
draw.'
the score
of gainingexperience,
these auxiliary
not
to be compared with
parts were
involved in supportinga
the downrighthard work
different characters during a
star in half a dozen
week devoted
We
have onlyto
to the
legitimate.1
*
'
*
'
the announcements
note
the
onlyLondon
stock
benefit
Man
witness
cannot
but
judge
of the
before
the
other
benefit at
old-fashioned
on
educational
audience
Sweeney Todd,
of Manchester, and
Drama
occasional
an
still run
plays set
night;
the Minor
We
theatre
lines to
company
of the
value
of
delicious
The
on
a
Dumb
examples of
!
think
it would
be
a
in the
move
'
rightdirection if the bespeaknight for the benefit
of the leadinglady in a fit-up
were
touringcompany
and for all time abolished.
Few
once
things are
more
humiliatingthan the positionof an actress
compelled to push the sale of tickets from house to
'
house
in the small
towns
"
the
'
in theatrical
smalls,"*
parlance for her allegedbenefit,though she rarely
The
benefits by the transaction.
play is generally
East
Lynne, eminentlycalculated to draw money
folk
from the pocketsand tears from the eyes of the townsit is always presented
on
a
Friday night,
; and
If
of the best.
business
when
is proverbially
none
the actress happens to be the manager'swife,well
"
11
1
62
How
and
Get
to
the
on
Stage
if not,
depend upon it she has no direct
interest in the success
of her supposed benefit,
other
than to retain her engagement.
Taking this hard
fact into consideration,
feels tempted to echo the
one
asseveration of a cynical
writer, Theatre bills always
lie.' When
the benefit dodge is foisted upon
the
tainly
simpleinhabitants in out-of-the-way-places,
theycergood ;
'
do.
before
Calls
'
in
Calls
'
our
were
curtain
to
be
an
the
Curtain.
formerlyreserved for a benefit night;
time they have become
all too common.
The
before
system of callingall the principals
modern
the
the
at the end
of each
destroythe
dramatic
who
boards,smilingand
thick
honours
of
tends
most
illusion.
pletely
com-
Can
anything
ridiculous than the reappearance
of
has just been stretched
lifeless upon
more
actor
act
the
bowing,
him1?
upon
all his blushing
with
After
the
play, when
'
tion
termina-
the
curtain
(where,
oh
closed
baize now?) has finally
green
the speedyreturn
of
to the footlights
picture,
where, is the
in the
an
has
artiste who
may be
senseless march
condoned,
evening
from
personce
suburban
knows
scored
past,one
p.s.
to
heavilythroughout the
even
by
O.P.,
one,
welcomed
;
but
the
of all the dramatis
which
obtains
in
our
ciently
be suffiprovincialtheatres,cannot
deprecated. Everyone in the profession
and
full well
considered
as
that
these
'calls'
are
not
spontaneous compliments
from
to
be
the
before
Calls
auditorium, for the
about
brought
edge of
the
all
Such
custom
days of
the
detached
door
was
been
the
star
'
a
call before
fitness of
things.
impossiblein the
not
and
than
the
to
'
be
call
'
was
a
the
leading
'
curtain
worthy of
the
was
finitely
in-
traditions
the
the
of
present insane custom
proscenium and the act-drop,
still,of stridingon
worse
p.s.
acknowledgments from the
on
specialoccasions only
P.S., and
the stage to retire at the proscenium
squeezingbetween
or,
the
their
dignifiedand
drama
the
shaking of
dramatic
to
nightly
part of stage-managers
have
confined
Such
more
of
call' is
a
green curtain,which was
the proscenium. If there
across
O.P.
of
163
old
lady,who bowed
proscenium door
walked
the
the
would
from
all,it
at
working
on
of
sense
Curtain
dexterous
a
curtain
lost to
a
by
'
the
the
stage while
the
ponderous roller of said act-dropis being pulled
back
by a burly scene-shifter in full sight of the
obtain
audience, who also for the nonce
gratuitous
glimpsesof the scenery being struck and of stage
hands and property men
hurryingto and fro behind.
that
the
been
If
now
proscenium doors have
behind
abolished
and the stage room
the footlights
to the vanishing-pointactors and
has been reduced
must
actresses
respond to the heartyplauditsof an
should dictate the takingof
audience, common-sense
the stage itself,
call at the close of the play on
a
at the Lyceum, the curtain
being raised for the
as
'
'
"
"
'
'
purpose.
