New-York tribune., 1877-03-08
ALL ABOUT ". SARDOU.

SardOu. the dramatist is described as a very
nervous irritable person, and sufferer from neuralgia
To save himself the icy theater draaghts during
the rehearsas Of of his plays he bought one Of the
boulevard booths made Of unplaned. unpalnted wood,
which serve for petty shops from Christmas TO New
Years lie put this edIfce on the stage at the
vaudeville. at the left Of the prompter's box,
and in IL he, the prOmpter, and the manager
would sit during rehearsal SaTdou always came
to rehearsal mufiied III immense ulster, the
hood covering his head and his neck protected by three
silk handkerchics made by many fold thick rs pos
sIbe. In his left hand lac carried bottle Of En-
gish smelling-sa,ts. sardou has two objects OF
especial abhorrence. He detests the leader Of the
orchestra and the cabnctmaker who provides furniture
and upholstery for the stage. He cant bear that his
pieces should he accompanied by music and II y anus
ing enough during rehearsal the leader OF the or
chesra uyng to edge IN word, and SardOu snubbing
hun at every attempt made. sardOU invariably refuses
To allow anybody to be present his rchearsas. At
hearsas the first thing lie does Is 10 visit the teater
from pit to amph heater to see II il empty. As be
searches box after box he puts the key Of each in hi'
uocket While he is 30 engaged the stage-manlGer IL
busy seeing that each piece Of furniture Is placed on the
chalk mark sardou has drawn the STAGE for at tie
very first rehearsal; sardou invariably indicates with
chalk the place Of every object When snrdou has salts
fed himself that the theater is empty he on tie
stage looks at all the furniture, and is sure to yell:
"Stage-managerw The stagc-mdndgcr bustes to sar-
dou trembling from head 10 foot, for there II something
in sardous voice which shows what he Is going to catch
sardou gruaas like who has received death
wound "My dear fellow! Ny dear fellow Oh, don't yOu
see that sofa on the right has its left froa leg at least
eighteenth Of an inch further out than my chalk mark
Tne staeenanager runs the sofa, makes it's eft front
leg toe the mark satisfies himself 1t Is right, wipes the
perspiratipn from bis brow and rcrcs 10 wing He s
scarcely disappeared when SariOu yells again, " Ma
chinist! Where's the machinst" out from the wings
runs the machinisi Here am, VI. SardOu.' "Grcai
heavens man. don't you tat Of scenery i too
far bach by quarter Of au inchl The scene II
brought furw ard ~griDu toward his BOOTH Looks
into IT, and shriess the most htaltrening manner,
have no chair Where my chairi Mgrc.fll heavens
These cabnetmakeTs Will be- the death of vet know
H. feel It," Talk OF the speed OF cannon hall or the
velocity OF electricity They nais by the side OF
fne Vaudeville cAbnctuIaker bc brings SardOus chair
The rehearsal hegns sardOu il silent for five minutes
and while everybody thinks he II well pleased. all OF
sudden he darts from his booth, pOunces piece OIL
furntsTe pushes IL backward and forward until he gets
Il into position. As rehearsal continues, hc be
comes more a!d excited. He II scarcely ever III tie
bnnrh; hr pushes about furniture, actors plays
their parts, hundred men all rolled into one