The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-22
Spicy Hints by. Dion BOucicault-The
Old Actor Tired Of His Work.
"CLARISSA HARLuWE AT WALLACKS.
Stage Setting and DressingA-FootIight
Not the Place for Fashion Plates.
A SHOT AT MANAGERS.
Keen Criticisms on the Present
Style Of Acting.

StylS OF ActlnS.
One Of the most difficult tasks IN the life Of
journaiht Is that which requires him to interview
member OF the theatrical profession. While an actor
may be full Of gossip couversationaly, possess
fund Of anecdots. and he able to entertain you for
hours with delightful "reminiscences the moment you
fastsn him down the solid work which nc suspects
may appear In the next days paper he becomes as
uncommu NEGATIVE as Sphinx, or In saying anything
says little that It fats reflect the real and 60
NAL character OF tho Yesterday. however, the
lines OF the writer fortunately "iell In pleasant
places" He met Boucicault and Wallack Both had
returned from their yachting expeditions one on his
Fleur do Lis, and the other the Columbia, and
both were brown with sthe livery Of the sun
shine" Mr.. Wallack wore q sad taco besides, be-
cause he has lost in the dead Montague one who
was almost dear TO him u son, and when met he
was absorbed in preparations for the funeral 1t was
under the circumstances obviously improper to invite
him TO hours talk about the stage Yet In bis
Amiabe way he turne d TO Mr.. Boucicaut, who at
his elbow, and said :-.Here, listen TO him. What
know he knows; all that can tell ne will commun-
cate am not IN a condition to go the ground
you have suggested, and II were should want
better spokesman than this my right good friend and
coadjutor'
tiousiy, "Do you accept the commissionS"
"Yes," was the reply, .'although have nothing TO
bay unless you draw It out of me- AS regards Mr..
Wallack. can only tell you 10 brief that far
Mr. Wallack Is concerned no will devote the larger
portion Of the ensuing season TO appearances IN other
cities, although the programme has yet been del
ntely arranged. The engagement with Mr.. Charles
Coghan made with reference to this purpose
Our Immediate programme here commences with
shell"
The last remark was suggestive OF . sorry termina-
sion TO an interview In which important Information
sought, but Mr. Boucicault himself accidentally
struck the keynote Of the "talk' which ioliows:-
III have made up my mind, ~ he said. "nsver again
10 be interviewed any subject whatever. for you
gentlemen OF the press seem 10 be ond OF ascribing
personal motives to me whenever open my mouth
IN your presence"
"But think you are unnecessarily sensitive In the
present instance, Mr. Boucicauit, for only want 10
ASK you a tow general questions. You have bsen
before the public for nearly forty years author
ana actor; your name appears In print whether you
will or no, ana surely you can't object TO few mo-
ments Of conversation that may DO Instructive tho
general pubic. understand that your opening play
81 the Waiack's IL adaptation OF the old
novel OF sCiarissa Narrower"
cLARIssA HARLowE
'sIt's rather an imitation - he said.
"What Is tho dirercnceS"
IAN imitation-wnich, by the way Is French
term-means that subject part OF = subject is
borrowed from either u novel. poem play, and is
dressed with original Incidents characters aud diao-
que. An adaptation means tho taking OF nearly
entire plot. most of the characters and of tho
dialogue, ana molding Il into u new shape that
The writer. In translatiug, Of course, we merely
transfer one language TO another"
SHOW far have you followed the story of Clarissa
Harlowes"
81 haven't followed IL at all, and excepting tho
character OF Lovelace, which indeed is mucn modi-
Ted, have used other character In the novel
Necessarily nave to keep the family name OF Har-
lowe. Tho Colleen Bawn is supposed to Do adap-
tatiou OF 1.-The Csegans," but there 10 only IN
can % found in the novel All the rest is sn.irey
original IN character and dialogue. The glove Incl,
cent, and the arres OF tue son are the two to which
refer. think It would be just II jour aiiss, before
eriiicising play would make themselves acquainted
with the sources from which the play Is drawn. 1t
would enable them judge the amount OF credit duo
the dramatist, ana prevent them from writing
lessy ana reckessy as some o. Thorn do when called
upon TO register judgment"
"Do you expect great success IRON this pfay?'
eli you mean by success that the play viii draw
large houses for lcngthened period, 10 one, how
experienced, forstsii sucb an event. Some
lines plays containing Tho most brilliant writing and
terror mort hold the stage Tor hundreds Of nights IL
10 matter OF popular caprice, and 10 one Of those
things mo teller mad QUIZ
THE PLAY A DRAMATIC SERMON
What Is the general scope and purpose OF the
play"
"To show how poor. innocent and noble girl can
be Infatuated and deceived by man OF elegant cx-
terror and polished manners. having good quaity
beyond sflvery tongue, aud how she IL auced 10
give up the home she loves and the mother to whom
she Is devoted, and yet, when she subsequently as
covers the perndy that been practised upon her
illustrates strength womaus devotion ana dies
protesting the last her love for the
man who mas deal. hsr death b. ow by his faIsoho
hlnu van IN fYon
point oil the play will 70 tho Illustration OF This
peculiar phese OF a woman's charsctcrf"
''Yes; woman who. having discovered man TO
among the worst oil characters unable TO overpower
the feelings that have become part OF her existence.
That's the idea 1t is about the tone oil East Lynn
Leah The gh.s OF the picture, Camille are
Ia the subordinate characteristic associates OF Love
lace"
.whcn did you conceive tho idea OF the play ~
al think II occurred to me while witnessing q
Of Ciarlssa Hsrowo was one which those VINO have
written for her missed. Plays OF strong emotion, how
ever. are more risKy than those which sustained
by variety OF incident or OF comical Characters such
for example as tho 'Shsughraun' or the TICKET OF
Leave Man."
Parton me Tor perhaps " hat may seem AN mperti-
peni question Have most Of your plays been written
~ 10 an In d vidual or a sentiment ~
now "TRIP VAN wiSKLE" WAS WRITTEN
Rarely TO an inaividuai; generally to sentiment
KIP sIo w,nso, a. . ,s rsas Is pay
rsrd Il more as portrait than as play. ana think
Me critics are so recog nizins IT,
"how dd you n,pps' TO conceive RIP as 1t Is
''Mr. Jefferson arrived from Australia, and do
siroos of obtaining all sppsaranse IN LONDON. no
ayers declined to produce tho pieces then hrs
repertoire. Mr.. John Owens had made a d,s- |
astrous failure lew weeks before In "5oion |
shiugle." In this extremity Mr. Jefferson gave |
me, on my own hearth rug, a description |
OF the ch had played lie told cnar-
Accr was success, Uut the piccs h failure e. |
planned TO him the reason. IL vas because Rip from
Inc commencement bad been represented as aged |
arankard, ana tn, regarded as fundamental blum
young man, good looking and graceful, and QUO In
whom tho audience could take GENIAL Interest, and
that his change TO Old age At the END OF the piece
would thus ts made more effective. He replied that |
having played the part frequently he did notthink no
eouid make the change told him that couidn'i con-
scisntiousy treat the subject other way. Some
What unwillIngy he assentcd 10 my views ana paus.
Knew aud felt was right Previously had wrticn
Tor him the characters OF Caleb Hummer, Salem |
5cudder aud others, IN which great tenderness was
anu knew precisely where his strength
lay. When l gave MIN rib Van wiukie as IL is |