'We
wrote
very
Charles
properly deride the
Dickens
the Younger
old
custom,'
in the
Theatre,
How
164
Get
to
on
the
Stage
October, 1895, 'of allowingpatrons of the drama,
considered
were
notoriety
the
to occupy
entitled to the privilege,
seats upon
which
stage during the performance a custom
obtained in England until Garrick
put an end to it,
and in France until its abolition was
brought about
by Voltaire. But from the point of view of stage
who
by
their distinction
or
"
this
was
illusion,
so
very much
than
worse
the
less
sense-
and
actors
actresses,which
"calling11
into a well-nighintolerable
by degreesgrown
habit
has
nuisance
?
of
It is said
which
enthusiasm
the
Junius
of Lucius
declined
who
that
to
the
custom
Edmund
Brutus
Kean's
produced upon
leave the theatre
arose
of
out
performance
audience,
an
until the actor
had
and it
acknowledgmentof their plaudits,
of the personal
is probablyowing to its gratification
and playersthat the
vanityof individual managers
has since then become
custom
so
firmlyestablished.
Something,perhaps,
may be said in favour of such
an
expressionof an audience at the end of the play,
his
bowed
'
but
the
appearance
of
the whole
after
company
an
grouped upon the stage without any reference
to the proceedingsin which
they have just been
of any illusion,
engaged,is fatal to the preservation
the
such
while
as
a
thing now,
happily,rare
to the stage,during the progress of a scene,
return
effective
has just made
of an actor or actress who
an
act,
"
"
simplyan outrage on any
propriety.The conventionalities
generallybeen exaggeratedat the
to be a regularthing for Manrico
exit is
sense
of the
of
dramatic
stage have
opera, and it used
in the Trovatorc
before
Calls
from
the
Curtain
165
his
prison after the great duet,
returning to it quite calmly after bowing to the
audience
hand-in-hand
with the lately-agonized,
but
This was
extreme
now
an
smiling,Leonora.
case,
but things very nearly as
bad
been
have
in
seen
London
farce of handing
theatres.
The
many
baskets of flowers across
the footlights
to the leading
and other ladies has pretty nearlykilled the bouquet
such a terrible stumbling-block
nuisance, which was
to the most
strenuous
make-believers,and now
only
to
emerge
finds
favour
with
a
varietyactresses, who
begin with that there
illusion to be spoilt.
'
The
system
bad
one,
than
itself.
front
but
of
of
it has
This
the
"
class of
certain
are
absolutelyunreal
in their case,
really,
so
is
calls
"
no
another
even
worse
speech-makingin
has been
adopted by
this
alacrity. When
of
custom
curtain, which
with quite a fatal
managers
first became
the fashion is not
in earlier
to
only a thoroughly
is not
produced
is the
Transatlantic
recorded.
Managers
"
new
a successful
days used to
give out
until further notice, and sometimes,
play for repetition
but not always,delivered a farewell address at
the
end
"
of
the
season
;
but
to
this latter arrangement,
objectionto be
be
of to-day seem
made.
But
the managers
to
mainly anxious to cultivate the acquaintanceof their
is their
outside the stage settingwhich
audiences
sphere,and are ready,at the mildest cry of
proper
forward
to come
"Speech!11from pit and gallery,
less carefully
few
with
more
or
a
prepared imat
all events, there
is little
-
1
How
66
And
promptus.
with
disaster
Get
to
interruptedby
degenerates into
Not
The
audience,and
defender
of the
he
tired
never
-
We
confess
must
once-familiar
ever
the
stage from
now
the
proscenium.
for the
ourselves.
hang
to
kind
No
of
well,to
so
so
gracefulwaves,
curtain
off
screen
to
or
effectually,
that
as
which
is
intimatelyassociated with the green
Lamb, speaking of his
says Charles
What
a
be
with.
