New-York tribune., 1885-07-12

they after all. to play the part of candid friends
and admit on the slightest provocation that the
had expected him nc or her to Be- but that no doubt
In a few nights he or she would be seen to much
greater advantage They will blow hot and cold
their hands when their friend the actor manager
appears on the stage when he Is called before
the curtain, while at the same moment
they arc asserting to some sharp ana un-
complimentary criticism on his performance.
see nothing gained by these premieres. IL they
are to be taken fashionable gatherings, well ana
good. so let them be until the fashion changes put
considered test of the merits OF the piece OF
the capabilities of the actors No one attriputes
at the socalled "private views" at the Grosvenor
Gallery and Burlington House; and their remarks
are of about as much weight in the artistlc woIn
rs are those of first nightcrs in the theatrical. we
have copied our rstnight craze from the Parisians
and their pieces may be, as rule. better prepared
than ours Still, wherever the premiere is fashion,
gathering must be to very great extent exclusive:
aud the representation patakes OF the cDaracter OF
dress rehearsal before friends rather than per-
formance on which the public has TO- decide. far i
better for the manag cement would it be were the
critics to withhold their written Judgment until
after they had seen the piece at least twice wih
no critic should he present Of course TO exciuoe
him from premiere is impossible, but II he must
come let it be rs one OF the accepted hrst-night-
ers"' and on a subsequent occasion as one OF tho
public Between the premiere, which may nave
been successful or not, or only moderately
successful or doubtful. and the =, appearance
of the "press notices." after the seventh
performances. q week will have elapsed. during
which the first nightcrs will have gone about, and
rather afraid to trust their own Judgments Will
have expressed themselves generally in favor OF the
piece BY this means before any criticism had been
published in the papers, would have been secured
public capable of forming their own opinion
which could not have been influenced by the news
papers, and time would have been given Tor the
correction of mistakes which had not been disc0y-
cred at the premiere. Such mistakes will happen.
! have said that an actor cannot really act at re-
hearsal as he does before an audience, and some
actors, cut of nero professional jealousy or from
fear OF being anticipated in their effects, will not
show at rehearsal what they are going to do. Will
not betray the slightest indication of how they In
tend 10 play their particular characters, and at
dress rehearsal will refuse to make up. This Is
childish, but not uncommon Ii Is an Ingredient IN
failure f all the leading actors keep their stage
business to themselves, on the principle, which
doesn't apply here of" Mind your own business"
the result IL general SURPRISE slips Of memory, and
success endangered. | have heard actors say after
y first night, never knew he was going to do
that,-he never rehearsedi it so."
Those critics who are as much or nearly as much
behind the scenes in these matters as actorOr
author seem to forget all about il first night,
aud in such hurry, In the interest Of their en-
poycrs to give the public the earliest and fullest
particulars, that they rarely pause TO consider what
initiates against the success of individual or OF
piece. f. G. BURNAND.