Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-12-07
FANNY KEMBLE.
Her "Reminiscences of the Stage.

! do not think that ever spent a
more miserable day than the one in
which I acted Mrs. Beverly for the
hrst time. Stage nervousness, my
father and mother both tell me, in
creases instead OF diminishing with
practice; and certainly as far as my
own limited experience goes, I find it
so. The first hazald, l should say,
was not half so fearful as the last;
and though on the first night that 1
ever stood upon the stage / thought
/ never could be more frightened in
my life, have found that with each
new part my fears has augmented in
proportion as previous success would
have rendered il more damaging to
fall. A stumble at the first would
have been bad enough, and might
have bruised me, but fall from the
hight to which I have been raised
might break my neck, or at any rate
crippled me for life. do not believe
to fail in part would make me in
dividually unhappy for moment, but
so much OF real importance to others,
so much OF the most serious interest
and so much of the feelings of those
most dear to me, is involved in the
continuance OF my good fortune, that
l am in every way justified in dread
inga failure. These considerations
and their not unnaturalre result, a violent
headache, together with no very great
liking for the part, had made me so
nervous that the whole OF the day was
spent in fits OF crying: and when the
curtain drew up, and was discover
ed" I'm sure must have looked as
jaded and tear-worn as poor Mrs.
Beverly ever did. However, all went
well with me till the last act, when
my fathers acting and my own pre-
yious nervousness continued TO make
my part OF the tragedy anything but
feigning; sobbed so violently that l
could hardly articulate my words. and
at last fell upon the dead body of
Beverly with a hysterical cry that
had all the merit OF pure nature, il
none other, to recommends. Fortu-
nately the curtain fell then, and I was
Carried to my dressing room to finish
my fit in private. The last act of
that play gives me much pain in my
arms and legs, with sheer nervous
distress, and 1 am ready TO drop
down with exhaustion at the end OF
it; and this reminds me OF the very
difficult question which you expect
me to answer. respecting the species
OF power which is called into play in
the act, as called. OF acting. I am
the worst reasoner, analyzer, and met
aphysician that ever was born; and
therefore whatever I say on the sub
ject can be worth very little as re-
ply to your question. but may furnish
you with some data for making a
theory about it for yourself 1t ap-
pears to me that two indisputable ele-
ments OF fine acting are certain a
mount OF poetical Imagination and
n power OF assumption, which is
good deal the rarer gift OF the two;
in addition TO these, a sort OF vigilant
presence of mind is necessary, which |
looks after and avoids or
removes the petty obstacles that are |
perpetually destroying the imaginary
and reminding one in ones
own despite that one is not really Jul
liet and the other Bclvidera. The !
curious part OF acting to me. Is the /
sort OF double process which the
mind carries on at once, the combined |
operat ons OF ones faculties, so to |
speak. in Numerically opposit di-
rection; FOR instance that very last
scene OF Mrs. Beverly, while / was
half dead with crying in the midst OF
real grief. created by an entirely I'M
real cause, perceived that my tears
we're falling like rain all over my silk
iress, and snoiling it,; and / calcula-
ed and measured most accurately
he space that my father would re-
Iuire TO fall In, and moved myself and
rain accordingly, i'm the midst OF the
igony / was to feign, and absolutely
lid endure. 1t is this watchful facul-
y which never deserts rue while / am
ittering all that exquisite passionate
poetry in Juliet's BALCONY scene, while
feel as il my own soul was on my
IFS, and my color comes and goes
With the intensity OF the sentiment /
am expressing; which prevents me
rom falling over my train, from set
ing fire to myself with the lamps
placed close to me, from leaning on
ny canvas balcony when I seem to
brow myself all over il. In short
While the whole person appears to be
merely following the mind, in produc-
ng the desired effect and illusion up ,
N the spectator, both the intellect and
he senses are constantly engrossed
n guarding against the smallest az
ident that might initiate against
/; and representing things absolutely y
imaginary, they are taking accurate =
tgnizance OF every real surrounding r
bject that can either assist or mar
he result they seek to produce. This
to me by far the most singul part
I the process which is altogether a ,
cry curious and complicated one. !,