New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-06
THE ENGLISH JAPS.
PEOPLE WHO PRESENT aTHE MIKADo."

Theatre has met with most unmistakable The
company is naturally pleased with and proud Of It's
cess and the principal members individually express the
greatest satisfaction with this city and It's audiences
George Thorne already Familiarity and favorably known
as RoKo, is q little and big artist. This Is not
his first visit to this country for travels here with
Mrs. scott-sddonss company and made at thar time
favorable impr sson In the roles enacted by him. Mr.
Thorne is q young and has climbed up the ladder
through arduous endeavor. His father was . WE'LL
known manager IN England and with him and HIS sister
Miss Sarah Thorne the present KoKo associated In
his early career.
Mr. Thorne Ia probably prepared to challenge any one
In the early date Of HIS appearance the STAGE for be
was first carried before the ootghts I'm Of
the children In the buresqUe OF Medea" He came In
strong at the nes Upon my hands I've got this pair OF
kids" and so was we'll fitted to the part. His success
was so great he puts with quiet humor that he
not heard Of for some time At fifteen years. however,
young Th0rne began playing small parts and wandered
through the field OF general utility" sort OF APP
premiership in the dramatic world. Second low
comedy next claimed him for her for three years.
the last six months Of this experience raising him into
principal comedy parts This time was passed In the
small places of England and the experience thus gained
In sterling stock company OF his fathers and sisters
gaze the young man q good dramatic foundation
The actors first successes arrived In burlesques, as
Dame Hu,tLey, for instance, In Black Eyed Susan"
His first real success no puts down The Emperor OF
appeared in Leeds in big stock company at Christmas,
1872 season in Dublin aud his pantomime,
Cinderella" at Glasgow, advanced young Thorne In
public favor and then the Flying Scud In which
George BelmOre created Nat Costing and in which role
Mr.. fhorne appeared when Mr.. Belmore came to this
country where he died.
Six months In LONDON subsequently led to in
India There Mr. ThOrne played for fvo months at the
Conthian Theatre Calcutta. presenting 105 parts In
hot weather, which" he solemny says, was cOnsd-
cred rather feat In that temperature 1t was very sth
work" Eighteen buresQues produced I'm one season
gave him longing for England, and there he again
turned up in "scud" and Tinbad tire Tailor" took
him to Bristol. Covent Garden and Mrs. Crusoe fol-
lowed hard upon in pantomric effect and Squeers the
dreful schoOlmaster added other laurel wIeaths.
Beauty ana the Beast" tho next field for Mr..
Thornes endeavor After that he to this country
with Mrs. Scott-Siddons In the legitimate" where
theatregoers will readily recall his excellent work as
DogbeTy 7ouchstone the First Witch in Macbeth" Peter
and the Cio,c, Edward Rice and DOyly Carte en-
gagged Mr. Thorne Captain Flappsr in Bilec Taylor
which he played through the large cities OF this country
winding up at the Standard Theatre Returning TO Eng
land the actor made famous run OF nearly 1000 pres
citations OF BunhOre; passed through engagement
tho Prince OF Wales Theatre All last fall and since
then has been with the Gilbert and Sullivan repertory
company Sir Joseph Porter, Major General Stanley
Lord Chancellor and BuaDiOrne He was playing two
weeks engagement in Liverpool IA K0-Ko when Fri
day night telegram him spinning the Atlantic
the next morning his way to the Fifth Avenue
Theatre.
Mr. rhorne is n great 1avorite in his company. His
stalwnrt friend. Frederick Ellington, PoohBah speaks
OF him the little great artist" Mr. Thornes Ro-ko
purely his conceptions he has not seen Mr. Gros-
smiths Ro-Ro nor has he been Instructed by Mr. Gilbert
Members OF tho company say that Mr. Thornes concep
ton OF the character Is much funnier than Mr. Gros-
smiths
Mr.. Thorna. Mr. Ellington and Mr.. Pounds, the
yankLPo tenor and son OF The MikaiO, were In the
Office OF the Fifth Avenue Theatre the other day. and we're
led talk of their experience OF Mr. Gbcrts ways, and
light opera art in general They all agreed that there
was little II any difference between English and
American audiences and they all cOncurred In denying
the statements that Mr. Gilbert Is ogerbearng and dis
agreeable ut rehearsals. or Mr. Gilbert mr. Thorne
said II Mr.. Gilbert gets an intelligent reading OF
part he gives what should call beneficial suggestions
on tho de, eOpmen OF It, Il has been said that he dis
agreeable harsh, severe sort OF man NJ reheasas
This has taken place within my experience only with
some stupid character whofter having been given every
oppornnity by Mr. Gilbert falls To do his business and
throws the whole action into disorder by persstently
turning 20 tho right when he ought turn to the left
Mr. Gilbert then naturally gets out OF temper Person
ally have Invariably found him considerate AMI nice 10
every one n the company" OF Mr.. Gberts method OF
preparing his work for presentation Mr. rh0rne added;
" rho work IA rehearsei for three months and the
presentation grows slowly to Its nnal form The bust
ness IS tried In dozen different ways: II Is like game
OF chess slow aud tentative. slow play In the elements
OF the work until the desired effect Is produced"
OF his own method OF developing n character Mr..
Thorne spoke follows take the work In which am
10 appear and observe the broad lines OF the part a
10 assume | make q complete AMI careful study OF the
character and read my lines over many times before
committing them memory that may grasp the char
hpgi In I'm making
notes IN the margin of my book. looking at pictures and
noses and getting attitudes in keeping with the character
md with thought OF the properties which one has to
use IA for instance the fan In The Mikado All this
time make marginal notes OF ideas which come into my
head Thus by degrees work out my character until 1t
comes out finished picture"
The manner In which Mr.. Thorne's Ko-Ko seats him
self is mirh provoking from Its combination OF
oddly and pquaucy OF this he said In reply ques
ton for information on how he got the idea: That
soua;tlng attitude about largely by accident
The first time do It is when read the letter. and once IN
moving around TO open 10 my sandal just kicked and
going tripping do VSe sn 20 a
comical an effect that It took Immensely with the
comnany; 80 since then have repeated IT, Some OF the
fan effects have grown with the performance and some
IN Mr. Thornes experience with Mrs. Scott SlddOns's
company led him TO form high opinion OF American
actors and their methods The principal difference be-
twenn English and American methods he hnds in the
wSge Of time being asked to give his views on this
ppInt he said: As you make the request and with no
tInu uht of making any invdi0us c0Ipa lsOns must
say that u that not sufficient care given
70 the prepa alton OF works here, and these therefore
snne, In their first presentations For instance. while
here you two scenic rehearsas, In England we re-
hearse scene In which there is good deal OF bustng
acton with the stage fully set aud every connected
with it present until the scene Is considered perfect
Thls takes weeks aud weeks, and when one scene is
eonsdered perfect II Is put away and another started,
mi about the last eight nine days before presenta
ton and then the whole is brought out and worked up IN
nrnner order until the night of the performances Thus
every one is made familiar with the build OF the work.
ami such a company must have an advantage over u
company which has seen the sets only two or three
times Lack OF time Is what should put down the
nrncnai difference bet ween American aud English
rresentations. Tho trouble is not at all With yonr
artsts. i'm Blllee Taylor here we had an American
rSorns ono OF the finest met both unsteady and
IN action but they were trained by an English stage
manager, Charles Harris Your stage methods are not
accountable different from ours you may sum up the