Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-07-16
Identifying Himself With His Part.

| am afraid that Mr.. Hammer, the ira
cedian at our theater, will resign and seek
employment elsewhere. He is gradually
becoming disgusted. Last week the man
ager wanted to produce Macbeth, and as
lac was little short handed lac engaged a
young fellow named Mcigs. an amateur
from Wilmington, to play Macdutf. Meigs
said he had never performed in real the
ater but he felt certain he could make out
first rate.
Il would like you Mr.. Meigs,' sand
the manager, "to identify yourself with
the part. The only way to succeed as an
actor is to feel what you are acting. I'M
agine that you really are the character you
represent and do as you think the charac
| ter would have done under the same cir
cumstances."
al know exactly what you mean,' said
Meigs.
"Now you are going to play Macduff,"
said the manager. want you to goson
that stage with the idea that you are in
Scotland in ancient times, and when you
have your fight with Macbeth in the last
act YOU must let yourself out; be in
earnest rise to the height of the occasion,
and imagine that Macbeth is really your
enemy"
"Oh, understand" said Meigs. 81
know; I'll do the thing justice; don't you
| be afraid
That night when the performance be-
gan Macduff spun along pretty well until
in the scene after the murder, where Mac
! beth is trying TO induce tho company to
believe that he did not commit the crime,
when Macduff suddenly interrupted him
to say
"0h, you needn't try to play that on us.
! know well enough who killed That OLD
| g.II, y off
Mr. Hammer scowled at him and said
to him in a stage whisper:
Keep quiet, you IDIOT"
" It's all very well to say keep quiet!n
replied Mr.. Meigs, "but you can't stuff
anything down me. | know you did it,
and-but never mind, l kin wait for my
! clance.i'
Then Macbeth continued with his lines,
without paying any. further attention to
Macduff but, as the company Withdrew,
Macduff turned just as he got to the door,
and shaking his fist at the murderer said;
. Old feller, III fix you in the last act:
4 Fll bang the ribs out of you. you old
turkey-buzzard, now you see if don'tW
Mr. Hammer, between the acts, pitched
into Meigs, and told him not to dare to at
tempt any more of that foolishness in the
rest of the play, or he would kick himrout
vi uiS 'h09'oi, Du' ~ 81 "a -.
memeerea what tne mar mahaSer saiu r4 "pUuS "d
thought he wouldn't mind what Hammer
sad ioroI course &c Wouldn,t LIKE IKE IT, IN
the last act, When Mac9eIn cI,I snouteu LAY
on, Macduil! Mr. Meigs leit Una. nls w.
portunity hau c3me, anu eA1lulisi,n ~ Eo
io9 tnluh ual1Ient, .IS Wv ~. al
selZeo ms swoIu WIN pUsn U, nal,us an,, ~
rushed at ms auveIsaIy lne =: onse. , "9s JS ~
furious anu aG1un seeieu III Soi,,'o~J 1uoh
y Jul oa%I I,i ond bociD% at hin,
Melgs lolIoMInS n,lli anu ;,,ia3;t,,s as
utIerlng meanwnlle sucn ld vlaCtld'iVns ~ fooi as
DlCnI & tell you a;d @ anVeG si ~ ~ uoyv ioUl
le aDou' ;la' nt d utI thst nd thats,,
90 you nke mat anu tna., In my 'nau' ol, y,
mere eI'.l = grown person , p'Vse ioi So"'
e'e;, etc, e ,o.,,,o - ,or.;to ,b q,
NJ, AT Iasa naea. a ad oeraie ond ~ ba antnoiiv %
i1,,,1lod +ha footIiots and ran mn tb5