The times., 1899-05-07
CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.

CHATS WITH THE PLAYERS.
One sultry afternoon last week when the
sun was lard at work and the oldest in
habitant was out telling about warm
weather he had experienced before the be-
ginning of summer. T. Daniel Frawley hal
called a rehearsal at the Columbia and
was drilling his players into the action and
business of The Wife" A Times man
reached the house before the second scene
of the piece had been commenced and seat
ed himself in one of the boxes for the
joint purpose of resting and of watching
Mr.. Frawley, who was leaning back in n
chair placed at about the centre of the
footlights and looking very much
like one Of the pictures to be
seen in the metropolitan Maga-
zine" over the line. Mr. Jenkins is
always very busy in the morning." The
stage was set with the interior used for
'All the Comforts of Home though a
small table interpolated for the sake OF
convenience, a section of fence, a large
oak tree, three stone doorsteps, and one
side OF conservatory occupied a portion
of the represented parlor. Miss Welles,
Mr.. Reynolds, Mrs. Bates, and Miss John
son were repeating difficult bit Of dia
logue.
After the critic had occupied his stall in
solitary grandeur for a period 4 number
of the actors dropped in. First came Geof-
frey Stein and Harry Corson Clark, next
Frank Matthew drifted front" and finally
Frank Murray Joined the party with a
young officer who is a member of the
Eleven O'clock Club. and who has had yari-
GUS interesting exploits while wandering
+l,.a Il frfTa 20
Australia in company with Robert Louis
Stevenson. Finally Charles King complet-
ed the circle. entering the box with the
manuscript OF his part in one hand End n
gray sig in the other 81 go on pretty
soon,'' he said, but / don't have to worry
about my waits in this role. George Les
lie had it before me. and he has marked
the pages all through with such notices
as Time TO get one drink and Chance to
send out before next cue.
George Leslie is an exceedingly wise
man." commented Godfrey Stein
HE reminds me of a friend once had
in the newspaper business" quoth Mr..
King That individuals name was Car
ringtoa, and he always had with him a
common map of the city. with red crosses
in ink for the barrooms.
.'Red crosses?" remarked Mr.. Clark.
Newspaper business?" suggested the
Times man.
Yes" returned Mr.. King, Il worked IN
the Office of daily journal, man and boy,
for thirteen years-did everything from
washing rollers to writing editorials
Most of his genius was expended in
the composition of such remarks as 81
Lunar and Hetty Hunt were married To-
day-no cake no comment or Ike jenkins
has repainted his barber pole and the town
looks gay-go it Ikei' said Mr.. Murray.
Everyone laughed.
Il was On Cleveland sheet, replied
Mr.. King.
when did you get into the theatrical
profession"
..Back in 1887. My first appearance was
made at Augusta. Me-, in Dion Bouci-
catIlt's Velvet and Rags After that
had a long term in the ten-twent -thirt
repertoire organizations. was for three
years at the Lyceum. supported Charles
Coghlan and Eddie Sothern and was
charter member of the Frawley Company
in San Francisco"
And your best work?'
My favorite roles and the ones in
which / have achieved the greatest sue
cess are those of Dick Fennel in Sweet
Lavender Jim in Jim, the Penman, and
Colonel Preston in Alabama ! believe
i made something of hit in The Charity
Ball. the second act of which. by the way,
was taken bodily from an old farce, called
Perfection
why did you give up your newspa-
per
He left journalism for iournalism's
good" interrupted Mr.. Murray
II quit newspaper work because
Mr. Kingi" yelled the call-boy. And
Mr.. King. who had quite forgotten about
George Leslie's comments on his manu-
script, left Shortly after the party was
further decreased in size by the loss of
Godfrey Stein. who was heard giving in
sIructions regarding love-n1aking to Mr..
King three minutes after in the second act
of The Wife"
II there is one woman on the stage
whom matinee girls are not to be blamed
Cor adoring. that woman is Mary Manner
ing. who received Times man last We'd
nesday at the Riggs and SO charmed him
that he was sorely tempted to purchase a
box of bonbons and a seat for the Satur-
day afternoon performance at the National
for the sole purpose of raving over her.
Miss Mannering is a rather pretty. girlish
woman, who is a great deal taller than one
would think after seeing her in the thea
tire and great deal more delightful
There is nothing affected or stiited about
her, she has none of the masculine inde-
pendence so usual with workers In her
sex and profession and she is more naive
and frank and earnest than half the school
children one meets
Having noticed that Miss Mannering
was registered as Mrs. James K. Hackett.
the interviewer broaehed the subject of
marriage in the theatrical world, and
found the views of his vis-a-vis on the
subject quite strong. Il see no reason why
folk on the stage should not take up the
marital yoke-if one may call il that" she
said. with a slight English accent. I'm
sure that they can love each other as hard
as other people do. And / think that a
welded couple can be of no end of mutual
assistance. artistically and in every possi-
bic way. for both can be strictly honest.
bfr. Hsckett is the best critic ] have. and
] try TO be frank with him. Things have
been that way between US for the longest
time. You know We were married several
months before anyone knew about it. The
experience was delightful. Mrs. Hackett
chsperoned us. and there was something
fine in keeping the AFFAIR secret
Doesn't Inatrimony decrease the value
of an actor or actress to her manager?"
'-lt shouldn't OF course, when each OF
the pair is starring or being featured
neither could get as much in the company
with the other as he or she would re-
ceive outside. This isn't because of the
bond between them but merely the result
OF the fact that few directors can afford
TO pay great big salaries TO two people In
one organization. There are some theatre
goers intellectually young enough to want
their fayorites to stay single-though why
l can't understand. They must know thai
one man or woman can't have the wholg
lot Of them. ] believe that this class II
much smaller than it is supposed to be
even in this country. and it doesn't exist
at all in London