Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-12
SUGGESTIONS TO THE STACE-STRUCK
New Opera by Homo Talent - New
PLAYS.

New Opera by Homo Talent - New
There is an immense amount Of salts
faction TO be derived from fingtng the
reins to your fancy and letting 1t wander
where 1t lists, something after the ex-
ample OF the old book-keeper in "Prue
and l." that delicious creation of Mr..
Curtis, whose supreme content with his
lot might almost tempt the parabolc rich
young man to sell his possessions in the
desperate hope OF attaining TO a like level
or happiness. That most philosophical OF
yisionarios, In his shabby suit OF black
with its shining knees and well-brushed
elbows, was wont 10 send his fancy out to
dinner whilst he remained at home dis
cougsing upon his imaginary experiences
to the faithful Prue, and hugging TO him
SELF the advantage he possessed over the
ordinary invited guest. BY this means
lac urges in support OK his ar
gument concerning the superiority
OF the imaginary over the actual.
the occasion remains wholly fair
in his memory there are no spots on
the face OF the sun, he has not fallen
victim to the possible contretemps which
might have spoilt the picture; there Is
no grease spot upon his remembrance or
that dinner" as there would have been
had his dress clothes. for instance. been
sacrificed 10 the too solicitous agility of
the waiter. Such Il blissful frame OF
mind IS altogether beyond the reach of
the actual guest-he has. unfortunately.
"foolishly interpolated the fact between
his fancy and the dinner" l fancy that.
like ST. Jacobs oil, the Old philosophers
prescription meets most cases. Send your
fancy on to the boards for Instance. What
an actor 1t will prove. IL will play
through the whole gallery of Shake
speares heroes or heroines. as the case
may be. as they have never
yet been piayed-it has no DIS
tressing consciousness OF limitations
1t Will move with the very poetry Of
motion. speak his verse as 1t has never
yet been spoken, hold the house, packed
fl ON floor 10 ceiling, spell-bound in viz
tue OF its power. Your fancy will know
nothing Of the spots on the sun. 1t will
have no painful memories OF agonizing
moments-cOmpared TO which the rack
itself would seem child's play-when in
view OF your anguish the very stars seem
to pale. Neither has your fancy any
need Of the prompter. for could ii not
make light of the seVenty-five lines as
serted by Mr. Barlow to be beyond the
power OF the actOr-nay, Is IL not more
than equal to the double quantity guar
anteed by Mr.. Irving to every able
bodied actor? No, there Is not the re-
hottest chance of your fancy coming 10
grief at the crisis OF the play and arousing
the derisive filters OF the audience when II
should be wrnginS their hearts. Fancy,
too, has no knowledge and is not liable
10 attacks OF the mysterious malady
known as stage-frlght, the victim to
which, being far beyond the hope of any
human help. is recommended to get or
the stage as quickly as possible. Neither,
II perchance your fancy be on the ANA
teur stage, will its great moments be
disturbed by the discovery that a couple
OF supers nave taken the centre OF the
stage, and are working their hardest to
play il right off the boards. No, in the
imaginary stage the superS 20 for what
they are worth. And your fancy VIII
not be troubled by discordant murmurs.
II will not be drawn aside BY Mr.. fltz-
stephen, who Is anxious TO state hlA
opinion, under the strict seal OF conh-
dence, that Mr.. Tomnoddy must have
been labOring under an attack OF tenn
porary insanity when he set out TO play
Sir Peter Teazle," nor will ii receive the
counter condolences of Tomnoddy, VINO
| delivers himself to the effect that. though
| Fitzstephen Is the dearest fellow In the
world. he is no more Joseph Surface
| than he Is the king Of the Cannbal Is
| lands. Lastly. your fancy will not be
| exposed to the dark looks Of Maria, VINO
| feels that her Lady Teazle." as COM
pared with your rendering. would DE
| Hyperion 10 Satyr
Well. well. after ALL fancy-unless 1t De
| Of the extra superflne order-does not
| score the whole way down the line. Now
| and again there comes a bit OF reallty
| which altogether puts 10 rout our imasi-
| nation, just as the currant-bun or our
| infant days surpassed the widest dreams
| OF a fancy nourished on the innocuous
| finger sponge. Now, my own magma
| tlon--like Mark Twain's weather-ls only
| of the ordinary, everyday description.
| warranted TO wear. but incapable Oh
| startling flights, wherefor | am glad 10
have experienced some Of the delights,
| Vaccinations, and whimsical realities or
life behind the footlights. for otherwise
| should have been the loser to considera-
| bic extent, and further should have peen
| quite unable TO return an intelligent an
swer 10 several local aspirant5 10 MS
trionic fame who have sought my ADVICE
| and assistance towards the fuliilment OF
| their ambition.
The craze among young men and wo-
men for the stage Is intenser tnah
ever. They crowd upon the boards from
all directions. They are filled with H'u-
sions. They are chiefly dazzled. | think
by the general attractiveness or the
stage-an attractiveness that Is. IN a
great measure false. Then. they are
quite of the opinion that little or no pre-
vious training is required. which IS one Oh
those half truths more dangerous than a
falsehood: for while. as matters are IL
Is comparatively easy for one to get upon
the stage. yet even high talent In
recruit can do very little without great
deal Of experience and long course Oh
training. The labors. the anxieties. the
heart-breaking disappointments OF the,
atrical career-assuming the ability ahd
ambition to succeed-are not imagined
by the general run of victims TO stage
fever. Nor is the bad payment In the
process-the popular idea OF big salaries
being another illusion. for there has peer
a very serious reduction in salaries-dus
almost entirely to the unthinkirS; rush
for the footiights. In order 10 remedy
this growing evil. the profession should
be much better organized. and admission
In some way or otner should be regu'
lated.
The lesson OF internal organization
the stage as profession has been very
slow to learn: but when II sees It's eco
nomic conditions growing worse ant
| worse and its artistic standards faIlipf