Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-28
The Decentralization of Rip Van
Wrinkle.

He walked into my study in LondoI
and rose with sincere pleasure t
greet my old colleague, Jefferson
This was in 1865, and in summer time
/ had not seen him for FIVE years
Who remembers the Winter Garden
where be played Caleb Plummer in
dot" and Salem Scudder in the Zoo.
toroon" in 1882 During these six
years be had been westward in AUS
tralia; | had been in London.
By the way, talking OF Caleb Plum.
mer, when opened the Winter Gar
den in 1859, having engaged Joe JET
ferson as leading comedian, it struck
me that Caleb Plummer was a char.
acter he could grasp. He was called
to rehearsal, and the part was placed
in his hand. / shall never forget the
expression on his face. Approaching
him, | said: What's the matter, j oe2"
oh" he replied, don't ask me to
play this. | have tried it in the old
edition and failed conspicuously. You
have brought me to New York. Is
this to be my opening part2" | tried
vsinly to persuade him that he would
make hit in it. He would not see it.
However, was obliged to insist, and
he went to his duty. He began to
rehearse, and | saw at once that he
had struck the wrong key. He mis-
took the character. He made it a
weary, dreary, sentimental old bore
Rising from my managerial chair, l
stopped the rehearsal "Sit there,
Joe" | said, placing him in ny seat.
l took his place on the stage: then,
giving an imitation of himself, playing
the character as l knew he could play
it, in comic, simple, genial vein, l
had not spoken three speeches before
he began to wriggle in his chair; and
then leaping Up, he cried: "Stopl |
Seel kuowl That is enough; and
so it was. He struck the key. Those
who saw this performance can under
stand how fine and delicate piece OF
work his pOrtraiture of the old toy
maker was.
But this was in 1859. Let US re-
turn to 1865. Jefferson was anxious
to appear in London. All his pieces
had been played there. The managers
would not give him an appearance
unless he could offer them new play
He had played a piece called rip
Van Wrinkle" but when submitted to
their perusal they rejected it. Still
be was so DESTROYS of playing Rip
that | took down Washington Irving's
story and read it over. 1t was hope
lessly undramatic. Joe" l said,
this old sot is not a pleasant figure,
He lacks romance. | dare say you
made fine sketch OF the old beast,
but there is no interest in him. He
may be picturesque, but he is not
dramatic. | would prefer to start him
in play as a young scamp-thought
less, gay, just such a curly headed,
good humored fellow as all the village
girls would love, and the children
aud dogs would run after" Jefferson
threw up his hands in despair. 1t
was totally opposed to his artistic pre-
conception. But | insisted and he
reluctantly conceded.
Well, wrote the play as he plays
it now. 1t is not much of a literary
conception, and it was with some
apology it was handed to him.
He read it, and when be met me |
said, ut is a poor thing, joe"
We'll" he replied, 1T is good enough
for me-" 1t was produced. Three or
four weeks after ward lie called on me,
aud his first words were: you we're
right about making Rip young man,
Now | could not conceive and play
him in any other shape"
How small a thing is a seed, yet
how grand tree springs from an acorn.
Irving supplied the seed without
which the dramatist would have been
barren, and Jefferson would have pos.
sibly remained statue withouta ped
estal-prOstrate, unrecognised and un-
known.
DION BoUCICAULT.
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