Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-05-30
TRILBY BEHIND THE SCENES.
Trilby Talks about Boomers, Insane Asylums,
and Trilby.

admirers at the opera house last Tues
day evening, was seen by TIMES
scribe at her room in the Rockingham
soon after the evenings perform
ance. She was in evening dress. Un-
like some of her contemporaries, her
beauty is of the type that bears close
inspection. She has a clear, yet healthy
complexion, hands soft and white,
models for an artist, and large, dreamy,
bewitching eyes. In conversation she
is highly entertaining, and her every
movement is grace itself.
"How did it happen that you took
the part of Trilby?n asked the scribe.
ooh, last summer | read Trilby and
like everybody else was carried away
with it. l used to give readings and
afternoon entertainments to my friends
in New York; and when Mr.. Palmer
made up his companies last February,
There were over 1900 applicants for
these places, just think of that! AT the
time was selected for this part L was
with Mrs. Langtry in Gossip in
Palmer's Theatre. She very graciously
released me from my contract, and also
designed the Greek costume that l wear
in the third and fourth acts.
"My home? Why, yes! My state is
California, the land of fruit and flowers.
l have been on the stage seven years
and in that time have taken over 100
leading parts.
"Oh, yes! We have found very ap-
preciative audiences all over Vermont,
and this is especially true of our house
in Bellows Falls. The only criticism I
have to make is that the gallery gods
were little too demonstrative. You
have no idea how such demonstrations
as whistling and cat-a-wauling unnerve
and annoy one when on the stage.
When we played in Montreal the house
went wild. The play has just enough
French flavor to suit theatre goers up
that way.
mo, / never smoke cigarettes except
when on the stage. / think they are
just horrld tasting and smelling
things" And here pretty Trilby
pouted her sweet lips, and distorted her
little nose out Of all proportions.
"People in some places are good
deal shocked at that cigarette scene,
and just because I reproduce what is in
the book get bad and wrong impress
sion of me.
"Say, did you know that never had
anybody to instruct me in acting the
part of Trilby? read the book very
carefully, and studied Mr.. Palmer's
idea in the play, and play the part as
best think it should be played. | had
only week in which to learn my part
and do my practicing, before we went
onto the road. You see the play was
gotten out to meet a popular demand,
and everything was done under pres
sure.
"There are at present four companies
playing Trilby under Mr.. Palmer's di-
rections, and consequently there are
four Trilbies, but Mr.. Palmer's mana
ger tells me-" the speaker said this with
a modest dropping of her graceful eye
lashes, and conscious flush of pride,
"that am the best of all the Trilbies. !"
"Do you know that people expect to
see more of the Trilby foot than you
exhibit?"
"I know they do. AT first Mr. Potter
thought of having Trilby enter in the
first scene and pull off her slippers and
exhibit her feet for the crowd to admire,
but he decided that it was immodest,
and SO l keep my slippers on.
eyes faddists have fads of their own
All the Trilbies are learning to ride
bicycles. l have been on one twice and
had horrid time with my petticoats.
l am convinced that long skirts were
never intended for bicycle riding. L
am going to have boomers, all the
Trilbies do. Isn't it perfectly silly how
people rave against bloomers?o
"You are rather stout to impersonate
the Trilby of the book, are you not?n
"Oh. dear! yes. And ! am getting
heavier every day. This beautiful Ner-
mont air just agrees with me-
"One hundred and thirty?''
"Worse than that. The last time /
weighed 156, and since then | have not
dared to look at set of scales. For the
last three weeks we have been on the
go continually. 1 have averaged only
four or five hours of sleep, and have not
slept in the same bed any two nights
in succession, and yet l get fatter and
fatter. Isn't it horrid?
''Of course you have heard how the
Trilby mania is troubling other people
than playwrights. There are Trilby
pies. 1 had Trilby cake sent me the
other day made ia the shape of girls
foot. 1 was reading of Trilby hotel
recently, and next expect to hear there
is a Trilby asylum. The newspapers
tell about Trilby divorce. The poor,
wretch of husband had refused to
read Trilby and the wife petitioned for
divorce. Wicked, wasn't it?n
"Oh, sayv'-this with naughty
shake of the pretty little finger, aud a
mischievous look in the saucy gray