The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-02
Actors md TlaywriEhts ExpiaAr
How They Made Them.

tofu win any degree OF certainty tue iate
OF the play.
Tho man who really knows Il NIL before
hand Is unknown In the theatrical circles.
II Is one OF tho most remarkable features
OF theatrical life that the fate OF play, no
matter to what class OF production 1t ho-
longs nor how experienced the manager
may be, can never be fore,old before the
curtain has risen on the first performance
II there Is anywhere In the world man
who can tell from tho iehcarsals OF play
whether 1t ID going TO be q success or not
he had better walk into any large New
York theater aud offer his services. lie oan
find permanent engageniapt vi at least
$50. 900 a year, for he would certainly DO
worth that much to any manager.
why" said Joseph jefferson. before
produced Rip Van Winklc' hadn't the
iaintest idea how II would 80. II has been
remarkable success. but IL might have
been an utter failure for all thar | could
tell beforehand"
Lester Wallaci. after twenty years man
agement said he had concluded that no Nv
play would please the public. there was
nothing to do but TRY 1t on"
Talking tho other day with Mr.. Mans
field OF unexpected aud purely accidental
hits, he told that they Wore delightful, but
unexpected hits could be matched with I'M
expected failures. He had expected to make
great success with Nero" which he
brought out on !, lavish ecala. but the pub
lie refused 1t. He said: 1T was not that
Il made no effect on the audience but that
1t practically drew no audiencer 10 speak OF
even on the first night. They simply
would not come to hear It. Somehow or
other even the subject didn't seem to at
tract and upon these few who wero there
tho grim humor OF the character made no
impression at oil.
ION the other hand | made hit In The
most unexpected way In Castle SOM
bras We rehcarsed that play as melo-
drama. playing the part Of deep, dark
villain, My first Remark ae ] came upon
the stage intended 10 be seriously taken.
was greeted with laughter. ! was almost
dumbfounded, but at once adapted my
self 20 the situation. | knew now " would
be fatal 10 attempt to act that play ne-
riously, and taking my cue from the au-
donce. instantly changed my whole con-
cepton OF the character and played IL on
the lines of comedy
in the blindfolded duel scene In which
the heroine lures ono OF the duelists out
Of one door and the second duelist out OF
ano her we had rohoarsed what we cup
posed would be finely Impressive situa-
ton. The audience greeted II with ro&t
OF laughter Mrs. Mansfield was eiinpiy IN
tears. surprising that the whole production
was a failure. But ! said 10 her oh, no;
It's all right a silent audience IL fatal.
so long as they laugh we'ro n success
"And do you know at that moment or
transition when at hint from the ap-
donce, | changed my whole conception OF
the character. ! was really Immensely
tickled. or course. an actor could never
make q change like that on the spur OF II
moment. or have the presence OF mind 10
do H.. II ho were not absolutely perfect In
his lines. And IL Is In order to take ad
vantage OF sudden emergency that an
ncior should learn his roles no perfectly
that be coud almost repeat them verbatim
in his sleep"
Mr. Burnham OF Walncks SAYS that when
he had j. X Emmett In Europe he was
playing the Dutch emigrant version OF Fritz
in Dublin. 1T had gone well everywhere
else but the first act had nearly passed.
Emmett had run out all the lines which he
held In reserve for emergencies and he
hadn't got smile. Finally a man in the
pit turned to his neighbor and said Pat.
what the devil is he trying TO get through
himself anyhow Without losing his pres
ence of mind. Emmett looked at the man
and ssid; That's juat IT, Pat; what's The
use OF IL all. anyhow That simple remark
for some inexplicable reason created
perfect upIoar throughout the house. and
from that moment Emmett had the audience
with him and became a Dublin fayorIte."
Accidental hits!' exclaimed Charles e.
Hoyt yesterday why. it's to get those
that we talso piece to a dog town be-
fore we try It on New York ! had most
curious experience with a Hole la the
Ground In the dog town performance the
end Of the second act. which had sup
posed wclld DO all right and cause the
curtain to fall amid shrieks OF laughter,
passed oil IN dead silence. Before we left
| tho dog town ! had written and tried half
| "A dozen endings, and not one of them went
well until, by some unexplained impulse.
changed the entrance Tor one OF the char
actefs who ucines on at that moment from
| one side Of the stage TO the other, The
curtain went down amid shreks OF laugh
tsr. But 1t would be impossible for me
10 explain to you why that simple change
| should have had that effect. for. according
| 10 my n1aicns. the other entrance was the
| funnier.
In "A Stranger In New York have
been found fault with for dragging In
pathetic line In tho midst OF low comedy
surroundings. It's the line. i cant run a
| flat on the income OF u 2-cent postage
stamp. That's a joke on me. for ! meant
| that line 10 be very funny. It's curious
how impossible II is 10 tell In what way
the public Is going to take your efforts:
| thy may cry over your jokes and laugh
at the merry humor OF your pathos."
III an idea comes to you" said Francis
Wilson. stick a pin In IT. When you have
studied part, you've simply got q plowed
| field, and you don't know what's going TO
| grow up In IT, AT the first performances OF
| The Goblins,' when came on In u suit OF
armor, accidentally tripped and fell. Ow-
| Ing TO the armor. my efforts to get 70 my
feet were probably very awkward. Any
how. the audience simply shrieked. be-
| lieve 10 this day that that lucky accident
largely helped toward the auccess of the
| piece.
"In The DEVILS Deputy in the second
act. am asked. DO you siner The spewer
IN tie original WA simple affirmative.