I beheld
heaven
to
my
Truly,there
the
green
turned-down
'
floats
'
"
the
age
of six ?
'
the
When
great green curtain
imagination,which was
disclosed, the
T
earliest recollections
Our
at
great,dark, smooth
lightof
and
the
play are
endured
that
time-honoured
met
got in,and
to
drama, and
the
the
to
gallant
a
pardonablefondness
first visit to the theatre
veiled
was
seldom
so
baize.
we
of
auditorium
fall in such
of the
novelist
restored
a
devised
been
rise and
to
occasion,
one
sorry afterwards/
traditions
be
'rag1
has
than
that
asserting
should
baize
green
of
not
Baize.
great
best
I do
singlespeech making
Green
the
of
between
unseemly squabble
an
has not, on
who
more
manager
said thingsfor which he has been
son
spectators, and
dissatisfied
some
and a part of the
manager
think
that
there
exists a
The
Stage
brings
practicesometimes
the speech is
infrequently
the
it.
the
on
now,
breathless
was
an
soon
anticipationsI
air of
mystery
surface in the dim
chandelier
alas !
that
and
hidden
about
irreligious
the
away
white
in
a
1
68
How
back
Get
to
in connection
front of it.
with
the
on
Stage
takingtheir
actors
'
'
calls in
anything can tend to excite the
ire of the habitual
playgoer,it is that latter-day
abomination, the advertising
curtain, which thrusts
itself upon
the view during the pantomime season.
This
most
emphaticallybears out the managerial
contention
that a theatre is a commercial
tion.
speculacould
We
if
But
say much
of
exigences
but
more,
reluctantly
compel us to desist.
pursue this subjectfurther may
article entitled
A
Plea
Stage, August 22,
1895.
c
The
Mr.
Charles
modern
abuse
called forth
the
by
of
a
'
playhouseof
our
our
Baize,1in the
observations
'
were,
as
issue of the
It is to be feared there
to
to
Illusion.
trenchant
calls
wish
directed
a
matter
little plainspeakingof
previousmonth's
in the
be
for the Green
Dramatic
Dickens'
who
Those
space
Theatre
more
many
After
time.
on
the
of fact,
our
own
in
magazine.
lost illusions
are
so
much
that
concerningStagelandand its
inhabitants,it is doubtful whether the play,however
adequatelypresented,exercises such a strong hold
to do
wont
upon the mind of the spectatoras it was
in days gone
by. One is inclined to think the
dramatic
illusion is in these days altogether
wanting.
has been written
The
wholesale
of late
initiation
of
the
the
as
mysteriousregionsknown
of necessityminimize
must
scenes
public into
world
the
behind
those
the
enjoyment
The
which
should
be
Dramatic
Illusion
the theatre.
portionin
our
169
tively
Figura-
the spectator is nowadays as much
speaking,
behind the scenes
the players. Thanks
to the
as
are
of the
new
journalism,he has learnt how most
effects are
he
startling
produced. Consequently,
is rarely moved
by what he hears and sees ; his
imaginationis no longercalled into play. If it were
for us to walk into a theatre and straightpossible
way
'
4
become
set
before us,
might imagine ourselves in a new world,
and without
making the acquaintanceof strangepeople,
made
a flimsy
pieceof paper largely
up of trade
so
that
lost in the entertainment
we
advertisements
to
recall
matter-of-fact
own
would
us
at
moment
any
surroundings,our
to
our
enjoyment
should
then pursue
our
complete. We
labours on
the followingday under
the influence of
the most
pleasingrecollections ; the play would, in
of a delightful
dream.
fact, partake of the nature
As it is,our enjoymentof the play falls immeasurably
short
be
beset
are
it should
of what
with
be, for the
The
distractions.
that
reason
we
illuminated
auditorium, the gay assemblage,the buzz of
sation,
conver-
applause,the sight of the
instrumentalists
immediatelyin front of the stage
other things contribute
to produce
these and many
effect of that which the play ought
the very opposite
the imagination.
to exercise upon
the
occasional
"
Again, we
as
into the
they
are
know
men
a
great deal
and
belief that
women,
they are
supposed to
be
on
too
to
of the formers,
perpersuadeourselves
much
the
actually
the
stage.
