The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19

cess hundred thousand copies are sold
IN no time and dozen managers come
and lmplore Onnet 10 dramatize his great
his marvellous study of human naturel
honlng obtained the Ms. of the play.
and / was asked If | would undertake
the role OF Claire de Beaulieu and iovfulIy
consented. For 500 days and nights /
lived, dreamed. walked rode (Ciaire was a
great Amazon) in the part Of the fiancee
and wife OF the lrOnmaSter The last
time L performed | burst into tears, feel
ing that | had indeed lost friend. need
not recapitulate to YOU all the parts I
have played since 1854; my most successful
creations have been Daudet's tSapnho.'
Ohnet's 'Comtesse Sarah and 'L'Impera-
trice Faustine, drama written for me to
act ut the Porte Saint Martin theater by
Count Lzewaski."
And have you any special method of
study?"
NO. do not think so. OF course I
make Z great point of being word perfect
in my part, and during rehearsal I try to
absolutely become the person / am repre-
sentlng. | Go not tire and weary myself
by privately going over my part at home
rs many do. An actress should set great
store by her energy and vitality, they are
needed for her work; / believe in outdoor
exercise and plenty of air.
DO you advise course of the conserva-
toire to the aspirant for dramatic honors,
madame?'
~ cannot tell you; you see my training
was widely different. L think that some
kind of experience Is necessary Our
theater is not recruited as is the American
stage from the ranks of amateurs
doubt whether conservatoire school
would be of any use in New York.
After all, il is only when YOU are on the
boards that you begin 10 learn. Someone
said, l believe, that industry is the mother
of genius; this is certainly true IN our
profession, hard work is in many cases the
secret of success. You suddenly hear of
great sensation being produced in part,
but none tell you OF the years of unosten-
tatious drudgery gone through before that
result has been attained. People seem to
think that acting is like walking. and
comes by nature 10 gifted souls. There is
no greater mistake although, of course, if
you possess no divine fire YOU cannot hope
to interpret worthily the joys and sorrows
of mankind
do you get many plays sent your"
Alas, yes. from every quarter of the
globe. Do | read them? Well, some
times | glance over them. but life would
have to be three times as long if we had to
peruse as duty all the MSS. OF the great
Enacted"
And your audiences, how do they
strike you at home and abroad?"
Here III Paris, they are critical and de-
termined not 10 allow sentiment to get
the better of them, bnt when pleased they
are splendidly enthusiastically England
they follow what they believe to be the
right thing and applaud when they
think it is their duty 10 do so. London
audiences enjoy a French play because
every word is so clearly pronounced and
because the minor parts are so carefully
filled AS for America. my greatest
foreign successes have been in the states.
American audiences are very kind to
strangers and courteously anxious to
make them feel at home. 1t amuses and
touches me-" said Madame Hading, her
face breaking into a smile, ito see ali the
pretty girls, each with her own cavalier
and without mamma or chaperon, filling
American theaters. They all look so
young. divinely young; you do not see
such sights over this side of the sea-"
MARIE ADELAIDE BELLoc.