The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02

must have struck him with the side OF
the sword, and the wound was Of no ac-
count As l was leaving the theater
saw that there was a light in his dress
ing room. One of the attaches said that
he had sent in hurry for hot water.
went to him at once The wound was
bleeding copiously. l expressed my sin
cere regrets. Mr.. Couldock,' he SAID,
Srandiloquently, If you ever get a cut al
ways battle the wounded portion in hot
water. 1t is exceedingly efficacious' Az
tcrward hetwas more than ever in favor
Of Macbeth and Macdun fighting with
swords without guards.
Miss Cushman was far more amiable to
the members of her company than Mr.
Macready. She had a quick temper. how
ever. If she saw that some member Of
the company was not trying to do his
best it would send her into a passion in
an instant. But few minutes later n
would have passed away, and all would
be sunshine again.
in the days when ] played Macbeth to
Miss Cushman's Lady Macbeth, actors did
not have such an easy time of IL as they
do now. When Macready came to Amer
lea he did not bring his own company, as
Nine. Rejane. Coquelin or Tree would to-
| day. The country was not so populous
and theatergoing was not so popular Ev
cry city had Its stock company and the
star sent his plays on in advance. For the
most part these were old plays, and the
leading members of the company had
played the leading parts for which they
were particularly fitted many times before.
| But the younger members of the company
had hard work, indeed. They were often
compelled to learn their parts at a days
notice, and their pay was meagre
AS for salaries, why, they are doubled
and trebled now sBut-my!-it costs twice
a mn n fass baf I
a very comfortable little house for my
family and myself, in Philadelphia, for 500
a year.
Actors in general, are a much better
class of men and women than they were ia
the old days. Then you never met an ac-
tor who didn't drink Rarely was there d
performance when some member of the
cast was not under the influence of IL
quor More gentlemen are entering the pro-
fession than ever before. There has been
a wonderful improvement in the acting of
society dramas But Shakespeare-ah!-
have no such Shakespearean actors. All,
| Macreadyi Macready was far, far ahead
of any tragedian of my time--of any TRACE
dian that ever lived, firmly believe. The
actor Of to-day cannot speak blank verse
well. He has no opportunity of learning
how to speak 1t well.
What character in Shakespeare do
like best? All. All. love them all. l have
played hundreds of parts; cannot remem-
Der ten lines of many of them. But Shakes
poare l can never forget. / could wake up
in the middle of the night and recall every
line. We remember what we like to remem-
Der, suppose What wonderful linesr
That fine face lighted up; youth seemed
to come back to it through the maze or
exits and entrances and curtain calls OF
more than half century. The eyes dilated;
the lips closed tightly; the brows contract
ed and he seemed once more to be waiting
like a greyhound in the slips for Macrea-
RVS, Lay on, Macduff--."
When Macready and his sword without
a guard, that were spelling for fight on
the stage of the Theater Royal while the
audience leaned forward in their seats
breathlessly. had once more become
memory, the Macduff Of other days con-
tinued:
Il can memorize now as easily as l ever
could. Some parts are much easier to
memorize than others. A part like that Of
Dunstan Kirke ! could catch in five or six
rehearsals without scarcely studying it al
all because / was thoroughly familiar
with the life and vocabulary of the Eng
lish farmer. The Tempest is a particu-
larly difficult piece to memoriZe-I played
the part Of Prospero-because there are so
many words in it which are almost obso>
lete.
Speaking of Dunstan Kirke reminds me
Of Steele Mackaye. You know he want
ed me to make up with little fringe OF
beard under my chin, Horace Greeley
style 1t was with considerable difficulty
that / convinced him that such a beard
was a characteristic Of American, but not
Of English farmers. No, ] didn't have 70
do much making up for Dunstan. / had
just to put on a different neckscarf and
slip on a different style of coat and / was
ready. One night. owing to a flood. we
were hundred miles away from New Or
leans at the hour when the play was to
begin. Our manager telegraphed from ev-
cry station, and the audience waited. We
arrived at $3.50, ] believe, and at twenty
minutes before ten the curtain went up.
There was no lack Of applause that night.
None of US ever played better, l am sure.
All actors, or at least all true actors, have
their moods. Unless they are en- rapport
with the audience they can't do well. The
audience needn't applaud. l was always