personages
Theatrical
i
How
jo
Get
to
gossipis nowadays
into
rife that
so
will; it forms part of
the
on
Stage
dismiss it at
cannot
we
reading; it enters
newspaper
dailyconversation ; even if we take no interest
our
our
in it ourselves,
it is thrust
by our neighbours.
the possibility
of deriving
For this reason
the highest
a dramatic
enjoymentfrom witnessing
representation
under
present conditions does not exist. Though
and endeavour
we
deny ourselves a programme,
may
to concentrate
cannot
close
around
us.
dramatis
that
whole
our
us
attention
ears
to
the
wish
to
follow
do
not
our
We
upon
personce
;
we
on
the
stage,we
conversation
the
want
of those
actions
to
be
of the
reminded
the
and women
performersare men
moving in
trials
our
own
workaday world, subjectto the same
and petty worries as ourselves.
Every suggestion,
therefore,which placesthe actor prominentlybefore
the mind
he
is
of the
spectator,rather
than
the character
tend to destroythe
necessarily
dramatic
illusion. How
can
we
selves
possiblylose ourhear it whisperedat our
in the play when
we
elbow that Mr. A., the handsome
has
lead,'
'juvenile
a
daughter on the stage as tall as himself; that
Mr.
B. has just signed an
engagement with the
playing,must
and so
the way;
over
manager
of gossipfreely
circulated in
between
the acts, but
then, does
the
dramatic
it is true, we
to the
stage by
as
a
fine
may
the
This
?
on
the
theatre,not
only
play proceeds. Where,
illusion
have
our
come
in?
sionally,
Occa-
attention
pieceof acting;
quicklyrecalls us
applausethat follows
But perhaps the most
is the kind
mischievous
but
riveted
the
loud
to ourselves.
factor
in
the
The
Illusion
Dramatic
illusion in these
of the dramatic
destruction
171
days is
light of publicitythat is thrown
upon
enchanti
disStagelandby the press. Can anything be more
to our
imaginations than the knowledge
the
fierce
that
world
the
behind
the
is
scenes
simply a
if we
have
carpenter'sshop ? Little wonder
to marvel
at the stage-pictures
presentedto our
They
as
of
matter
a
'
cannot
a
The
in
entertainment
child at
In the
alone.
it
criticising
different
How
case
great
our
it is with
pantomime, and the young
country paying a first visit to
of these, the dramatic
a
exists for
the
the
from
professionwhich
a
view.
like actors, who
are
interest ourselves
is,we
ceased
accept them
; we
performancewithout
truth
much
too
We
course.
?
sit out
in detail.
deal
marvellous
longerappear
no
vast
person
fresh
the theatre
illusion is
a
!
perfect
;
they have ears and eyes for naught save that which is
Nor is the possibility
of emulating
passingbefore them.
All that we have to
these enjoyments so remote.
do is to placeourselves under such conditions as shall
make
dead, for the time being,to the stage-knowus
ledge
we
King Ludwig of Bavaria, who
possess.
within
the
insisted upon
an
operaticrepresentation
of
his
necessary
to
walls
"
"
to
at
him
the
dead
by the gloom of
perhapsnot such a
was
considered
how
give
wit,
to
to
keep
up
under
theatre
own
have
of
a
the dramatic
conditions
ment
highest possibleenjoyrounded
night, alone, and sur-
dark
perfectly
madman
been.
all the
At
as
he
was
auditorium
generally
all events, he
illusion.
knew
How
172
Get
to
The
the
on
Personal
Stage
Paragraph.
Utopian the foregoingideas may appear
to note
to the generalreader,it is a little gratifying
in
that some
of them, at least,are findingexpression
However
the
American
says the
menV
'The
press.
York
New
process
Dramatic
of
disenchant'
Mirror,
is due
tion
publicschildish inclinato pull its toys to piecesto see what
they are
made
have fed the publicwith
of. The
newspapers
much
of theatrical tittle-tattle and impertinent
as
it would
as
swallow, and certain members
personality
of the profession
have assisted with an
industryand
ingenuityborn either of the longing for notoriety,
vantages
adof the belief that notoriety
or
possesses pecuniary
to
the
On
actors
and
newspapers
this account
the
there
are
held in affectionate esteem
very few favourite
by the community.
