The times., 1899-12-31
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.
"HelIo! Come I'M"

VINO mad Just finished a twO-miie walk
through the snow. did not wait foT further
parley. but opened the door before him.
The sight revealed was nothing less than
CHEEKY. 1t resembIed the pictures that
used to adorn the first pages OF school ge-
ographies. The room shown was a very
large one, completely filled with photo
graphs and lighted by two red-cIothed
lamps. With Miss Booth Russell. his lead
ing woman. Mr.. ManteI was sitting in
front Of a roaring wood fire. looking like
anything in the world but a stroller whose
time in the city was limited to three days.
The two evidently had been discussing a
play. for Miss Russell laid aside an open
manuscript when the visitor entered. BOsb
shook hands with him "Mr. Hanley, my
manager. told me you were going to drop
around said the actor. 81 am glad. I
wanted to thank you for your kind criti-
cism Of yesterday"
Il thought you would like our piece.
chmed Miss Russell 1T contains some
very strong pOints-dont you think sO?'
The interviewer replied that. in his opin-
ion, the chief weakness OF The Dagger
and the Cross was it's sombreness.
Mr.. Nantell smiled. That's what my
friends all said when / decided TO stage
the drama, he remarked. They werc
afraid Of IT, And yet financially. this has
been the best season have enjoyed in six
years. When one begins considering. som
bre plays are always the only plays that
ever achieve lasting success. The Thes-
plans who are remembered are the TRACE
dians. We in this country lovingly hold
Edwin Booth and Lawrence Barrett and
John Mccullough and Edwin Forrest. L
is only by chance that three or four fa-
nous old comedians are recalled. Though
laughing may be more pleasant than cry
ing, We nurse cur sorrows instead OF cur
pleasures and give place in our minds only
TO those things which impress US"
That's good thought" said Miss Rus
sell
a very good thought 81 unused the guest
adding: Mr.. IanJelI you have been ac-
cused Of unnaturalness.
That accusa tion, was the reply. has
fallen on every star who has tried roman
tic work. / think few Of them deserve it.
To such efforts as were produced by Du-
mas and DEnnery slight eXaggeratiOn is
necessary. The captiCus commentator
would be first to cry out did I interpret
an armor part with dress-suit mannerisms-
Most Of these fellOWs-D' 'Artagnan and the
rest-are swashbuckIers and must be given
a tiEge of impudeut daring Thus. YOU
see. the prevailing fashion in French he
roes is not out OF reason. D'Artagnan him
self is a consummate actor-a poseu-
What would you have him made2 Not a
characteristic John Drew portrayaI2'
Mr. Nantell scored a hit as D'Artagnaa
in England" prompted Miss Russell.
And has never tried the roe here9"
Miss Russell is wrong In using the
word hit. quOth Mr AIautell Il
pleased provincial audiences with the i'm
onation-that' all. / did NOT repeat
the experiment in America. Young Salvini
was my friend and he was making a feat
ure of D'Artagnan. After his death, the
'Musketeers' was too extensively revived
for me to care attempting it. Then I have
had so little time since coming to the
United States. I have been always busy
| left Scotland and went on the stage in
1873. In 1882 I landed in New York. Ny
primal engagement was with Madame
Modjeska and I was her utility man for
quite period. Gradually, I worked up to
a higher position, making my stellar de-
but in a piece called Tangled Lives ]
was Fanny Davenport's opposite in La
Tosca and Fedora, and finally resumed
work with my real successes, 'MOabars,
The COrsican Brothers, and The Face in
the Moonlight All Of these were good
plays, but good plays do not finish the for
tunes OF an actor. I am still waiting for
a great one"
There was a moments silence and a
clock on the manteI struck six. Miss Rus
sell rose. 81 must go to dinner she said.
And I. =" ehorused the reporter Me too, %
remarked Mr. ManteH. And the gathering
adjourned
Il am the Iuc<iest girl" exclaimed the
singer Of old songs" Maud COui they.
when she met The Times man, Wednesday.
at the Regent Sometimes I believe that
all creation is run on my plan. II SOM
one with twice my ability had haIi my
good fortune he OF she would be rivaling
irving or Bernhardt.'
The gossip gathsrer bowel TO Miss Sar-
gsant. a sister OF ChicCt who was Iunca-
ing with Miss Courtney. ayOTtd the BE-
lief that person with twice that lady's
talent would need none of her luck. and
asked for an explanation OF the Outburst
We'll -" replied Miss Courtney, a5
the moment in which l spoke l was think
ing that, after my rumOred engagement
with David BeIasco, my opening here dur
ing the week given to Naughty Anthony
was of considerable benefit. Such Incl
dents always occur to me. never have
employed d press agent nor have ever
I y
sode has not been forgotten when another
crops up. A few months ago I was down
South and veuUured to render Tramp.
Tramp. Tramp The audience, which had
been very demoustrative through the rest
of my medley. listened in stony silence,
and after my performance / was told that
/ had offended deeply. OF course this was
unintentiOual for 1 love Dixie and Dixie
people But the affair got into print and
was widely commented on. Then / was
singing on the Casino roof when z. Z. Rice
came back TO tell me that Mr. Lopez, one
of the Dewey Arch sculptOrs wanted me to
pose for him. / was surprised buC assent
[ ed And that, too. was made the topic for
/ columns Of journalistic stuff. This David
! Belasco business is third example
/ have known Mr.. BelascO since was a little
/ girl, and he merely offered me an oppOTtu-
nifty to get out of vaudeville The rumoT
/ of my contract to appear in Naughty An
/ thony' was widespread l tell you. luck is
! the best advance agent in creation
/ And Miss Courtney resumed her lunch.
Undoubtedly the English are a very in
/ telligent and capable people but their uu-
/ derstanding of the art of newspaper
making might be brOadened without dan
| ger of bursting a reporter, who had de-
/ termiued upon publishing q chat with SIT
/ Henry Irving, made three vain attempts TO
see the actor-knight last week and then
abandoned the pursuit He remembered,
/ however. that Laurence irving, besides be
| ing a son of Sir Henry, was player OF
worth and the adapter OF 'RCbespierre- o.
! He called five times az the young fellows
| hotel and finally managed to learn that
/ Mr.. Irving is busy. What can he do for
you?". The visitor replied that he was
most anxious for an interview and that,
] If the TLasnian would talk five minutes.