Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-02-13

n Physical Dc.ec:-T-c Studies the Faces
of the Other Players and Counts So -
To Tell When to Speak.
Perhaps the most important detail for
In actor to master in stage technicalities
is the trick OF picking up his cue quick
ly.
Every stage manager knows how i'm
portant it is that that should be done
The slightest hesitancy in q quick con-
versation between the lines spoken by
different people will surely spoil the
scene
The regulation way for actors and ac-
tresses to learn their parts is to also
learn the cue. rs well as their own lines.
Perhaps it is we'll to tell the uninitiated
that the cue consists of the last few
words or the last sentence spoken by the
other actor. Every part not only con-
tains what the actor is to speak, but
also the cue. Most stagefolk Will tell
you that it is more difficult to learn the
cues than it IS the lines, IS they often
convey 10 meaning 70 the mind
Everybody in New York who goes to
land, Us he is fsrniliarly called. No one
would suspect, to see Mr.. Hollands rem
Gition Of the parts lie plays, that he does
not hear the cucs.
However, that is fact. Mr. Holland
inherited deafness. lis father was deaf,
and his brother, Mr.. George Holland,
the Philadelphia manager, is also slight
~ affected that way.
Il would seem TO tho average thinker
that NJ. Holland would have found his
infirmity 4 serious handicap in the dra-
matte profession. On the contrary, So
clcverly has he managed i. that it has
been almost an advantage to him. Triv-
ial noises do not disturb him. and in
consequence he is able to give his whole
mind. unaffected by any Interruptions, to
the work in hand.
OF course Mr.. Holland is not absolute
ly "stonc deaf, - as the saying goes. He
is what is generally termed ''hard Of
hearing"
Now as to how he picks Up his cues
when he doesn't hear them.
Ee studies not only his own part, but
also the entire lines spoken by other peo-
pie when he is on the stage. Hc COM
mits these to memory perfectly. Sowell
does he learn them that he knows Just
how long it takes for them to be spoken.
When lie IS facing the actor of whom he
is 20 get his cue, Of course he can readily
tell when his turn comes by tho move
mept of the others lips or the express
sion Of the face. He says, though, that
the expression Of the face is what he re-
lies on most. Hc pays very little ;tten-
ton to the lips, because most people
have habit of moving the lips involun-
tarilv even when they are not speaking,
=. trick that would easily lead him
astray. The expression of the face. how
ever, is sure cue. 1t never fails him
and always is the same.
His main reliance, however, is On q
system of counting. He knows Just how
long it will take for each speech to be
said. He times that speech by a certain
number of counts. When he has counted
the right number of times for the speech,
he knows that it is his turn to speak.
This is absolutely necessary when his
back is turned toward the other actor.
As, for instance, Nlr. Holland comes
on the stage. his line is:
"Well; I've returned"
He then turns around to lay down his
hat. and the other person says:
But you were very late in getting
back
As soon rs Mr.. Holland turns he be-
gil / to count. When he has reached
eIA It, he says in q nonchalant way, no
matter what is happening:
We'll, aren't You glad to see me
back?'
Long experience has shown him that
in this way he picks up his cue just as
promptly and perhaps more SO than
though he had heard it.
MIR. Hollands adroitness in this line
has been the wonder of New York man.
ayers. Probably no one else knows of it,
for, as is natural, Mr.. Holland is a trifie
sensitive on the subject.
The only drawback that he ever finds
TO his system arises from other faults
than his own. He has never yet been
caught mapping except when some stage
hand made blunder or some unforeseen
accident occurred. This would only hap
pen when some noise was to be made,
rs the ringing of bell or the firing of q
gun In such cases Mr.. Holland sup
poses, of course, that the property man
or the stage hand is doing his duty. If,
however, the property man or the stage
hand does not do his duty promptly, Mr..
Holland is left i'll an embarrassing stu
alton.
Suppose, for instance. that in the bust
ness Of piece a bell is to be rung. 1t
doesn' Z ring when it should. However,
that's none of Mr.. Hollands business
He naturally supposes that it has rung,
and so he calmly says:
"Ah. there goes the bell Go to the
door. Mary!" And just after he has said
it the bell rings
Or if some ono is to fire a pistol and
MIR. Holland is supposed to be listening
for the report with rapt attention, and
when it should go off says, Eat last he
has fred, and no one has fired as far as
the audience can discover-well, in such
cases the stage manager swears and
somebody gets fined-New York Her
aid.