Familiaritybreeds contempt, as
people are not prone to maintain
actors
whose
real
or
we
and
a
pedestal
upon
fictitious characteristics and
informed
dailygoings and comings they are
The
all know,
effect of this is to render
the actors
of
daily.
in question
footlights.
commonplace when they are before the
They are no longerable to projectcharacterizations
which carry with them the quality
of artistic illusion.
To the peoplein front,they are
simplythemselves
the creatures
of the paragraph."
The
Chicago Times
boldly suggests a remedy.
"
"
'
'
In
order
that
the
theatre,'it says,
'
may
occupy
The
Nature
that
necessity
belongingsbe
That
173
with
country, holding the
dignityand truth, it is an
the
peopleof
withdrawn
small tattle from
(
Paragraph
in this
higher ground
up to
Personal
the
as
stage and
mirror
urgent
all their
subjectof gossipand
a
comment.1
newspaper
recommendation,1 says the
Mirror
in
reply,
perhapstoo sweeping. There is a vast difference
of real interest
between
the publicationof matters
scandals,
concerning actors and that of trivialities,
fakes."
The
dissemination
of
impertinences,and
real news
respectingthe people of the stage and of
details concerningtheir art is worthy of
intelligent
encouragement. It does not affront the dignity of
the stage ; it does illustrate its importance and
social force,and it does lead to a better
as
a
activity
It is high time,
understanding of the actor's aims.
between
however, that a sharp line should be drawn
legitimatein this connection and
topics that are
topicsthat degrade and render ridiculous both the
actor and his calling.1
'
is
"
Remarks.
Concluding
We
choice
have
of
we
now,
the
trust,
different
legitimateintroduction
matters
only remain to
this work
to
him
a
given
methods
to
be
the
the
of
stage.
disposedof
aspiranta
obtaining a
One
before
or
two
ing
bring-
close.
the
requisiteability,
determination, perseverance,
capacity for
energy,
hard work, and
enthusiasm, there is no reason
why
Assuming
to
possess
How
174
the novice-actor
should
the
or
retain
not
Get
to
his
the
on
Stage
turned
amateur
professional
the
positionon
boards
and
An
engagement in a
steadilyimprove himself.
will afford him
plenty
repertoiretouring company
of his professional
the outset
of experiencefrom
to an ordinary
travelling
career, but if he be attached
with
rest content
he should
by no means
company
being a one-partactor. As soon as he feels perfectly
make
it
in his singlecharacter,he should
at home
his aim
to
touring with
oftener
a
transfers
he
to
manager
he hope to
is while
better company
superiorclass of play. Indeed, the
engagement
an
secure
his
a
services from
better
another,the
in
;
in
no
touring
one
other
way
can
varietyof parts. It
to
he is in an
engagement that writing-in
of a
the books
on
or
placinghis name
gain experiencein
managers,
reliable agent, is most
a
serviceable
;
not
when
he
is
the Strand, Micawber-like,
walking up and down
out
waiting for something to turn up.1 A sharp lookof new
for the announcements
playsabout to be
sent on
having bought
tour, or of country managers
London
the provincialrights of a recent
success,
to apply for a
should
be kept ; then is the time
in the
prospective
engagement. It does not matter
'
least if he
months
travelled
has
only;
his sole
reference
there
can
be
no
care
from
doubt
for a few
company
satisshould be to merit a factory
with
his
that
a
latest
a
'walking parf at a West-End
the beginner in good service
part in a touringcompany.
short
manager.
experiencein
theatre
for
And
must
a
stand
seekinga speaking
How
176
to
Get
the
on
Stage
their
portraitspublishedin
illustrated journals;others, more
still,
enterprising
place their photographs on sale in shop-windows,
for them
and create a fictitious demand
by getting
friends
These
their
to
are
so
purchase them.
of working the oracle which
actor
no
ways
many
interviewed
who
has
a
have
to
or
little money
should
command
his
at
neglect.
