The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-17
MRS. BURNETT's PLAYS.
The Mother of Lord Fauntleroy Talks
About Her Dramatic Work..

The Mother of Lord FauntIeroy Talks
About Her Dramatic Work.
"Give me some idea of the difference be-
tween play writing and story writing, Mrs.
Burnett" said L.
'They are very great, can assure you,"
was the reply. you have to write for two
different audiences, and the circumstances
OF reading your stories are different. In
play writing there IS no chance for any
subtle touches of art or thought. Every
thing has to be of the broadcast and plain
est kind. Your points must be such
as to strike the audience right
between the eyes and they must
be understood without reason or inteIlec-
tual exertion. All the pretty things you
are proud of in your stories, such as the
analyses of character, the subtle under
tones of thought, and the words which
you want your readers to imagine between
the lines, have to be cut out, and you
have to say just what you mean SO plain
that he that gallops can read. In writing
play compose it in the shape of a story,
and then go over it and remodel it and re-
write it for the stage"
The conversation here turned to Mrs.
Burnett's new play, "The Showman's
don last season, but which appeared just
at the time OF the death of the Duke of
Clarence. This death threw all London
into mourning, and it practically ruined
the theater business of the city for the
season. On account of it Mrs. Bur-
nett withdrew her play from the
stage, but she tells me that her exper-
fence with it was such as to show
that the play was a decided success,
and she expects 1t to have great
run here and will have it brought out in
the fall. She told me most interesting
story of her star actor, whom she found in
the person of well-known young physi-
clan in London, and who, she says, seems
to be made for her play. This young man
belongs to one of the good families Of En-
gland, and he was born with passion for
the stage. After he had finished his
schooling he wanted to make acting his
profession, and he did play some parts in
the provinces. His family objected to
such an extent that he gave up
quest studied medicine and graduated
with such honors that he was made fell
low of the Royal College of Surgeons, and
valuable practice was offered him in
Australia. He could have made a good
living in London, but he still longed for
the stage, and Mrs. Burnett. becoming
acquainted with him through her London
physician, asked him to act as manager
of her theatrical business. He had this
position when Mrs. Burnett took
her sick boy Lionel over to Europe,
ana he met her at Southampton
and travelled with her to the continent
During this trip Lionel took great fancy
to the young doctor, and the love of the
two was mutual, for the young man went
with Lionel and stayed with him in
the mountains, acting as his resident
physician until he died. When this new
play was put on the stage. Mrs. Burnett
had great trouble in getting person for
the principal part. She tried several of
the noted old man actors of London, but
none of them were successful in it, and
she finally asked the young surgeon
to attempt it. As soon as she
saw his makeup she exclaimed, "That
is just what want" and when she heard
him render the part she was delighted.
He was reluctant to attempt the character
in London, where the critics are so merc-
less in their treatment of new actors, but
at Mrs. Burnett's urgent solicitation he
appeared in it and came out under the as
sumed name of "Mr Will Dennis" name
which he took from a Washington City
lawyer At his first night he created
great sensation The critics of all the
great papers praised him and his acting
was the sensation of stage circles Mr.
Viii Dennis is still young man. He is
fine-looking fellow and Mrs. Burnett
thinks he will be very popular in the
Uuitad Cta+aS Ep.NE G. CApprNrrp