Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-06-12
Manufacturing Plays.

The Referee relates in the following
amusing article the manner in which
English dramatists write their PLAYS:
MeSsrS. Jones and Herman when con-
srSructing a play invariably hire large
empty room, and bring into it two
chairs, a rickety table and poker.
Herman can only invent ut 4 rickety
table, and Jones best dialogue comes
only when he is brandishing q poker.
Mr.. Herman works at the play from 10
4. IN. to 6 p. M, then Mr.. Jones comes
on and works from 6 p. m. to s a. IN.
The two hours interval is generally re-
quired by the charwoman to clear up
the sheets of dialogue written and re-
jected and flung on the floor. Mr.. Bar
rett's great dream speech in The Sill
yer King" was written l ,46S times be-
fore it satisfied the authors and reached
its present state of perfection. When
the play is thoroughly constructed the
hard work begins, rs the authors write
each act us many rs eighty or ninety
times. Mr.. Herman suffers greatly du-
ring collaboration, rs Mr.. Jones can
not compose without smoking very
strong tobacco, and Mr. Herman can
not endure smoke. When the play is
quite finished, the authors act the hero
to each other, and then reject the Ian
gUage they don't like, and suggest
business.
Mr.. Wills can only write a poetical
play where there is smell of fried
fish When the beautiful speeches in
''Claudian" were being written his
housekeeper fried so much that the
neighborS wrote to the vestry and
wanted the poet indicted for nui-
sance. Mr.. Wills generally writes
play in fortnight, and then gives the
MS. to favorite toy terrier to play
with. While he is watching the ami
NAL tear the play to pieces, he tries to
think how much of it he can remember
to write again. All that he remembers
he Immediately sits down and writes
again; he never puts in line he for
gets. BY this means the author con-
denses and obtains, as it were, the
juice of the dramatic meat with the SUI
perfiuOus fat skinned off
Mr.. Henry Pettitt never develops his
dramatis persona at the same place.
The villain he works out ut home, his
hero at Broadstairs, his heroine at
Bournemouth, his low comedy man at
Margate, and his light comedy lady at
Brighton. Mr.. Pettitt always wears a
billycock nat and shepherds plaid
trousers when writing pathos, and a
set of cricketing fiannels when writing
humor. Mr.. Pettitt invariably when
constructing his story tries it on the
driver of the Hayerstock hill omnibus,
telling him the story as an actual fact
within his own knowledge. What the
busman don't understand he explains,
and by explaining to the busman ex-
plains to himself and to his audience.
1t is only fair to say that since the eli
max of one act so affected driver that
he fell off in a fit, and Mr.. Pettitt had
to drive the bus to st. Martin Church
himself, this plan has not been per-
sisted in.
Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan invaria-
bly, collaborate by telephone. 1t is a
curious fact that it is Sir Arthur who
suggests many of the funny lines and
Mr.. Gilbert who improvises and whis-
ties some of the most taking airs of the
composer. 1t is not at all an uncOm-
mon thing for Mr. Gilbert to run to his
telephone in the middle of the night,
ring up the exchange, and shout,
''SWitch me on to Sir Arthur; want to
whistle him q tune [ have just COM
posed. -