Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-08
THE OLD STAGE.
What Keene, the Tragedian, Has 10 'H'
About Ii, and the Opportunities IL
Afforded for Many
Men and Women Of Merit TO Sehooi anu
Train Themselves for an Exactips
Art-The Circuit Won't Do.

Tom Keene, the well-kuoTn 'tragediae5
was recently interviewed by 81 LOUIS
Post Dispatch reporter as TO The relatlve
merits OF the new and the old Stage, win INC
following result: ;,
"The sysiem of travelling combinations,
said Mr.. Keene in response 10 quesu0o,
"nas killed all stsge education-that -, inc
thorough education deemed necessary ior
an artist fifteen or twenty years ago..
SLOW did they train actors and actresses
then?"
an the days of the stock, )" replied keene,
"when first began my career, j, in com mon
with other. received a very severe training,
and, Of course, l owe many OF the advantages
| now possess 10 that training. To give you
some idea of the labor of young actors Lille,
| let me tell you that on certain days oil Inc
week all the yOnng men and women were
called every day an hour before the call Tor
the reguIsr rehearsal of the play. On Mon
days and Fridays they were called by the
ballet master, VINO Instructed them 10 stage
dancing, how thew should enter and retire
| from a room, how they should walk grace
fully, how they should sit down, etc. On
Tuesdays and Thursdays the chorus master
c,lled us and Taught us how 10 sing, for
example. The music OF Nde6eth, II
xarro The Miller and His Men, a drama
which was always in perfect rehearsal, SO
that il could be put on in case OF the nom
appearance OF a star. In addition to these
exercises the young men were called twice
week for sword and foil exercise. That train
ing was most severe. / remember that they
| would keep u, for instance, at the thrust
and-receive movement an hour day for q
month, and one hour at that sort OF exercise
was almost enough TO paralyzs young man.
| When proficiency had been acquired in that
| movement the first point in fencing would
| be learned. All were anxious TO excel in
| this because we were allowed 10 go into
| brosdsword exercises the moment We could
| handle a broadsword, and when we could
| handle broadsword we were permitted to
| take part in the combats Of such plays as
Rob Roy, Wallace, ETC."
"Dd the actresses receive instruction In |
| fencIng?"
ut was optional with them. Some of them |
Helen Westerp, Isabella Cubas, Marietla |
Ravel and others-were very skilllul in the |
use of the broadsword"
'In any Of the theaters to-day is there any
such training%
"In no American theater that know Of"
replied Keene, "are there any educational
facilities offered by which an actor or actress
can become master mistress in his or
her art In my opinion try to give all my
young men such instruction travelling will
permit, and l have my compensation in
more efficient performances than / would |
otherwise have"
"Did they in those days teach elocution"
ain the theaiers they never taught eiocu-
ton. E.ocution was deemed a non essential
in comparison to other things. The posses
sion OF heart that could sympaihize with
human character, a mind that could be in.
teresied in dra IN attic work, instinct and ply
sic al requisites were of the first importance.
The Young men and women were laugh Ger
tain rules of art by which they could cover
up the article they employed. 10 the inter-
pretstion OF character"
"But," the reporter said, "the instruction
received at the theaters in the days Of the
stock, without any outside aid, rarely car
ried actor TO the front rank OF his pro-
fession?"
"Tnst early obstruction furnished a solid
foundation for building upon. All actors
who have obtained prominence in their pro-
iession began in this way. After learning
all they could at the school of the theater
they went TO the m asters. The Booths, Keans,
Edwin Adams, the WalIacks and others
might be cited as examples"
swoRDsMANsHIP.
"Few actors, in comparison to the number,
in former years, have reputation for fine
swordsm snship?"
Every few. Among the actors who were
accounted masters L recollect the elder
Booth, Adams and Jim Wallack. The Count
Johannes was a splendid swordsman. Jun
Jus Booth and Edwin are masters; but, per-
haps, the first swordsman who ever appe ared-
upon the American stage was Charles Fech-
ter. He was, when he had a sword or Toll
in his hand, perfect picture of grace. Those
who recollect him in the garden scene as
Claude MeInotte," when he disarmed s'Du-
maS," will agree with me. The nearest sp-
proach TO him on the modern stage is Fred
erick de Belleville, now with the Union
Square Theater."
wv no are the best instructors in this
l. ri Il |
the French school, and Col Martin, who is
an example of The thorough English school
of the Guards. Mccullough, Louis AID
rich, Barrett, Frank Mayo studied under
Moustery."
"And your"
"My instructor was Col. Martin. Nearly
all the great death-dealing blows which are
used by the most famous duelists are known
10 our best actors. Not one of the actors
named doesn't know the effect of
THE GREAT ST. GEoRG THRUST,
nor who doesn't perfectly understand the
great disarm movement which is puzzlins
some of the French duelists Just now"
What is this movement?"
sit Is simply piece OF treachery Dis
engaging The opponents attention, the duck
ist uses his sword AZ whip 10 psraIyze the s
nerve and muscles of the forearm of the
sword srm. By This action your opponent
must lower DIS point or lose MS sword"
"Do you consider sword exercise as one of J
the absolute necessities of acting?"
IL do. II gives the actor irmness, a
strength and grace OF movement which he I
can acquire in no other way. 1t is necessary ,
not only for the legitim ate but for acting in
the modern drama"
The reporter then asked the tragediau il,
in his opinion, the stock system would be $
revived generally. Z
THAT subject has become so hackueyed - 7
said Mr. Keene, Sand has been so thorough. =
ly discussed by ADLER men than | that we L
need scarcely open it. However, let me say I
that l do not believe that there will be any '
immediate revival of the stock system, bat
look forward to the establishment OF
schools in the large cities, where young act :
0rs and actresses can receive that instruction
which is now denied them. Something will '
certainly be done before long to educate peo- G
pie for the profession of acting. The neces- y
'isy OF such system can be no better illus
rated than by saying that in this country
such an actress as Bella Pateman can not be !
ound. Miss Pateman, by The way. came 10 U
his country to play "Columbine" iu pam
omine in Robinson Cfrlsoe at Woods. She <
vas educated in a stock lheater. How many d
II our prominent actresses could play
'Ophelia, "Desdemona," the "Columbine" in = !
Pantomime, assume an eccentric part in a
comedy, or play role in comic opera~
The reporter cast the list up in his mind G
md was compelled to admit that there was
lot one.