The herald., 1895-12-30

do all kinds of work, and play all manner
of parts. They are magnificent schools
for developing all the latent talent within
one. and as youngster l soon developed
usually we'll, and SO, although occasionally
l have played part in skirts as am
doing now in the part of Johanna in
"1492," ard as l did in Little Christopher
during it's long New York run, have
always found my audiences took me most
kindly in boys parts"
do you like them as we'll as the other
parts" asked the reporter. well, an
actress likes what her public likes as q
rule was the answer. land inasmuch as l
find that my refined impersonations please
my audiences. am happy to give them. 1
would not be as much pleased, of course, if
l had to do broad and uncongenial work.
My experience, both in England and this
country, has taught me that an act or
specially which pleases the ladies in the
audience is very apt to be success. The
consequence has been that l have taken
great care in selecting my male impersona-
tions, and am happy to say that thus far
l have chosen wisely in every instance.
"At times | have been called upon to
both manage and stage manage" Miss
Bonehill then gave the reporter an inter-
esting account of an experience she had on
her return from this country to Eng)an
two years ago. She had been written to
by the manager of the Theatre Royal, Bir-
mingham, to play the part of Dick Whit
tington in the pantomime of that name
which was to be done at that theater. The
part did not reach her until the day before
sailing from America. and it contained
only six scenes or about one-half of what
she was to do. She was told that she
might study this on the way over and the
balance OF the manuscript. which was not
vet complete. would be handed to her on
har arriuoI Whan ahQ arrival at CluaQnl O.
town she was almost dumbfounded to
learn that the produc ion would take place
on the third night following her arrival.
For some unaccountable reason every hing
had been delayed, but the play was pro-
duced on the night set for it and went
swimmingly along the first six scenes,
after which everything went wrong and the
first night proved what seemed to be an
irretrievable failure. The manager, who
knew Miss Bonehill, called her over the
next morning, gave her the prompt book
of he play and said:
"There it is, Bessie; take hold of it and
bring order out of this chaos If you cam"
Miss Bonehill took hold with the energy
and enthusiasm with which she goes into
everything, and in the course of week or
ten days had unsnarled the tangle into
which parts of the manuscript had fallen,
welded together the little story which
served as thread on which to hang SO
quaint bits here and there. and finally
whipped Dick Wilmington into such a
success that it finished the pantomime
season in triumph.
When asked the stereotyped question of
"What did she think of American audi
ences," she looked archly at the reporter,
saying, .You boys always have that ques-
ton ready to throw at us foreigners and l
believe we all answer it in the same way,
SO don't know how much sincerity you
credit us with half the time, but certainly
have proved my loyalty to the American
theater-goers by the fact that | have re-
NAMED in this country nearly all the time
since first came here, in spite of the fact
that could make just as much money in
my own. / like your audiences because
they are quick to take point, and while
they are not so demonstrative in their
methods in the theater, they have a plain
enough way of showing their approval by
their applause, and an unusually dignlfied
way of treating with silence what they do
not like.
Miss Bonehill was tempted by Manager
Rice to forego a starring tour this season
to play the part of Johanna in 1892, and
she says she does not regret it in the least.