Although a provincial
experienceis at all times
to a
theatre,
preferable
walking part in a London
the beginnershould not be too hasty in exchanging
the latter for the former
if,by remaining on the
of
possibility
spot, he or she foresees the remotest
promotion. To
lag superfluouson the stage may
be monotonous
enough, yet it would be most unwise
'
'
'
'
to
forfeit the
prospect of
understudy
an
or
a
small
speakingpart when a new
play is put into rehearsal.
of proThere is really
no
gauging the probabilities
fessional
and
advancement
when
once
an
intelligent
persevering
beginnersucceeds in obtaininga footing
risen to
the London
boards.
If 'supers1have
on
the dignityof speakingparts,extra ladies and balletdancers
have
Vaughan
for the
likewise
and
ballet
become
actresses.
Theatre,
while
Miss
Lind, and
Miss
Mabel
Connie
Love
at
first came
the management
when
of Charles
to
that
Kean.
out
as
Grecian
Letty
dancers
James, of Perkyn
in the
at the Princess's Theatre
the old
Gilchrist,Miss
Gaiety burlesques.David
Middlewick
attached
fame, was
Kate
trained
originally
Miss
Lingard were
by Mrs. Conquest
Miss
the
house
ballet corps
was
under
Concluding
few
A
much
with
connection
years'*
conducive
more
to
at different houses
actor
young
of those more
or
Remarks
fitful ances
appeartime wears
on, the
follow the
not
independentmembers
throw up a part and
recklessly
who
theatre1
when
his
her
is
than
only,as
should
actress
management
one
success
;
177
example
of the
'
company
out of the
walk
does
quite
come
immediatelypreceding.
up to the length of the one
It is surelybetter to be permanently on the
salarylist than to walk about, although one's salary
be actually
for a time
reduced, which is not
may
always the case, however.
While
attending rehearsals,young actors are very
to improve the occasion
during a 'waif by
prone
not
adjourningto a neighbouring saloon bar. Tin
on
in this act
and
; come
This
invitation.
or
new
part
have
a
habit
pernicious
'
drink
should
not
is the
be
usual
carefully
have
to our
actors
own
kept in check, for many
knowledge sacrificed good engagements through
Another
at rehearsal.
appearing 'muddled1
thing
is not
to be impressedupon
actor
to give
a young
loose
rein to
well informed
his tongue in
as
the
or
manager,
prominent member
let him
the
to
of
theatre.
He
may
prospectivearrangements
lucrative
a
of
a
the
offer made
No
company.
to
be
of
a
matter
;
listen to
gossip if he will,but say nothing.
And
when
a
beginner on the stage takes the sceneshifters into his confidence
by exclaiming,I played
the part all right,didn't I ?' or courts
their advice
'
in any
way
to be talked
whatsoever, he artlessly
layshimself
about
in the
pot-houseas
an
'
open
amateur
'
How
178
who
Get
to
know
does not
his
the
on
Stage
business,and
is
likely
never
to learn it.
to the
As
oft-discussed
safelygo
girlmay
questionwhether
the
a
young
stage without
danger to
her morals,we
that she is just as
say at once
may
safe in a theatre
she would
be in a place of
as
business
that is,if she has been properlybrought
strengthof
Everythingdepends upon her own
up.
character.
The
shop-girl,the work -girl,or the
domestic who foolishly
pays heed to the preliminary
Good-eveningP of the gay young spark out for a
stroll,is much
more
likelyto stray from the path
on
"
'
of virtue
than
actress
an
knows
who
merely playersare in a
the ordinaryconventionalities
women
from
measure
of
exempt
society. An
dare
low
make
lady in the company
her self-respect,
who, in the eyes of
what
is called
straight.' The
hear
about
in judicialproceedings
who
maintains
the
world, is
'actresses1
are
do
we
be, would
and
men
actor, however
improper
he
that
may
to
overtures
never
to
a
6
of
mostly women
loose
talents
morals, whose
being on the stage at all.
take advantage of an
Nowhere
do men
unprotected
first receiving
without
some
woman
encouragement.
harm
One
cannot
imagine the slightest
befalling
in a first-class
actress
an
educated, self-respecting
not
London
them
warrant
theatre
;
as
these
establishments
are
ducted
con-
nowadays,such a thing is next to impossible.
