New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-26
MAGGIE MITCHELL.
The Degenesacy of the Stage and IT
Causes.

reporter of the st. Louis Times inter
viewed Maggie Mitchell at the Southern
Hotel in that city last week. This is the
result:
Reporter-The public are naturally anx-
ious. Miss Mitchell, to know the causes
which induced you to change your style of
acting, so strikingly apparent in your Jane
Eyre. as well as IL your new selection of
characterss
Miss Mitchell-It originated in feeling
of dissatisfaction with the nature and the
basis of the reputation which my earlier
efforts had secured for me-most gratifying
though it doubtless was-comhined with
maturer experience and closer observa-
ton OF generalities, and mature in the
rough"
Reporter-Will you pardon me for re-
questing less general answer?
Miss Mitchell-Certaiuly The height of
my ambition naturally has ever been 30
achieve lasting and enduring reputation
in my proiession--one which should rest
upon surer foundation than mere capacity
to exhibit light, thoughtless and vivacious
characters. however well they may have
been received by an indulgent public.
Coupled with this, | have long felt the CON
seriousness Of a capacity TO reach loftier
position as an artist, ia characters other
than those in which my earliest success
was achieved. In short, felt able tC move
the deeper feelings of an audience, as well
as to WIN their applause.
Reporter-ro what do you attribute This
change in your professional ambition
Miss Mitchell-COnstant study and closer
observation, combined with greater expe-
rience, have produced change IN my feel
ings, and with this change the higher am
biti0n of which have spoken.
Reporter-Did it ever occur to you that
this change might serve, in ever so slight
degree, to benefit the stage and contribute
to the elevation of the drama!
Miss Mitchell-Yes, sir, hoped it might.
All of my aspirations have been connected
with my profession, and / have always felt
that the stage had noble mission to ac-
complish, if actors would restrict them
selves to the presentation of such dramas
only as were morally unobjectiOnable 1
have therefore enGea vOred, more especially
of late years, to avoid becoming identified
with pieces of questionable moral tone,
however lucrative they might have proven.
True, | could not hope to accomplish a
revolution, but still | desire to contribute
my mite to reform.
Reporter-To what causes would you at
tribute the present low standard of dra-
matte art
Miss Mitchell-That the stage has, unfor-
tunately, degenerated, is too true and evil
tress who is naturally most interested in
shielding it from unmerited eensure. And
no one can deplere the fact more than the
better and w0rthier members of my profess
sion. This much, however, can be urged
in mitigation of the condemnation so fire.
quently visited upon it. The war naturally
pI oduced a decentralization of the popular
taste. in that while it lasted people sought
relief from the contemplation OF its horrors
that class of l1nnSpmpDtA hipl
pealed solely to the senses and called for
no mental effort. /: was shus that gor.
geOus spectacle and absurd extravaganza
first became popuiarized. feel satisfied.
however, that we are entering upon @ new
era, and that ere long the legitimate and
unobjectiOnab.e drama will yegain its tOy-
mer swayo
Reporter-What ID voH conceive would
BE- the most ettectual means toward accom-
piishing such result
Miss Mitckell-Thas depends entirely
upon the public. as managers are compelled
to meet the requirements of the popular
taste III the selection OF plays 1 firmly be-
lieve that the profession has no members
who would not. with fhe public support.
prefer TO appear in purely legitimate and
moral plays rather than the new fashioned
sensational pieces manufactured to order.
to tit the ''stars' of the occasion. thereby
unnecessary especial study - III
themselves for the part So long as the
popular taste remains unchanged. actors
ale Well nigh, if not totally. powerIess.
Representatives. any OF your perform.
ances ever entirely satisfactory to yoUs
Miss Nitchell-Never. However we'll I
may have been received by an audience,
have always felt that my performances were
susceptible OF improvement either in stage
business. dialogue. or the meditation OF in.
fleC.iou of voice. and for this reason | have |
ever been hard student both of authors
aud human nature. The more cordially ! |
am received by an audience the greater has !
been my desire 20 merit sheir APPRECIATION.
and to approximate more nearly TO that I'M
ideal for which ak true artists Z,
are constantly striving.
Reporter Did this yearning for the ap- |
parently unattainabie induce You 20 under |
take new characters. which in their nature |
differed from Your earlier efforts
Miss Mltchell-Yes; it prompted me touD. |
dertake Jans Eyre.
Reporter-Does the success you have !
achieved in this character content vou or do |
You intend 20 extend your repertoire (!
Miss Mitchell-The favor with which |
this etfOr. has been received by the pub |
lie encourages me 20 believe that in |
this and similar characters my highest and |
most gratifying triumph is TO be achieved, !
but far from being content, | am by no
means satisfied Will WudJ L nave Vet aC-
You may readily imagine,
therefore, how anxiously and persistently |
look for other parts OF similar character,
which will explain the pile Of manuscript in
which you found me immersed upon your
entrance.
Reporter-Have the opinions of the press
you in any sensible degree in
altering or modifying your earlier ambition
Dr. in causing dissatisfaction with the posi-
ton you had won
Miss Mitchell-TO some extent they IN
luestionably have, and | feel greatly in
lebted to the press of the country for the
generous encouragement it has SO uniform
Y extended me in my efforts, and IL pre-
iicting for me greater things than | had
yet attempted. Discriminating and impair
.ial criticism (which have vanity enough
% believe l can recognize) has always com
handed my serious attention. and when
lefects, or even blemishes, have been
pointed ont and made clear to my Cempre
tension, have earnestly striven to remove
hem. IN common with all actors and
actresses, court criticism as an efficient
aid to Improvement, hut | never seek for
mere ''putfs" or eulogistic notices.
The primary object of the interview hav-
ng been thus accomplished, the converse
ion dritted to the current events of the
lay, in which Miss Mitchell showed an
AMOUNT of general Information almost equal
o that she possesses on the subject with ,
which her life has been identified.
After apoiogizing fox the intrusion ana
banking her for heg courteous attention.
he reporter babe aGieu TO thc little
Cricket. with even warmer admiration for
ler qualities of head and heart than he had
entertained.
Miss Mitchell! was dressed. with the .x.
'eption o! the shor, skirt. just as she does
n the ifJh act of "Eanchon.'' and looking
hat character in every sense. 1t wa. at
,nce evident that she has lost none of the
beauty OF which 'h. rUt!ic has ever thought
10 much. Ga che contrary ]. il rather