The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-10
ELLEN TERRY'S LIFE.
"reminiscences Of the Famous
English Actress.
HER FIRST STAGE FRIGHT.
Played with sothsrn when shs Vas Is
Years Old-Memories Of
British Thespians.

sSSS~ :" So oOsnchu " men SnS Woo 10
Years Old-Memories OF
British Thespians.
1t was at the Royalty, in Dean street.
Soho, that had my first experiences of
that awful sensation, stage fright. Why
1t should have come upon me at that
special time, when / had already taken
part in so many performances cannot
conceive, but come upon me it certainly
did. and shall remember the feeling. /
think, to my dying day. / never see .
young actress make her first appearance
without . sympathetic thrill of horror
Stage fright is like nothing else in the
world. You are standing there apparently
quite well. and in your right mind. when
you suddenly feel as if your tongue had
become dislocated and was lying powerless
In your mouth. Cold little shivers begin
to creep downwards from the nape of your
neck and all up you at the same time until
they seem to meet in the small of your
back. About this time you feel as if
centipede, all Of whose feet had been
carefully iced. had begun to run about
In the roots of your hair. Your
next agreeable sensation is the breaking
ont Of cold perspiration all over you
Then you feel as though somebody had
cut the muscles at the back of your knees:
your mouth begins slowly to open with
ont giving utterancc to single sound,
and your eyes seem inclined to Jump out
OF your head over the footlights. At this
period it is as well to get of the stage as
quickly as possible; you are beyond the
hope Of any human help. Whether every
body suffers in this manner or not can
not say. but such were the feelings which
overmastered me on my first appearance
at the Royalty, then called so for the first
time; before that it WAS the Soho theatre.
had just strength and sense
enough to drag myself off the
stage and seize hold of book.
with which, after few moments, re-
appeared and ANONYMOUSLY read my part.
am thankful to say that I no longer as
may be expected, suffer from this fear
some malady, but whenever have to play
new part for days beforehand feel as
though every nerve in my body was dane
Ing an independent Jig on its own account.
manageress at the Royalty theater,
bright, quick tempered, energetic little
lady, full of vivacity and enthusiasm for
her art, ready at one moment to fly into Q
perfect fury and at the next to ovsrwhelm
you with compliments and adulation.
When first acted before her she danced
about the stage and around me in a perfect
frenzy of anger at what she was pleased to
call my stupidity, and she nearly
frightened the wits out of me.
Then something did suddenly pleased
her and she overwhelmed me with compli-
ments and praise. After little time this
became the order of the day, and eventu-
ally grew very fond of her, for not only
was she most kind-hearted little lady,
but she won my youthful affections by the
compliments she poured upon me. As
friend Of mine says, gross fattery has
always been, and still is, quite good enough
for me-" 1t Ms to her generosity, more
over, that owed the first piece of jewelry
ever possessed, pretty little brooch,
which with characteristic carelessness /
promptly lost. I admired her, too, very
much. She was wee thing-lke toy
and her dancing, and the way in which
she moved her hands and arms and feet was
80 precise, express and admirable" De-
SPAR entered my soul when / looked at my
own big limbs and thought "how long and
gaunt am. and what pattern of prim
prettiness she is" So in order to get rid
of my big hands would tuck them up un-
der my arms!-then she would call out
that looked like ian ugly young puilet
trying to roostr" However, this elegant
habit maintained until years and years
after, and was only broken Of it at last by
. friend saying he supposed had very
ugly and deformed hands. This did me
good, and out they came, to prove they
were not so very ugly after all. Vanity
often succeeds where remonstrance fails.
A piece called "Ater GULF was played
and l remember now with vivid satisfac-
ton the applause |, received for certain
screaming scene" in which l played. 1t
was rather an effective situation. have
no very vivid recollection of the piece.
was supposed to have great horror of
snakes, and for some reason or other it
was necessary to cure me of this disgust.
One Of my Indian attendants was ordered
to place dead snake IN my room. Out of
revenge, he substitutes 9 live reptile. l
appear at window with the beast around
my neck, screaming fearfnlly. The spec
tators on the stage think the snake is dead
and can do me no harm, but in reality il is
slowly strangling me. | commenced
screaming in frantic, heartrending man.
ner, and continued screaming, each cry
surprising in intensity and agony the
last This used to bring down the house.
and / was told by Madame de Rhona
had made great effect Ali how sweet
and pleasant the hattering words sounded
in my young and inexperienced ears.
After this screaming success" drifted
to Bristol, for my sister Kate was playing
an engagement in the city, and | acted
with her. Mr.. Chute was the manager
and he had splendid company" Miss
Madge Robertson (Mrs. KendaD was there
Il was much struck at that time by her
voice-her singing voice-it was beautifully,
now) Mr.. Arthur Wood ian admirable
comedian), the Messrs William and George
Rignold, Miss Kate Bishop, Mr.. Coghlan,
who was acting magnifcently at that
time, and dressing each of his characters
so correctly and so perfectly that most of
the audience did not understand it; for
instance, he played the small part of
CLAWS in 1.-The Lady of Lyons" and
looked picture of the fop of the period
the long struggling hair. the high cravat,
the eyeglass, the bows, jags and tags. and
the. manner.--all perfect study. But
that was some time ago. it was not under
stood, and the people laughed.
The Bristol engagement was excellent
practice for me, for We played all things
tragedy, comedy, farce and buriesque-my
share being the second parts to Kate, such