Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-04-30
VARIOUS STAGE KISSES.

VARIOUS STAGE KISSES.
THOSE THAT SIMPLY ExHILARATE
AND THOSE THAT OvERWHELM.
kiss Of Nelson's That Aads the Spec
tators Foolish-Henry Irving's Manner
Of Dealing Out the Article-How Come
dams Employ the Stage Kiss.
The stage kiss is q poser. 1t has at times
IN effect that Is occult, inscrutable, and Deep
No man can tall what its impression on an
audience will be, and the shrewdest Of theat-
.ical judges turn difndent when asked
lbout il.
The last time that the beautiful Adelaide
Nelson played Juliet in New York, she had
Jade Romeo lingering farewell and was
turning away from the balcony when a sud-
len within seemed to seize her and,
wheeling about swiftly, she caught his face
n both her hands, and, leaning forward,
sazed into his eyes. The house was still a.
isath. The audience, already seriously
wrought upon, and feeling parched, arid, and
Incouth, leaned forward nsrvously. Two
thousand eyes were riveted upon the actress
There was a long wait, then she slowly
pressed her bps to Romeo's and seemed lost
% everything earound her. The people sat
ike stones. A programme hoated down from
ibove and fell athwart a womans bonnet and
he did not raise her hand to remove It. A
pinster coughed. Juliet raised her bead
iowly and glided away, looking back over
,er shoulder as she disappeared with an ex-
preston that no man who ever saw 1t will
,ver forget There was long silence and
hen the play went on. But no one paid the
highest attention to it. One by ono the peo-
Die relaxed their strained and intent attitudes
md leaned back in their chairs There was
10 rustic or noise. The woman did not no
ice the programme on her bonnet until the
curtain fell
DEALING WITH THE STAGE KISS.
The vagaries of actors in dealing with the
tage kiss are infinite. Henry Irving usually
Kisses the actresses Of his company on the
iorehead in Q cold, dropping, duck-like
ashton. In his most heartrending moments
With his wife, when he plays Charles ], he
ioes little more than look at Miss Terry
,iteously, reach for her impotently, and &C.
,asionally press q correct, severe, proper Eng
ish kiss upon her classic brow. Mr.. Irving
,lso distinguished himself by the manner in
which he threw a kiss, or rather didn't throw
t. It was his custom to raise his hand slowly
pd Imply to his lips and plant . small,
gidly-disciplined and chastened kiss upon
his finger tips and look soulfully at the actress
Onward whom the kiss was supposed to travel.
Having done this he would feebly drop his
,and, as though it were a strange and useless
hing, and stamp twice upon the stage very
oudly with his of foot, whereat the actress
ooked extremely glad.
Selma Dolaro once employed the kiss in Q
,ery effective way The play dealt with .
Iuarrel between lovers, and at the very
Nei8ht of the excitement the actress threw
herself into a corner of a sofa with her head
resting on the back and her face upturned.
The lover suddenly stumbled across letter
IN the table which explained the difference all
away. He read it silently, pressed it to his
fps, and looked toward the flies with an ex-
preston of devout thanksgiving. For long
while he did not say a word, but stood gazing,
utter the manner of leading men, at the
notienless figure and upturned face of the
actress The audience. which usually scents
rouble from afar, glared at the stage Then
he actor moved slowly forward, and, lean
ng over Nine. Dolaro, silently pressed his
ips to hers lust as the curtain fell Not q
word was spoken. There was a terrific out
burst of applause and the audience insisted
lpon having the curtain raised again, evil
isntly anxious to see whether he was still
there. He wasn't, and the applause died out
instantly.
EMPLOYED BIZ COMEDIANS
The comedians have employed the stage
riss to great advantage. Perhaps the most
notable thing that Mr. Francis Wilson has
lone on the stage Of the Casino was his love
scene in aApaiune.n 1t saved the opera
People went repeatedly to see it, often leav-
ny after the second act, and many club men
iropped in for an hour after dinner regularly
,very night. Mr.. Wilson played an earnest
md active sort of a Partisan nobleman who
inds beautiful little peasant girl in one Of
the APARTMENTS of his country house ON the
occasion of an unexpected visit. He makes
ove To her in n rod hot. gulping. harassed.
tumultuous fashion that exercises an indie
,cribably funny influence over his legs. The
comedian gave such an artistic coloring to
the extraordinary scene that, though it was
impetuous and dashing. it never became vul
,ar-and herein lies the secret of the stage
Kiss: IL it is given lightly, carelessly, or
without an appearance of realism. il amuses
an audience. but the very instant that it turns
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