The times., 1899-10-08
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.

await J. z. Dodson and developments. The
developments came first. and with them
perspiring youth of uncertain age This
individual approached the visitor and
blandly remarked, I'm Mr.. Dodson's boy"
And the aforesaid visitor. who had never
met the John weatherby, OF Because
She Loved Him So," but who had been
prompted to believe that the player was
not past forty, gasped and dazediy replied
that he was glad to hear IT, Then the
new arrival repeated that he was Mr.. Dod-
sons man." which, besides being more
truthful, was more explicit. and ended by
taking the scribe into the dining ROOM
where the object of his quest was at
breakfast
A cordial greeting passed between iu-
teryiewer and o-be-interviewed. I'm
glad to see ycu. quoth Mr.. Dodscn, land
after this chicken has been got under way
shall take pleasure in giving you my his
tory, biography. and "reminiscences" The
caller was introduced TO Mrs. Dodson, who
IS known to the stage as Annie Irish. and
talked with her regarding the successes
OF the London season. Whereupon her hus-
band forgot even the fowl and took up the
conversation Immediately. DO you know"
he said. that this is the first summer in
years that l have spent out of England
DCSdUSc OEt 1ObEQ 30 Ms KEPT On
in Chicago through the hot months.
and so all of US missed our vacations. We
Mrs. Dodscn and had our plans quite
completed when We were informed that
the piece would not be closed Naturally
we both regretted it'll regretted it partic-
ulaFly. for. though / am an American by
adoption. | cannot banish remembrance of
the fact that the early part Of my life was
spent in Britain
The Times man suggested: Someone
has said that thieves and actors all get
their training in London-the one class in
Whiteehapel and the other on the Strand
That someone was wholly wrong" came
the answer. Actors are not trained on
the Strand, but in the provinces The
greatest OF England's players have all got
their edueations outside Of the metropolis
The smaller cities of the country were
once the abiding places of stock companies
not the makeshift stock companies we
have over here, but the best. In America
such combinations are chiefly notable for
the daring with which they go at unfa-
miliar works and. frequently, for the SLOW
eniiness With which they produce them
There is a stage manager who guesses at
the business and a number Of people who
guess at their roles. In the towns of Eng
land every man felt it his duty to be pre-
pared for emergencies. II he was COM
edian ne knew all the standard comedy
parts from the First Grave Digger Of Ham
let to the butter merchant OF Our Boys
if he was tragedian he was up on every
thing between '0theIlo' and When Lights
Are Low A carpenter must not wait un-
til ne is asked TO make a cabinet before
learning to make one. This was the prin-
eiple that held when 1 was studying the
NJ ~f afsr1 oh nd na= "
proved an excellent one.
The provincial stock companies may be
known by their works. You can barely
name dozen celebrities OF London wko
were not graduated from such finishing
schools. There was ouce-I believe there
is nova troupe at Bristol that was man
aged by James Macready Chute. nephew
of the great Maeready. That family ha1
had the organization for generations and
OF contemporary players it is responsib
for Charles Coghlan, Ellen Terry. and Mrs
Kendall. Personally, my experience in
such labor was unlimited. During what
ship traversed the distance be-
tween utility and leading man,
being seen in all sorts of charae-
ters-some of them thoughtful and some
of them thinking. The London stars uset
TO come down our way for a week Cr two
and We would furnish their support This
fact is responsible for many bits of kRowl-
edge that one finds rarely and that / pick
ed up by watching the folk with whom
was appearing. among them Adelaide Mel
sen, Phelps. TOole. and Matthews, one q
the most remarkable comedians who evss
lived.
This apprenticeship was so long that
had already grown few grey hairs wheF
1 first came to London with Clayton aRS
Cecil. of the HaymaFket Theatre. Ev.4
then l did nothing important, and really
did not get my opportunity until after en-
gaging with the Kendals, l sailed for Nsf
York. and ten years ago opened at tn
Fifth Avenue in John HaFe's role in ~
Scrap of Paper" Primarily. | could not get
used TO the country, and vowed never
to return, but, after making several trips
with the KendalS, l found the United
States so homelike that I finally accepted
an offer from Daniel Frohman. and was
then shifted to Charles Frohman and the
Empire Theatre Company. of which or
eaniZation / am really a member now
| am, however, eagerly looking for some
vehicle in which to star, and shall prob
ably 90 out for myself within a few years
Meanwhile-well. if I duplicate this chick
en- order and begin again, will you have
some with me?''
Like q female John Drew-sans the nose
and squint-stepped from the frame of a
characteristic John Drew play. Pauline Hail
inpresses a visitor primarily with her ao-
solute plaeidity; her freedom from wor-
ry. Nothing seems to disturb or ruffie her.
As did Mark Twaiu's humorous highway
man, she takes life easy and shows it.
Il am in vaudeville for good, she re-
marked TO Times man one day last week
Il have liked the work ever since l began
il and am not inclined 10 return to my old
field because OF any fanciful dignity that
may cling about the legit.' To me, there
appears TO be little difference between sing
ing an operatic selection in a music hall
aud singing it anywhere else If there is a
difference the benefit goes TO the performer.
who draws even more salary for her labors
and devotes about one third of the time TO
them. A great deal has been said 70 me
regarding the behavior of audiences in the
continuous houses. and yet l have always
been quietly listened to and heartily ap-
plauded
THE principle seems to be a universal
one. No woman is likely 10 be insulted in
the street so long as she does not court in
sui. and an entertainer OF any merit or
reputation can generally command those
before her. The shows themselves sFe
much cleaner and more respectable than
those witnessed in other theatres There
are rules for folk engaged at the resorts
OF Union Square. New York, that would
mean the elimination OF the entire per-
| formanees il they were put in effect On
| Broadway. At Keith's, for example, the
word damn Is absolutely barred and I
am the only woman who ever wore tights
| on the stage Of that place OF amusement.
| All this is most pleasant. and acts as a
| prop to my resolution to remain where j