Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-07

Itself 10 warrant It's proper production,
after few or series of changes and
| amendments, which were suggested by the
| spectators, have been made in it?
The producer" may rest content with
the result of his first presentation and crit
icisms of the piece. If he be wise, and
like few who have amassed fortunes in
the profession, with very little knowledge
of the stage, he will go still further, and
obtain much more assistance, without
paying cent for it.
Take case in point, which comes
right under my own ken. A certain
producer" who is in the wet goods bust
ness, but who, for pecuniary and sundry
reasons, is eager to back theatrical enter
prises generally and to put one particu-
lar lady on the road as stellar attrae-
tion, has been visiting different authors
of more or less note, but of unquestion-
able ability, with play which he claims
that he wants to have rewritten or al
tered.
He is generally accompanied by an
astute English "fakir," whose bread and
butter depends mainly on his fidelity to
the man. The Englishman served his
time, either as supernumerary in Drury
Lane, among strolling players in the pro-
vinces or in the London Music Halls as
a toot. He is sharp, keeps his ears open,
and above all things knows the manu-
script of the piece to be altered backward
Well, the wet goods would-be pilot of
stars orbit begins by telling the play
wright on whom he has called that he
wishes him to read the play over, study it
| fnr oory,tn of dave 81
changes he would suggest and state how
much he would charge for the job The
speaker adds that the play has been al
most, but not quite, success, and that it
lacks somthing to land it in the realm of
money winners. II have heard of your
skill, ] have seen your plays, and | am
satisfied you can, if you will, pluck success
out of this manuscript" says he to the
playwright, for whom he is "liming the
twig."
The pair go away, leaving the piece be-
hind them, and the man whose business it
is to build plays goes right to work read
ing, weighing and considering that in his
hands. He is preparing to talk business
with the would-be producer" the evening
he returns, and waits for this interview,
iOhCctiJ otAiNihS W OO do SOOQ NOTh dS
possible for as little money as will pay him.
The producer" and his British ally ar
rive, and ten minutes after they have sat
down propounds the natural query:
"Well, have you read, and what do you
propose to do with the play?"
"Yes, / have read, and think it can be
improved very easily"
"Well," this very eagerly" what changes
do you propose? Can you cut down the
cast? 1t is too long and too expensive as
it now stands. Will you keep the second
act in that scene, or will you put it in
swell drawing-room Don't you think we
can get along without those two people
And wouldn't you alter the finish of the
first act ?"
Their questions came so think and fast,
and yet so rational withal, that the writer
must give them valuable rejoinders, unless
he wishes to be rude and shut them off
until the bargain is made. But then, you
see, they will not bergain or buy pig in
poke until they learn of your intentions,
Because they have already told you that
the cast is too large and too expensive,
and also that they have pet characters and
pet bits Of business which you must not
sacrifice, "because they went well with the
public"
And there you are. You want to take
the job of altering and improving a play
which you know contains fine idea and
susceptible of treatment, which will bring
you distinction and then money. So you
go ahead and outline your proposed alter
ations, which they approve nnhesitatingly,
and ask you how much you are going to
charge them for the work.
The instant you reply their manner
changes, for no matter what your figures
may be, they will be too large for men
who come to get your ideas and advice for
nothing, and who never intended to spend
a cent on the alteration of their play.
They leave no ground for complaint
no chance to denounce them; but they
have pumped you dry just as they pumped
other playwrights before you, and with a
smile and a handshake they take the
manuscript from you and proceed with it
to some other writer.
In few weeks they obtain points and
information enough from the whole of you
to enable them to construct good acting
play, to make money and to bury the origi-
nal author fathoms deep where he can
never say that the piece he sold them is
being performed at any theater.
Here is production" on the free-lunch
collaboration plan, and want it to be dis
tinctly understood that there are more of
this kind of producers in the profession
than there are of honest producers.
Fortunately for the growth of the drama
and the welfare of the stage and literature
generally speaking, there are such men as
Dan Frohman, Mr.. Fields of Boston. Wes-
ley Rosenquest, Frank Sanger, E. E. Rice
and Hoyt and Thomas, who, although
hitherty known as producers of Mr.. Hoyt's
ORIGINAL works, have gone into the pro-
duction of "Silent Partner" play by
another young writer, who will receive
not only all the money his piece is worth,
but also all the distinction and credit
that should belong to the man who
wrote it.
This is fair play, and | am proud to
notice that the spirit of fair play is abroad
concerning authors, and that it needs
only the exposure, or partial exposure, of
a fraud in the theatrical ranks to bring
down upon him the unqualified condemna-
tion of the profession.
Such people as have painted above live
in our midst to-day, and, if it were neces-
sary, could name them but l do not
think that need go quite SO far as that in
a newspaper article, for am sure that Ben
Teale, who is one of the most genial and
communicative men, in the business Clay
NJ. Greene, Fred. Maeder, Archie Gunter
and others have met those who came ''to
talk over" the alterations that might be
made in plays to improve them, and have
been astonished later on to find that their
words were acted upon, and their passing
and almost general fugitive suggestions
adopted.
All the foregoing and more foated
through my mind as wandered from thea
ter to theater this week, and | wondered if
the time would ever come when authors
would be protected from sneak-thieves,
footpads aud counterfeiters here as they
are in France.
Sardou, Augier, Halevy, Erckmann,
Chatrian and Feuillet cannot be squeezed
like citrons from their vineyards, and the
results sold for francs by rogues on the
boulevards or in the theaters of Paris.
The Government will not allow it.
ROBERT MORRIS.
Said Mr.. Osborne, the Police Commits
sioner of Boston. to "Gath": Major Nc