The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1884-02-21
AN HOUR WITH MODJESKA.
ing Actress Talk Con-
corning Real Life.

-.
1t was on q murky, ugly afternoon, a
real Cincinnati dirty-day, which cannot
be appreciated unless seen, and the
more seen the less appreciated it is, and
we went down to the Burnett house en-
cased in umbrellas, gossamers and the
grunts.
We sent up our cards, and in few
minutes were conducted to the famous
suite, occupied in years past by Sontag,
Nilsson, Nelson, Jenny Lind, and
where, last year, l was so delightfully."-
entertained by Miss Mary Anderson,
and there we found Modjeska, her hus-
band and lady of our acquaintance
were seated about a little table The
count rose to meet US. was presented
to madame la countesse, who shook
hands with real, good old fashioned
handshake, and in minute was at the
table talking and being talked to. as
though we had known each other since
childhood.
(Which of your plays do you like
best, madame?" asked Dickey.
None of them; none of them Tn
tired of it all, and want to rest. 1 like
to play, but. l don't like the rehearsals, 1"
and her fine face showed a WEAKNESS
which made me think of tired child
looking for it's mother.
The houses have not been good in
Cincinnati, and you are depressed"
said her husband. when the clouds
are dispelled and the sun shines it will
be quite different" And we all laughed
h., Il
and told us how lonesome it was at the
matinee. and how, if it had not been for
few familiar faces she would hardly
have had heart to go through her lines.
The conversation drifted along in
delightfully."- aimless way, full of inter-
est, as would be the floating down
river winding among beautiful hills and
dividing lovely valleys, carried along
by the current whittier it would.
Finally Modjeska's own work came up,
and gracefully and without egotism she
talked of it. 1t happened that "Frou-
Frou" was the play spoken of, and
Dickey said:
DO you think, madame, that Frou
Frou loved her husband? Do you play
it with this feeling?"
ooh, no." she answered. "Frou
Frou was a spoiled girl, who knew
nothing but to be loved. Careless and
thoughtless she went about until Louise
came upon the scene, and she thought
her husband loved her sister. l think
she loved her child as result of in
stinct, but her surroundings and her as
sociates led her away from all such
fhn,1mhfS OF 10 h. La l.
home it was not done though jealousy,
but anger and for spite, and she at
once realized what she had done. and
the woman, wife and mother developed
in her, but too late to repair the wrong
she had done. She was still Frou
Frou, however, and in the death agony
the same spirit was with her, and she
was but child"
DO you play those parts with other
than the feeling of the artist? 2" asked
Dickev.
"NoS always; but sometimes one
can not help but feel what one is
doing"
What of the effect of applause and
good audiences 2" asked Mrs. W.
They are much, very much"
''Do you approve of recalls? Don't
you think they spoil the illusion pro-
duced by the play?" said I.
No, indeed. appreciate the COM
pliment and like it. l think the illu.
sion is mostly gone when the curtain
goes down, and the appearance of the
player after that has no bad effects. l
do not, however, approve of recalls dur
ing an act"
How do American audiences COM
pare with foreign audiences in enthu-
siastic demonstrations 2" asked Dickey
Not at all. Why, when l made nv
first appearance in San Francisco. /
was told that such applause was rare.
and / could scarcely understand that
l had not made a failure In England
audiences are cold, but received five
recalls in London; in Dublin it was al
most like home; in France audiences
are less administrative, but in Italy and
in Poland, especially, they are wild.
One night | was recalled TWENTY-FIVE
times, and | was so tired that ! had to
have chair on the stage and finally |
had to ask the manager not to let the
curtain be rung up again. That was a
little too much, but 1t was very fatter.
ing"
We spoke of Mary Anderson, and l
told her how | met her in that room.
and how cordial she was. Modjeska
praised her greatly, and the count dwelt
glowingly upon her beauty. They had
seen her in London, and | asked if she
thought the fair Kentuckian was cold
as the critics had pronounced her to be.
NO woman is cold, she said Though
/ think one must know something of
the feelings she would portray to do it
with the best effect. No girl who is