National Republican., 1883-02-24
FREAKY ACTORS
And Their Mean Tricks ON the Stage,

Brooklyn Eagle.
The nicely of good acting is not understood
by theater audiences. They know on sight
when the persons in a scene are awkward or
ill-timod in their movements, but do not ap-
preciate the care required to prevent such
faultiness. II is only by thorough rehearsing
and the closest adjustment of individual eff
forts to make up a harmonious whole that
stage work Is ever brought anything near per-
fection. The Wyndham Comedy company
gave fine illustration of what mean during
their late engagement at the Union Square,
and on that same stage, in spite of the
discipline generally maintained, l have
seen bad things in the way of unresponsive-
ness between the players. Clara Morris ha-
btually disregards all rules, and remember
once seeing her brought round very sharply
for an otTense. She was acting Camille. At
the point where her young female friend, per-
sonated by Maud Harrison, gave an imitation
| of a lawyer addressing jury, il had been re-
hearsed that Maud should stand behind a GER
tain stuffed chair, using it in lieu Of q desk or
table. Well, when the time came, Clara was
sitting In that very chair, when her proper
| place was across the stage, The cue for Maud
to speak was given. She stood mute. 1t was
repeated. She gave the star significant
look and GESTURE but stubbornly refused to
| go on. Then Clara went where she belonged,
and the audience never knew the cause of
the hitch.
| Hlt was on that same occasion that Miss
| Morris was punished most severely for disre-
| garding previous arrangements. When two
! characters are to handle each other the actions
| are carefully rehearsed in order to guard
against false or clashing movements. Nothing
| Is w0TsemfOr instance, than lovers who ought
| to embrace smoothly and pliantly, but who
spar and struggle like antagonists before they
finally succeed in getting at each other. Owen
Fawcett was supporting Clara in her agoniz-
ing death scene. She ought to have let him
hold her head at one juncture. In an i'm
promptu freak she made him remove her pill
low from the place where it belonged on the
| sofa and then when he undertook to grasp
| her head according to the duly rehearsed
business" she took into that erratic noddle
an idea of rising to her feet. The actor did
as he had been drilled to and she did as she
| suddenly pleased. Tho consequence was Il
violent arrangement Of her blonde wig and
Camille" died with her hair grotesquely on
end, 10 the laughing relief of the spectators
tears.
They have now at the Union Square ter
ror in Dick Mansfield, who has made such
hit as the dying old reprobate in "a Partisan
Romance" He won't give the rest Of the
company their rights in the scenes which
bring them in conjunction with him. One
night he flung Eleanor Carey's hand petu-
| lantly of his shoulder, TO the amusement Of
the audience and the blazing anger Of the
actress She appealed to Manager Palmer,
claiming that she had used exactly the gesture
taught her at the rehearsal, and Palmer re-
proved Mansfield, who soon offended again
by audibly ordering Maud Harrison to give
him a larger share Of the opportunities in the
noted supper scene where she sits at his side
in his death carousal. A few nights ago, in a
scene where Charley Collins figures as his
valet he concluded that Collins was too
prominent. Collins repeated a phrase in
accordance with a permission granted by
Stage Manager Parselle
"Shut up" cried Mansfield.
The audience supposed this was all in the
play and thought no more about it; but they
did wonder what the subdued hubbub meant
after tho curtain fell. 1t was caused by q
sGrilnmage between Collins and Mansfield.