The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-12
TERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.

mer husband, and that pass she manages to
give to the condemned officer. who escapes.
10 lie brief, the lady is finally pardoned,
reconciliation takes place between her and
her husband, and all ends happily.
Reporter-The play is evidently sensation
al.
Mr.. Bouccault-Well, yes, 10 a certain ex-
tent. You see if you are to have an Amer-
can drama the way must be paved to it. Lit
| erature is like trade. You can't Jump to
| the highest point in any particular branch.
| You must so gradually up to excellence. l
| am going to try and establish the foundation
| of American dramatic literature. If i am not
able TO put the cap-stone to the structure,
somebody who comes after me will do it, and
shall be satisfied with making it easy for
him.
Reporter-Mr. Boucicault, do you think it
is possible to make good American drama?
Mr.. Boucicault-Why not?
Reporter-ThaPs just what l desire to
know.
Mr.. Boucicault-You have all the essen
tials. All that you want is somebody TO de-
vote himself to the work and open the school.
America is young country, and, like young
child, you draw too much on the older ma
tions. You have better materials yourself
right here at home, but you are dependent.
You haven't learned the lesson Of depending
on yourselves. You draw too much on Eng
land and France. That is easier than doing
original work; and as long as managers pay
well for borrowed labor, you can't expect to
draw out the original talent of your country.
Reporter-Mr. Bouccault, what do you
think of American theatres?
Mr.. Bolcicault-I think, sir, they are inf
ni:ely superior to those OF London or Paris.
They are better constructed, better ventilat-
ed and much more cheerful in their inner
surroundings. Besides, your audiences seem
| to treat actors better than ours. You are
quick to see good point, either in the acting
or in the play, and you are generous enough
to reward the man who has pleased you with
enthusiastic applause. There is no doubt
about it. The American theatres are the lin
est in the world.
Reporter-And what about our American
actors?
Mr.. Boucicault-Fine, sir, fine. They, too,
surpass those OF the older countries. They
seem to enter more into the spirit of the work
than ours do.
Reporter-If that is so, why is it that we
have to draw so largely on Europe for our
| stars?
Mr.. Boucicault-For the same reason that
you have to draw upon Europe for your plays.
| The poorest stock actors in London come
| here as stars You are generous and treat
| them well, and the result is a fresh importa-
| tion soon arrives. Depend upon it, you have
better actors among yourselves than any
| which London will send you. What you want
| is 10 cultivate appreciation for home talent
| As for your scenery, l never saw play put
on the stage in England in so magnificent a
manner as l have seen it in New York. And,
| talking of actors, l was deputed by Lester
| Wallack 10 procure him q leading lady. 1
searched London and the provinces, and
| found but two with any capability 10 hold the
position in such a theatre. One of =
| could play no comedy, and the or .nen
| play no tragedy. So l returne" .ner coule
and poor Lester is still 'oc' "a with neither
lady. .Alng for his leadin.
think Of : -.r. Boucicault, what do you
r. yourself?
me dramatist looked puzzled for an in
slant. land then smiled as he answered, .'You'yt
asked me very frank question, ard I'll an-
swer it frankly. think should have been
a very great actor if l had not been an au-
thor; and should have been very great
author if had not been an actor That is a
modest mans opinion of himself"
Reporter-DO you propose to do anything
with the latest Parisian plays, THE Sphinx"
and the "Two Orphans ?''
Mr.. Boucicault-Not at all. saw them in
Parls, and they are not fit for an American
audience. Your people would hiss them
from the stage. They have not even the
merit OF Delng dramatic III their action, which
the majority of the plays of this bad school do
possess. "The SPHINX is an exceedingly
dull and uninteresting play. The adultery
which forms the motive of the action il not a
I good case, such as might have filed a theatre,
as it now fills the columns of the daily papers,
The piece is sustained in popular favor simply
by the real excellence of Mile. Crosette, who
plays the leading character. AS for the 1.-TWO
Orphans" it is simply filthy, and can be dis
missed with that comment. 1t has the max
ing OF three good pieces in it, but it is possi-
Bile to combine three good things and make
one ba one. That is what has been done in
the 1.-Two Orphans"
| Reporter DO you think Mr.. Nc Cullough
is a really good actor, or that the press Cf
| New York has overrated his abilities?
| Mr.. Boucicault-My notion is that all ac-
tors OF the present day are specialists. They
| get good part and they play it for years. l
| believe | have measured John in the charac-
| ter OF Philip Blgh as accurately as | meas
| ured Jefferson in rip Van Winkle." / have
| perfect faith that he will fit the part and make
| the piece successful. Miss Katherine Re gers
will play Belle La Mar, and there is no doubt
OF her ability. L believe honestly that New
York is about to see good American play
well acted by company almost entirely COM
posed of Americans.