In a touring company,
invariably
too, the manager
whose
ness
busiarranges through his agent-in-advance,
it is to secure
the ladies
the lodgings,that
Concluding Remarks
and
gentlemen are
With
a
in the different
visited.
towns
in
separatelyhoused
179
ladies of the
c
burlesquethe
favourable.
of
the
have
to
and
conditions
Actors
expect
'
ballet
by
are
lower
they are drawn from
class of society,
and rarelypossess the
Even
sedulouslyshun their advances.
and
c
'
property
men
'
show-girls
no
time'
because
auxiliaries,
shifters
*
means
order
good
'a
the
look
do
so
tunately
unfor-
with
these
inferior
an
firmness
the
to
scene-
forward
to
the
as
a
pantomime season
period of licence,during
which
do not
who
they may play havoc among
girls
stand on their moral dignity
the line
; but they draw
at the corps
de
ballet.
in minor
transformation
We
h ouses,
do
have
observed, too, particularly
that
the
figurantes in
a
always receive that
careful handling while being strapped up to lofty
irons which
common
decency demands ; this is a
looked into.
which should be seriously
matter
Still,
there is no reason
why the ladies of the ballet should
of the
not be as
straightas the superiormembers
of them
are
happy to add.
are, we
; many
company
No P
need of the power
to say
They have especial
the slightest
and to slapa man^s
face on
attempt at
insult.
the stage be a
Whether
the beginner on
actress
ballet -girl,a
extra,1 or an
chorister, an
properlyso-called,she can very well take care of
to it.
makes
herself if she strenuously
up her mind
It is only necessary for her to recollect that she is
scene
not
'
'
'
'
'
*
far removed
of conduct
from
rests
home
and that
influences,
with
entirely
herself.
her
line
i8o
How
And
actress
warning for
the
who, in her
own
much
sets
store
treated
out
flowers
from
in the
to matinees
his
'
best
all
above
a
historyof
overtook
in
one
poor
London
small
part
years
ago, awaits all giddy maids
to take
upon their ability
in
our
only
questionable
company.
of
care
herself
for
at last
"
In
that
a
This
:
the
'
taken
'
Johnnie
of
tired
When
all be
cannot
who
had
pantomime a
who
relytoo
care
she
time, but
the wine
actress
a
few
fidently
con-
of themselves
girldid
take
fell,most
good
wittingly,
un-
drugged !
was
conclusion, let the ambitious
we
and
season,
sentence
about
driven
be
he ruthlessly
robs her of that which,
girl,'
thingsin the world,is most preciousto her.
fate that
The
in
up
to
the London
but the natural
summed
be
may
;
be
to
of the
irrepressible
to be
very delightful
presentedwith fresh
Garden,
height of
a
benefit of the young
attentions
seem
supper,
Covent
strike
us
artless,unsuspectingway,
It may
to
Stage
close,let
a
express
the
upon
Johnnie.1
'
town
the
on
here, before drawing to
of
note
Get
to
ever
bear in mind
taking
great actors, but every pains-
reflect credit upon
the profession
his level best in whatever
part he is called
actor
may
by doing
upon to play.
There
miist
be
subordinate
many
of
chief honours
so
a
play ; the
fall to one
of the
two
or
performancenecessarily
in a prosmall salaryearned
artistes engaged. A
fession
is naturallyfitted for
he loves and
that
will be more
livingwage
highlyprizedthan a mere
earned in the capacityof a clerk or a tradesman's
his salarymay
whatever
assistant.
But
be, let him
characters
in
every
Concluding Remarks
Actors1
to
enrol
neglectto
not
the
himself
Association,and
Actors1
a
also to
Benevolent
Fund.
1
member
of
contribute
The
8
1
the
his mite
former
will
be
eminently serviceable to him in many ways, more
perhaps, in legallybringing a bogus
particularly,
manager
that
to
book
;
while
which
timelyassistance
fortune
the
latter will insure
every actor
is at its lowest.
THE
BILLING
AND
SONS,
END.
PRINTERS,
OUILDFOUD.
him
needs when