Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-08-04
FANNY DAVENPORT
Tells what she knows about English
Managers and English PIaywrights
The New Play or OLIVIA and
Its AuthOr-HOw Fanny
was Treated.

New York Herald: Miss Fanny Daven-
| port, who has Just returned from London,
was interviewed yesterday by Herald re-
! porter about her experiences abroad, which
! were understood TO be far from pleasant. In
! the course of the interview Miss Davenport
| told some queer things about the state OF the
! English stage, and confirmed the reports that
have already reached here OF the renewal in
! London Of the old prejudice that used to exist
! there against American actors. This preju-
dice, she SAID, would probably not affect
! such artists as Mr.. Jefferson or Mr.. Booth,
| but would now prove an almost lnsurmounta-
! ble barrier to the occupation of any American
stock-actor by any London manager. The
prejudice Is due, | think, to the fact that
while our managers import the best stock
actors that London can furnish, we export
| only second and even third class stock of our
own-actoTs who can scarce be said to hold
established positions In our leading New FORK
theaters.'
lis London stoekacting so superior to that
which obtains in our own theatersI"
you cannot at all compare them" replied
Miss Davenport. 1T is so tame, so excess
lively quiet, as to give to an American an
idea of histrionic inanity They push this so
far that even London audiences begin to
yawn, and ask for little more vivacity-a
little more life. The great success Of Charles
TLorne IN London due, | think, chiefly
TO the earnest honesty OF his passion, winch
startled them at first, and finally delighted
them"
do their stage settings compare with those
given us at Wallack' :, or the Union Square,
for instance?"
I'm that too, comparison is difficult. In
stage setting, as in co,tuming, literal correct
ness Is the quality chiefly sought. There Is
an absence OF ldeahzatlon in both which
would make them hard to American eyes.
| AS the purpose of my quick visit was to see
the manner in which the play of OliUia was
mounted and dressed before | presented 1t
here, paid special attention to that, Of course.
| | am certain that literal reproduction of the
| scenery, dresses, Or even setting of the play,
as | saw it in London, would In New York be
| considered tiresomey tame. The correct
| form was there, but to my eyes the color was
| absent. | saw the piece but twice. The sec
! ond sight only confirmed the first; and pre-
| ferred trusting entirely to the warmer tenn
| permanent of our painters and our actors to
| reproduce the spirit of Goldsmith and the
ideal OF Mr.. Wills, to giving a fac -Simile of
| the English performance aud presentation. )"
Is 1t true that Mr.. Wills treated you
rudely?"
mot at ALL He treated me after the
| English fashion-that is all. l mean by that,
| when | expected the warmth of reception that
| an English actress would receive here, | was
met on purely business footing, and was
| left to pay for my own boxes or stalls to see Il
! play played for which | was paying az Eng
| lish author three thousand dollars Of good
American gold. Here every theater flies
| open to the professional visitor from Eng
| land | believe, however, that the relations
between author and manager are different In
| England from what they are in France or
| America. The old Grub street notion Of
| GodsmIth's own day is not yet extinct IN
! England, and a gentleman of even Mir. Wills 5
! abilities may dance attendance on a London
manager, as contemptuously Ignored as DR..
Johnson in the ante chamber Of Lord Ches-
| terfeld."
You seem posted in the ways of that
| time?"
I've been 'cramming, as the English act
| tors call it, to get into the atmosphere OF
| Olivia. "
But Mr.. Wills is a man of considerable
! repute in England?"
| Yes, both as author and painter | saw
| some beautiful works of his in his studio"
"Have you engaged any Of the English
cast for the production of OliUia here?"
mo. nor excepting Mr.. Tenore, who plays
'Thornhil' did see any particular reason for
so doing. He plays the part beautifully,
though still, for me, little coldly.
rs there any truth IN The rumors Of a visit
to this country by Mr.. Irying?'
Il think not. He Is, IN spite Of strong man.
nerisms, q splendid actor; but his success in
America would greatly depend upon the role
in which he was first presented. prefer him
TO any ACTOR saw jHefe IN serious FOtCS
You did not go to Paris?'
''No. | had not the time. | went TO see
about the details, costumes, etc, Of Oiria,
not to see sights. The only great sights |
saw were Dore's pictures of The Martyrs and
The Slaughter Of the HtnOceHtS.''
How came You TO select OtiUia as your
piece de resistance for next season ~
''In tae first place, becs use liked the play
exceedingly, and because its London success
seemed to confirm my opinion of it. In the
second place, | could get no play from Mr.
DAILY, who was not III the mood for play writ
ing this summer. It IS pure play, taken
from a most beautiful play written by clas-
sic author, and needed new material. | GER
tainly could see none better. My time is filed
up to March next, and next season l may
play IN London"
cat which theater?"
Either at the Haymarket or at her majes-
tvs where Mr.. Mapleson will secure me a fair
chance, believe
With this Miss Davenport rose; the report
er tex the hint and left the lady to study
or '',-iam''-for OIiUia.