Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-18
STAGE STRUCK IN REALITY.
Fanny Davenport Tells How She is
Eknocked About and Chol1ed.
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either reading nor writing. She was
Iookingwlth her big eyes at the cold wave
sog Of the signal service that tluttered
I'm the dome of the post office building
noross the way, and she said she W as rest
Az, rom last weeks hard work and in
irenaration OF this week. On Saturday
Rorning she rehearsed Much Ado About
WotbinT at the Chestnut Street Opera
House. At the matinee she played
re6ora-four acts. In the evening she
nlsyed Lady Gay Spanker-three acts
and Nancy Sykes-three acts-making a
to,al Of ten acts besides the rehearsal.
"I,nrisv in Fedora banged her head on a
sofs three times on Saturday afternoon
and then choked her, and Saturday night
"XiII SykesD choked her, banged her bead
tour or five times and then stabbed her.
Miss davenport was taken to her hotel
,bst nieht thoroughly exhausted, and it
Was no wonder she was resting yester-
day. instead OF going driving in the Park,
va one OF ner lady friends wanted her TO
do. She wore no jewelry. A simple little
throat pin caught her collar together, and
a nIain gold ring was on the second finger
Of her left hand. With quill pen behind
bis ear. toasUng his slippered feet at
crate fire, her husband, r.. II. Price, sat
Teyisipg some manuscript.
FEDORA's BANGS.
The actress said:
ain the last scene of Oliver Twist there
is a line which Nancy Sykes says,
sEverv bone in my body aches When ]
smoke that line on Saturday night never
uttered truer words; | was tired out. Fee
dora is the hardest working part for d
woman ever written, "Jullet" isn't near
so severe. Where "Loris' bangs my head
on the sofa in the last act of Fedora it's
yerv irving. He gives me three good
hangs, No; l don't get a headache. Pm
used to the part. My physician ordered
me to cut out that part of the play or stop
nlaving it, but couldn'tdo that; it would
snoil the realistic effect. In the four years
i've been playing Fedora it has worn on
me physically. Bernhardt and Mrs.
Beere. in playing Fedora, wore pads
about their necks, so that 'Loris'' brutal
hands would not hurt them. When Mr..
Barnes first played 'Loris' with me he
said:
"'Where is your padp
pad l repeated, what do you
mean?'
s"Your Fedora choking-pad.'
81 laughed and said | never thought of
sucn athing. He wanted me TO wear a
pad about my throat, but | wouldn't,
He's careful about choking me. so is my
husband, who plays Bill Sykes He sees
that his fingers do not get on my jugular
VEIN"
The actress laughed and looked at her
husband and then went on:
81 can't play Fedora every night; it's
too hard work. Three or four times
week tires me out.
SATURDAY NIGHT DOUBLE BILLS,
eyes, Pm In favor of a double bill on
Saturday night. It's going back to the
old custom. played Nancy Sykes be-
cause | think theatre gOers like to see a
great contrast. My friends tell me that
Ioughtn'tto play Nancy Sykes'-that the
parts beneath me; but L think anything
that Charlotte Cushman played | ought
not to be too proud to play. Pm in favor of
s,double bill on Saturday, might. OF course
it makes more work for me and more
play for nay audience. Saturday night
there is an element at the theatres that
hasn't chance to 60 any other night.
They want to see all they can and they
ke'Nancy Sykes In New York Satur-
day nights the fashionable night at the
theatres, and l saw on Saturday night at
the Opera House a number of gentlemen
and ladies in full evening dress. There's
love for the morbid in everyone's nature to
a certain extent. Yes, think the double
bill will be revived. Mr.. Jefferson's 60
ing to do 1t; Mr.. Booth, too, and Mr.. Bar
rett also. Speaking OF Nancy Sykes the
old plaid shawl l wear in the part was
given me by Matilda Heron and all the
old rags | wear in that character / have
bad since 1 first played the part, years
ago, when l was in u stock company in
Louisville.
THE EFFECT OF APPLAUSE.
"ApplauseI Yes, it's just as pleasing
to the artists ear to-day as it was ten
years ago. Not so Intoxicating, perhaps.
would not resort to vulgar tricks to gain
a round OF applause. l would never sac
rihce an artistic opportunity to get ap-
plause. Whether the audience appre-
clates an action OF artistic merit or not, |
go ahead just the same. My heart and
my mind are in my part. do not think
OF my audience. The applause that fol-
lows climax is the awakening of the
artistic to her individual self. OF course
there are those who play to applause. l
cannot. could not do it anu play my
part properly.
ADVICE TO srAGE-sTRUCK GIRLS.
Next Saturday night get through at
midnight. Then l pack up. Sunday
morning at O'Clock / start for Detroit.
rue all day Sunday; get to Detroit at .
O'Clock Monday afternoon; have a re-
hearsal at 3 O'Clock, and play that night
at 3. There's lots OF hard work in an
actress life. A great many girls write to
me ana ask my advice about their going
on the stage. l reply: No, girls; il you
nave happy home, a father and mother
ana enough TO live on stay at home. DON'T
iead the double lie of an actress, who has
late and early hours and lots of hard
work A woman's place is at home. NV
IAlher would not have wanted his dauQh-
Iers 10 go on the stage, only that he had a
large family and we were independent in
our natures and wanted TO push ourselves
Hiong. A great many girls 20 on the
stage 10 crafty their vanity. They may
nave beauty and little talent, and thew
selyes.V
=, Speaking of the future OF the stage.
MISS Davenport said:
us future is not in peril in point of
good material. How about comic opera
becoming so POPULAR Well, the wisest
uen IKE little folly now and then. IL
'haAes theatre-goers, and doesn't hurt
MISS Davenport was interrupted bv a
i.li.k at the door, and bell boy entered
,ri i,h llttle brown paper package, tied
I'm piece OF twine. She opened the
p't.hage and revealed two little ordinary
,,'J,aatler-e0yered autograph albums and
p sa OF WHITE paper, on which was
,o,, Mos Davenport, Will you please write
!our name In our books? Two little bows
aged l2andl4
ne actress smiled. said.