The times., 1899-09-17
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.

diuBItu uDNu BelusslNaDld ANEHue Tie DAY
before yesterday. and. branching of. en-
tered the National Theatre He did not
salute Wilton Lackaye W. NJ Bates w.
H Rapley, or The Times man, all of whom
he had met, but quietly proceeded to a table
in the centre Of the apartment From his
satcheI he drew a voluminous manuscript,
and without a word, handed it to Mr.
Bates. Then: 'Is there a rehearsal this
morning. he asked.
NO" said Mr.. Rapley, mot until even
ing
"Oh," replied Mr. Zangwili
How are things going?" quoth The
Times man.
They went very badly for a bit" was
the, answer. '-but they're all right now
III had mission in adapting Children OF
the Ghetto il is about TO be realized
A mission
Yes said the author "Of course. my
primary object in making a drama of my
book was to produce work of art. That,
i believe, is the primary object of every
author. But there was another also-the
object CT teaching managers that literat-
teur may turn cut IS good piece as can
playwright; that there is not the slight
est necessity for that absurd thing called
'ccnstruction. Construction, Construction
when we are informed that the greatest
principle in fiction is truth We are asked
10 be faithful to nature and yet are told
that We must not do this or that or the
other thing because il has never been done.
Theatrical thinkers seem quite unable TO
see success in novelty. No audience will
tolerate your scene they say Why not
Wei, il is unprecedented. How can any
0ne tell what viii be tolerated until every
thing has been tried. Audiences are mar
tistic, but not quite so much so as mana
gers.
on Sunday / heard that there had been
trouble between the Countess Voynich and
Stuart Robson; that the authoresas OF The
Sad1iy' intended to get sn injunction to
prevent the presentation of her piece. The
work has been done since then, but the
criticisms show me TO what she must
have objected l can understand that they
told her. This must be struck out or your
play VIII fail. That must be put III or
your play will not succeed What do they
know about it2 A man or a woman of
genius creates men and women Of blood and
feeling He or she does not intend to have
them puppets 10 be pulled about according
10 conventional rules. Their sayings and
dOings have a place in the sense Of his
product There should be q law TO uphold
with his ideas. No one should What
about that manuscript"
The remark was made to Mr. Bates. and
there was no possibility Of getting any
thing further out OF the radical author The
Times man turned to Wilton Lackaye.
80 you are 10 play .Reb' shemuel.
said the reporter.
Mr.. Lackaye bent over and caressed the
undertaking few strangers of courage
would have cared TO attempt But the big
brute continued to survey the interior of
the box Office and neither resented nor re-
sponded TO the display of affection from
his master. I'm going to play the 'Reb' %
You are becoming rather identified with
Semitic types. suggested The Times man.
-Seyengali was Jew, and so was-was
Or. Belgrah a Jew?''
No, replied the actor che was rot
II is true. however, that many people are
coming 10 think OF me as a dileneator Of
such roles. While ] was filling my last
engagement with Joseph Jefferson at the
Fifth Avenue Theatre / met a patron OF
the entertainment who said that he had
come especially to study my portrayal Of
Sir Lucius in The Rivals. 4 wanted 10
see Hebrew in the part of an Irishman,
4uoth he. Never have been more amused
fellows face when / told him that / was
Of Irish descent myself" And Mr.. Lackaye
laughed al the recollection.
He could never have attended a per-
iormance OF Charles 0'Malley,'" COM
nented the interviewer.
Probably not''-from the interviewed.
Il have never done Theodore Burt Sayres
piece in Gotham or, indeed. anywhere else
outside Of three or four cities. The play
tad its premiere here. you may remember.
Edith Crane, Nannette Comstock Henry
Jewett. and Arthur Maitland were in the
cast. After the weeks trial Charles
O'Nalley' was sheIyed for year Then
/ opened with it in Chicago and. by means
of long jumps, came back TO Washington.
tried to book time for il in New York. but
sould get nothing over three weeks. This
was not satisfactory. If the drama had
succeeded there / should have needed sew
sral months and / would not have attempt
ID taking il TO New York II had had any
I0ubt of its success"
Your second date in Washington was al
he Nstional?"
Yes / was supported by Joseph Whit
,ng, J. Palmer Collins, Agnes Rose Lane
olive May, and Joseph kilgonr. The piece
Eas not as well done as IL had been at the
Lafayette, The duel in the last act suffer-
ed especially When he came 10 me Mr.
gilgouT was being tormented by a wound
N the wrist which be had received on the
stage some months before. Consequently
be was afraid Of my sword and the result
Eas lAmenfable. Mr.. Jewett is a Christian
Scientist or q fatalist OF something OF that
SORT What is 10 be will be- was his doc
trine, and with that in mind he kept me
busy. Both our blades were nicked all over
~ the end Of the week and ] had a good
sized sore on my thumb where the guard
9n my weapon had worn away the skim
viii you take out Charles OMalley'
Iext season p"
Il hope TO. As told you just before Ieav-
ng for Europe. ] have unlimited confidence
n the Offering To me il seems head and
shoulders above other like works Certainly
there is no end Of action in IT. Evervo1e
gho has supported me In -O'Malley' wants
bis or her part back when ] 20 on the road
sgain-s0 / have most Of my company in
view. ] have also picked out manager.
Bully Boy Mr.. Lackaye nodded toward
his dog-.'is 10 be my press agent. If you
have noticed the notoriety he has given us
in New York by his caperings you will
not doubt that / win be able 20 secure no
end OF newspaper space. Bully Boy has
fought. and got lost, and scared people-all
OF which proceedings have been detailed
IL the journals Few press agents could do
these things. lie has also been stolen.
have never seen q press agent whom anyone
would steal. SO. you see. Bully Boy is
irgalua bIe-are you not, old fellow"
And, IS the "old fellow seemed bent on
proving his devotion 10 Mr. Lackaye's in
terests right there by chewing up a man
ager, newspaper man, and a prominent
author. The Times reporter decided 10 post
Done The remainder OF his Interview and
Ieft the Office