The times., 1899-12-03
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.

CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.
Like J. NJ. Barrie's elder of Thrums, Jo-
seph Holland, is "a wee MIGHT deaf" That
afliction, the existence of which is known
to a majority of play actors and pIaygoers,
has not affected his work in any way, but
certainly it renders difficult the task of
the interviewer. In a far-remOte corner
Of the Arlington's lobby last Wednesday a
reporter succeeded in suggesting an inter-
esting monoIogue to Mr. Holland without
publishing his enquiries prior to printing
them Once the aforesaid mOnolOgue was
commenced there ceased TO be reason for
vocal effort on the part Of the newspaper
man. The comedian is among the most
brilliant and entertaining of takers. while
his understanding Of Just what ma ter is
most available for writing almost prompts
the belief that he himself al some distant
period. may have figured as scribe
My brother and [ ended our starring
tour" quoth Mr. Holland, in response to .
question. for reasons that may be eX-
planned easily Chief among these was the
difficulty We experienced in getting vehi-
cles of a suitable sort. a Social High
wayman was fortunate and an unfOrtu-
nate accident. Ii was unfortunate because
the piece was so adequate 70 our needs that
there never was much prospect OF our I'M
proving upon the work. In stage matters,
as in literature and other branches, one
may begin at mediocrity and climb up; or,
even may begin at mediocrity and remain
there but one cannot afford to start with
/ excellence and crawl down. Neither Ned
! nor l have ever read another drama that
/ would have given Us the opportunities OF
! "A Social Highwaymau. In this, as may
| be seen, the primal selection was unfortu-
nate.
1.-The benefit was more evident. The adap-
/ tation-'A Social Highwayman' was taken
from a noyel-made our regulations. But
after the play had run its course, we found
| that it was not easy to procure successors
in which there We're two male roles OF bal
anced strength. This did not touch Ned
( personally and it did not touch me. Ned
was quite willing to retire into some small
/ character part il the drama had a chance
10 my liking and l would not have OBJ
jected to bits Of twenty lines apiece had
the Cffering provided openings for my
brother But the public was not willing tC
let either sacrifice to the other. TheatregO
ers wanted 10 see both of us at our best
If you go to a circus in which some aero
pat is advertised TO stand on his heaC
five minutes YOU are not satisfied until b.
has done so. Hello, you say, wasn't tha
fellow TO stand on his head?' Yes, j
the answer. He hasn't. But the fea
which he is accomplishing now is hun
dred times as difficult. i know. you re
ply. restlessly. Still be was advertise
TO stand on his head, This uucOnsciOu
sentiment forbade that We should appea
in roles Of unequal Importance.
AS I have said, it was absolutely i'm
possible to secure vehicles in which ther
were strong parts for two men. We coul
not even get a work in which there wa
a good lead and a nOt-tOO- -unsympatheti
heavy. Or. if we did manage to secur
one. the prospect for duplicating that wa
small We STAYED of the end for a seaso
with Col Carter of Gainesville and p.
SuperluCus Husband When those wsr
worn out we contracted with L. Mario
Crawford for version OF DR.. Claudlus
While the dramatiZatiOn was in rehearsa
We saw that there was no probability O
il being a success. We produced il, how
ever. and the result was the most pro
nounced failure of the year. 'Dr. Claudi
us lasted precisely a fortnight. We ha
a farce. entitled a Bad Lot and IL prov
ed true to its title. Ned nursed some ide
of adapting A. Conan DOyle's stories. H
would have played Sherlock Holmes an
should have been Dr. Watson. Tha
pIan fell through. Then a Washingto
newspaper man offered US a transcripio
of The Silence OF Dean Maitland but ia
product had no Jheatric value. So. finally
we separated and Joined the forces q
charles Frohman. We may be Stare
again. but not together.
Tell me, quoth the reporter. are yo
eongenially situated in farcical roles?'
rT-Trar1 chr1rugaf zhouIdar
slightly. well, D." be said, after a mOmen
there are things that I like better. But
have explained to you our difficulties. Wha
can be donc?
A Times man smiIingly told Eleanor Rob
son that he had tried in vain to place he
/ after Witnessing Monday nights perform
ance of Arizona
Miss Robson, clothed becomingly in
, dressing gown Of some soft. blue stuf
laughed a little 4 have no doubt ths
you made the effort she replied, and
; am not Inundated at your failure. Candid
" I have never visited Washington befor
] | Parhaps | should be ashamed to make Oh
) confession. but 1 am speaking truth, never
| tbelass | have been on the stage only
/ friae over two years Ny mother, Made
: Carr Cook. was playing with /. Danu
FrayIev in San Francisco about 1897, an
. | went out 10 California to join her. My dt
but was made in the tiniest Of parts wit
: | Mr.. Frawley.
1 subsequently, Gladys Wallis came Ea
3 to Join William II. Crane. and. almo
5 without warning, I was put into her plac
t The experience was a trying one for IA
2 | recruit. but / seemed to get through il vel
well. Next I went to the Salisbury StoC
Company. Manager Salisbury. YOU knO'
b was The Wellington OF Mr. Frawley.s s Nj