Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-19
REHEARSALS.
A Glimpse Behind the Scenes and Re-
marks Thereon.

or all things in this world, says Nym
Crinkle, rehearsal is the most dreary and
unfathomable. 1t bears the same relation 10
a theatrical performance that a paint mill
does TO picture, or pretty woman before
breakfast does TO a fashionable belle, or a
mass meeting on a wet day does to the glori-
Gus destiny OF our republic. 1t is the su-
premely duh moment when art gives way TO
business, and Hebe herself learns the grooves
by rote. / have attended great many re-
hearSals. Ha! hal The manager can al yyavS
be caJOled or cOeTced. He lets me softly in
with his key 10 the shadOwy and deserted
auditorium. / tell them to go away and
leave me 10 my su1ferings and myself. And
mere, unseen and unsupported, L have
watched the players take their lessons. 1t Is
sure way TO fiud out who furnishes the
IDEAS and Who builds up the business OF a
part hlch is 10 be welcomed on the first
night as a "transcendent effort of his;rlonIc.
genius" If you tell me that it is not fair u
examine the Individuals in this way AM
beiray ihelr means, L ask who insists upon
IL, the player or the public? Who is il de-
sires the individuality Of the performer m aGe
conspicuous and the general excellence
OF The Performance subOrdinated to IL?
EnI The personal drama with It's pert aud
arrogant stars, has made personal criticism
not only possible but tolerable. II the play
er and not the play, nor even the company,
Is 10 be considered; If We must weigh the
prominent person in accordance with his
spicpOuknesS, then let us examine him
under all possible lights that the theater Will
afford AID one OF the best possible lights
up back seat at rehearsal. For il is !n
tnat light that you see tie heavy gentlemaa
lmDlbS his Ideas with the managers or The
play wr'ghts spoon. BOUcicaulJ was wont
10 use pitchfcIk, as II the players were cat
amounts, throwing them the fOoi OF mis- ex-
periepce and wisdom from the front. / T5-
member seeing him rehearse Belle Lamar
and Mora. IL was like conducting a reg.-
mental band. Then 1t was ike ordering a
gang OF paVvies. He beloved at them from
the centre aisle: "STOPi That won't do At
all. STOP Where's the stage carpenter "
Send for the stage carpenter. He doesn't
know his business. Damn IL, my dear you're
All wrong. Now then, Mr.. Baker, once more
II You please, tUm Il, tun u. PIIHiSSi8lO :
Blood and thunder, man! PIANISsIMo ~
Somebody was pulled up suddenly with
short sop! and told that the thing could
not be done that way. Somebody on this oc-
caslon had no idea OF his own, and ventured
10 say TO the indistinguishable director ia
The parquet that he thought he could do IL
his own way If Mr.. Bouclcalt would only let
him. Ives" shouted the Neutrality-suspicious.
In sharp, quick voice, "you can spell bot
tie with one L, but want two" Thereupon
somebody felt himself extinguished in a
stage laugh, aud gave up his Independence.
The chief office OF q director of rehe arsals ap
pears TO be to tell the players how tney
would act If they were not upon the stage.
for most OF them, unless they have ceased IL
ital actors in real life, suiting the action 10
the word in all the extgencies OF their daily
experience with effective propriety Bat ths.
moment they undertake To portray the most
familiar feelings or TO counterfeit the cosl-
monest action, they do just the things when
readers In that school OF criticism which
calls acting Justly, perhaps) skIllful exag
geration. They only feel that TO act is 10 30
what players DO, not what men do.