Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-27
"HOGGING THE STAGE"
A Phase of Human Nature That in
Manifested in Various Places.

| Manffested In Various Places.
| Wont you please tell me-" she said. after
| they had watched the villain ruthlessly pur-
sue the heroine through four acts. with the
hero close and painting second, what a
| paragraph In The Star meant about a cele-
brated actor whose penchant was to hog
IT when on the stage? Did he bring little
pig with him?'
| No, Miss Innocence" he answered
that particular actor nor any other given
to the 'hogging' habit. was not ACCOMPANIED
on the boards by porcine. four-legged
piece Of ham and pork tenderloin
Human nature. you know, Is about the
same In all PARTS of the world, among all
races Of man. and is exhibited In all call
| lngs and places. And actors on the sta ee
are no exceptions to the rule. 1t is an ex-
emplihcation of taking advantage Of the
| main chance by some who have the temer-
| ity or the position, by virtue of their rank
\ in the company, Ito do So
| An Illustration of temerity lies in this
| brief history to success: A rather nrettv
| anf very bright and iva cious little actress
| was one of the leading members Of q van
deviile stock company playing in this city
| couple of seasons ago. While here con-
sututlng one OF a semi-circie OF a chorus of
damsels, she was given to the habit under
discussion. and she would break In upon the
song or the act of fellow member with
smirks and funny twistfngs of the features
and smiles, or with frisky kicks and swish
OF skirts, according to the character of the
song or sketch she was forcing herself into.
VI course. she had no superior right to
DO this little side performance over the
other members Of the company, and If they
mad all been seized with the same ipclina-
ton you might picture what the stage
would have resembled. But it was her vay
ana as she was general favorAe it was
overlooked by the management and she
1rohcked at will. during the time she ap-
peared here. 1t gave her, of course a local
reputation, and she received eli ara 10
applause.
Last season the young lady was engaged
10 appear In d incorporating part in Bos-
ton theater. But the audience could see
her all right, and that was all she needed
me frst night Of that show was a revela-
tion whoever else the audience may not
nave seen on the stage. they saw her. She
put her Washington training into evidence
with a vengeance greater than the aged
Iather demands in the piece are at pres
ent witnessing. She smirked and grinned
ana cavorted when the opportunity present
ed, that took the breath away from her fell
low members on the stage. They didn't
know what they were running up against
but found out the next day when the critics
Said that this brilliant-hued little girl from
Washington was the success of the piece
Ihere were heartburnings among the lady
members sufficient to rae the theater to
the ground, but to no avail. She had won
her success. and the theater-goers of the
nub worshiped at her shrine. while the
management gave her a big salary. got
contract, and begged for the sake of all she
reVered not to get sick but to show I'D
every performance
MS little lady proved herself genius
at 'hogging the stage, as she made herself
Famous In a single night.
Actors fully appreciate the advantage to
De gained by hogging the stage or their
parts and will do at every opportunity
Much ill-feeling results, but nevertheless
they will do 1t. 1t is an acknowledged thing
ana an undisputed right for the star to hog
the stage. his part and the entire play,
predicatlng his privilege upon the fact that
ne is the star and that the public come to
see him and not the rest Of the company
This phase OF human nature is exem-
pilfied In the actions of the man who hogs
the end seat in a street car or the entire
seat In railway car with his baggage and