The times., 1899-12-10
THE PASSING SHOW.

Probably in this country there is no
one even remotely connected with the
dramatic profession who is not in con-
tinual receipt of letters and other en-
nuiries from persons anxious to adopt the
stage as a means of livelihood These
communications find their way in large
numbers to the theatrical departments of
daily newspapers, and they are sent even
more frequently to such periodicals as
devote a deal of attention to footlight
matters The Mirror which. of course,
| really IS the organ of the amusement
business, has a column captioned The
CalIboys Comments. in which are printed
the entirely laughabIe OF the epistles men
toned. Journals OF less Importance often
( reproduce similar correspondence Briefly,
there seems no limitation to the success
sion OF asprants for Thespian honors; no
/ bound TO the range OF intelligence. educa-
tion aud natural adaptability shown by
these aspirants.
Inconsiderate as facetious allusion 10
the ambitions of such folk may appear to
be it is true beyond question that hardly
a hUndredth portion Of those Who dream
of stellar careers merit anything other
than ridicuIe, Many individuals are con-
vinced that acting is the simplest OF pro-
ductive tasks; that the power to act is
/ a possession. which, with crossed eyes and
( bowed legs may be acquired at birth. Of
/ these men and women is composed u
/ goOdly part of the aforesaid correspond
! ents. Almost invariably their notes are
| so penned as TO beJray, not only iguO-
| rance of the primal principles Of playing,
but also OF she first rules of grammar
( Certainly, arrogant egotism Of this quality
should be classed as an unfortunate dis
ease and either cured or a cure attempted
with the causJic remedies OF sarcasm and
: levity.
But small though it may be there is
( still a second variety Of advice seekers;
variety that deserves the fullest appre-
I citation and encouragement. Those who
belong TO this minority are not the victims
of vanity or Of romantic tendencies. They
comprehend the difficulties and dangers Of
the courses mapped out; understand that
while an exception may occur in q century
! the path to success is d steep one; know
that ultimate triumph is not exclusively an
/ affair OF opportunity aDd impudence. From
! the rank described came Mrs. Leslie Car
| ter Maude Adams William Gillette, and
! others whose families were not theatrical
Before reaching their goals each OF the
| three and most Of the remainder suffered
! the rebukes suggested for the apparently
! ful and discerning persons. all did step
! from obsctTity and even from poverty TO
I fame and comparative luxury.
! Unluckily. the selection of these few is
! anything but an easy matter and, result
! andy, Woldd-be benefactors are discoGrag
! ed and disguised in a majority of cases.
! Partially as consequence Of this, it has
! become the fashion OF those at the TOP 10
/ dissuade those who wish TO climb. Since
| sensitiveness and timidity are signs Of
! genius, there can be no doubt that many
promising actors and actresses have been
! set back in this way. The Cosmopolitan"
/ Of the current month contains an article
! by Olga Nethersola that already has
! brought no fewer than five wondering or
/ demonstrating letters to The Times The
/ essay in question bears the title, My
/ Struggles to Succeed, but it is given
chiefly to an argument against the adOp-
/ tion of the stage as a business Written
4 with the sch0iarliness and consideration
/ for which Miss NetheTsole is notable, the
1 screed TOO generally is either inconsist-
I enu or unreasonable. OF the hardships and
tolls of her lot for example, the player
/ speaks as follows:
do not believe and ] say it con-cientiously
/ THAT thosc Is any profession bristiinG with so
many difficulties and drawbacks the dramatic
profession and il a-tumd~ me to hear OF Huyices
IIEItit ana tNttflllIA HiIilNtilNE tNftlltll llt-
1 poets in other walks 0t lite tu take up drama
Tic career. which, Shorn OF its possibilities Chat
I only 10 4 very few, most heart
ing and spjrit-hrclkiug business One can dscribe
! the phenomenon only 90 the intense and aluriug
/ fascination of the fG0tights. More and more each
( wear do / restrain my advice 20 people who ask
IHc as Ia a stage career. except TO warn Them
not 90 try, and at tins moment az general rule,
I I do most earnestly advise everybody not Go 90
/ near ii. have many reasons for Say ing this and
7 they are TO %" found both before and behind
Es. f..fta f.H 4Hgrrrr f ..F..
/ fcuties too great 20 mako iJ desirable career
| foT average men and women. A. rule the u-
! diyiduIl endowed by nature with ability 10 sue
/ Ceen IN The dramatic profession l- quite capable
fer. and probably would succeed equally well or
even better in some other aud less wcarisom" pro
( fe-sOu.
went the stage ten years ago. in spite Of
/ the usual family opposition which. by the way
! is more prevalent in my country than ia America
wa a govgTneza before / JI actress. and
! the desire TO become an uctTts- had steady
/ growth I'm my mind. II marched with me as /
/ grew. until one day | realized the time had come
( for me TO shed the shell OF the goyene-s and try
/ to merge into the ACTRESS. shall never forget
! The dificuties had 10 contend with before was
| able 10 make my want known ina the proper dircc
tiou. Not belonging 90 theatrical family. and
! having no theatrical connections. was sh,u-
! lutciy III the dark rs to when and how 90 set out
/ ! did not eyCH belong to an amateur dramatic
! club although II Is true, my amateur hi~trjuuic
! fame was such that / was now and then requested
To take part IN some of the amateur Cub,
! performances IN the ueigEbOrhood OF mv resi-
! dence
Ii was by accident that secured my first in
! PRODUCTION TO a real, live Manager. got letter
! from a lady whose acquaintance ] made and
! who knew an actor whom She thought might
! know some manager to whom | might be intro
duced 1t full ont wished. and ! had my
/ first ray of hope when received a letter from
| the actor Introducing 10 a London Manager
| Capital VI again. The easiest thing i'm the
! world thought /, ''ls TO 60 to this theatre and
! present The letter Then came the first bitter
| ness after placing my foot on the ladder Al
! though the manager at the time was PLAYING
/ nightly in London, il took me three months to
| present the letter. and six weeks more were
/ wasted before / was ushered into his room The
| yeNatlonS and notifications ! underwent at the
| time would make a most interesting deterrent
| to the uneadowed ambitious amateur
And again:
l am grateful. But the wear and tear and cx-
| haustion eptHled 10y the accomplishment Cf 80
| much is ] believe. 700 great a price 10 paw Il
must bc remembered that he world is pleased TO
! admit that ! have had exceptional luck ii one may
use such word in connection with so much effort.
and that my experience is the experience of pco-
pie whose number may be counted on the fingers
OF one hand. What then must bc the bitterness.
diSdppuiutmeuts and struggles OF those less -le-
ces,iul: -huddcr to think, There is more dis
4 couTagtmenJ on The part uf those who might ht.
| supposed 10 help the ambitious: there are more
obstacles and there is more selfshuc~s i'm cuuuuc-
tluU with the drama than can be found even Iu
the profession Of literature. and from all can
gather, the struggles iu that profession are cruel
and bitter enough.
1t is proyerbiaIly true that every mans
/ business is the worst in the world Miss
/ Nethersole's remarks upon the great labors
and small rewards of a theatrical career
/ might be made with equal justice of all
others. The statement that "the individual
| endowed by nature with ability to succeed
in the dramatic profession is quite capable
T.Tv.