New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-11
ME- IRVING At REHEARSAL.

THE GREAT ACTORS CLOSE ATTENTION 10 DETAILS
AN EDUCATIONAL MATINEE.
Much has been written and more said about
Mr. Irvincs methods OF stagemanagement He has been
called even by those who not enthusiastic over his
acting or his conceptions Of shakcspearan parts the
greatest master Of stage business and management who
ever lived II has been said that 10 attend one OF his
careful rehesrsns OF his company IL OF itself liberal
education In stagecraf. rRInUSE reporter Therefore
epped To HIS manager Mr. Lovoday for permission to at
tend one Of these educational natnees but met with
the unwelcome intelligence that such thing "a
an outsider being present during rehearsal was
unheard OF IN Lyccum annals. Not my own
mother" said Mr.. LovNday would be admitted"
Inckor than Mr. Loveday's mother, however the for
tunae reporter found himself the other day by chance
within the auditorium while rehearsal Of The Bells
was In progress. The empty boxes and vacant seats
were wrapped In mpencrble darkness while the
stage was completely III for evening performance
The orchestra In their places but the groups OF
chatting and laughing hands the group Of hangers
on loungng in 'front.' IN fact the usual unnecessary nd
unctA Of the ordinary rehearsal conspicuous by
their absence ON the stage, Mr. Terriss In English
tweed sack coat was standing Christian in the
centre of the room. which was deliberately set az II
the curtain going 20 rise on performance. Two
clean sbayen old sitting at the table, under
which, hours their leRs, cased In the picturesque
Asatan costume would stretched; they had the
ordinary tfDuscfs OF inc
forts slender figure was hid under fur circular, but
Annetes loving expression her face IA she re-
moved an imaginary cloak from ChrstGs shoulder All
seemed 10 be going like clockwork; and glance at the
left Of the stage revealed the man-sprlng Sitting on
canecha with his face 60 the stage Mr. Irving and
it WA soon apparent that the keen eyes taking in
every gesture and every movement OF the company
tho stage. ChrStion rpeahs to the old man at the
table, Mr. Irving raises his hand the action ceases.
He rises walks over, Christians position and
suggests alteration Of the gesture; II Is made at once
by the actor and once more the action moves on Once
or twice il this repeated with and another
of the performers and Il be borne In mind that
IA perhaps the two three hundredth time that these
same actors have gone through these parts under
this same soit,spokcn stage manager Small wonder that
signs Of haste or sOvcnlncss unknown Lyceum
Theatre.
Suddenly MI Irving from his chair strides across
the stage and opens the door In the fiat the back pre-
paratory TO making his entry Matthias Something
causes It to hitch "LOvedayp he calls in a slghty
raised voice. and Mr. LOveday Is on his knees examining
tho refractory carpenter is called and Mr. Irving
deers his entry until the door swings easily when no
and begins TO speak, notices that while his
company speak their lines though they before
audience and often requested Ia repeat sentence
as TO secure the emphasis hispers
words that the only is caught by his conpan
ions but all his poses and all his business are II
WERE sketched In with light hand that the others
may act up to f. Tho play goes on Mdihidss outer
clothes are removed, in IMAGINATION, by Annette; the
1iudy necklace Ia, In imagination, twisted round the
titers neck by the characters depart, and,
III tho evening" Matthias IA left alone but not In the
evening, 10 thrill audience by his super
stitious terrors. He stands in tho centre Of the
stage and requests Mr. Loveday In no terror-hannied
tones 10 "lo him how that HAT works." The back OF
the scene accordingly sinks the border at the top
raised and the vision OF the Jep in his sleigh with tho
murderous figure following Il, In hand IL The
Jec however, has shiny silk hat and the visionary
Muthas ia holding umbrella instead OF weapon but
the Is falling In realistic manner and the lime
light playing the group, and II gives shivery
feeling or cold
Something goes however and three or four times
the quiet voice requests that may be worked lust once
more please" On the final appearance Of the vision the
Jeo has stepped out, the snow has stopped,
and two stage hands brushing up tho
stage snow, aud clearing Is from the
stage Then the signal Ia given 10 let the curtain
fall This makes necessary the exercise Of patience
on the part OF the invisible George who Ia haOed to
and answers somewhere in the region OF tho roof
the curtain down. not once, but half adozen
times before rate OF speed IL hit Then AT
last Mr. Irving gives sigh Of relief walks away from the
centre of the stage shakes hands with Miss Terry who
has looked how things getting and the re-
hearsa OF the first act Of " The Bells " Is over