Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-03

WHICH Hldue quite an unexpected NIT, out
didn't want to play it when we returned
to New York. and l made bold to ask Mr..
Palmer to give me another one. l am
afraid that L hit on very bad time to
was rehearsing Miss Clara Morris.
Mr.. Palmer I said, I don't want to
play the old woman. 1 think 1 deserve a
better part.'
Madame. he said, you will play what
1 tell you to-
oh. no, SIR said.
Madame say yes
And I say no, Mr.. Palmer. Good morn
ing
Good morning. said the manager and
with that l walked out Of the theater and
years ago in The Moth and the Flame
at the Lyceum Theater New York. And
now. continued Mrs. LeMoyne, with a
twinkle in her eye, Mr.. Palmer is one of the
several people who claim they discovered
me-. Although my early stage career COW
cred simply two short seasons, and my
parts were all comparatively insignificant,
the training has been of untold benefit to
me- L was all for realism in those days, I
remember. One of my parts was that of a
maid in The Bankers Daughter in which
l played for three hundred nights. 1 had
ten entrances and five lines, and my bust
ness consisted in announcing people and
nelpng them on and off with their wraps
one night friend of mine sat down in the
front row. and afterward 1 asked him what
he thought of my performance.
Splendid he said. Your Lady Mac
peth strut was immense
II thought he was bit impertirent Int T
profited by his criticism and sacrificing
my woman's vanity, bought me a pair of
spring heel slippers. I walked as a maid
should after that: After left Mr.. Palmer
became a public reader. and as my in
come from this work was always more than
satisfactory, there was no particular incen-
tive for me to return to the stage. Two
seasons ago, however when they were
casting The Moth and the Flame at the
Lyceum Theater, In New York. Mr.. Fitch
was looking about for some one to play
the part of Mrs Lorrimer, and he Thought
| OF me- What ability 1 may have as an
acress. since l have had SO little actual ex-
perience on the stage must be largely ow-
ing TO my training monologue reader
but fundamentally to hard work / da re
say was htted temperamentaily for acting,
Tor the sowing of bushels of seed will never
produce a good crop il the soil is not sI1ita-
BILE. L have been living for a good MANY
years now with the great poets, particu-
lariy Browning, and they have taught me
stage work. During my years as reader
l had many kindly critics among nv
friends, who were of infinite value to me
remember a man once told me that I ees
ticulated too much with nv hands as T
read set to work to eliminate my self
conscious gesture till l had completely lost
my arms, as far as ever thinking of them
was concerned. That was the first step in
lhe process of standardization, which is
perhaps the underlying principle of my act
ing.
80 far as 1 am concerned nv audienoa 80
| composed of but one person and thai is the
person my lines direct me to address 7
never ne ,. iet the house feel that am conscious
OF It's presence. Now it is natural for me
70 gesticulate great deal But on the
stage don't. 1t isn't that l try not to-
But | feel SO thoroughly my part-I bring
make wrong gesture L am at once CON
sctous of it. When 1 was quite little girl
i a, gentleman ELENA who had heard me recite,
utTlul sense OF the eternal
Things? l didn't know what he meant
then, put 1 do now, and 1 think perhaps he
studying elocution, and i have come To the
conclusion that if one has a proper com
p pre- of ones lines and can really
e. rieia Inc voice will take care of Itself
20 long as II rings true and carries conyic-
tlon with it. it does not so much matter
whether the voice itself be good, bad or in
III ne IL Is the same way with acting
II one really feels his part, and has a sense
| OF the fitness of things it is difficult to do
otner than the most natural thing. and
| p per nat9raIness appeals to me as being
the acme OF the art of acting"
Wille Golfers plays have always owed
much Of their success to his own Staaa
management of them. Regarding the wors,
OF stage managers, which he had had on
.Irvinn 1I personally watching, he says:
! irving Gillette and Augustin DaIy i'm
pressed me most with their skill and re-
sources. Inc work that play producer or
sage s,'a manager has in the shaping and the
success of a play is not commonly under
stcod 1t Is his hand which places on a
play It's finishing touches. What is obscure
ne makes clear, whether it be by elabora-
u aon OF business or the Interpolation of a
nne mere or there, or whole scenes. He
tranSpoSeS, cuts, Celebrates Whether no
gees TINS himself or whether it is done at
ms suggestion, his influence is felt 1 do
NOT mean TO say that all authors are so
close to the stage or have had SO much ex-
perience In rehearsals that they under
stand the requirements, and, in any event.
welcome suggestions. But when the author
Tor example, is a novelist of distinction
self-conscious and opinionative, there ;s
Trouble If he or she does not understand the
s srase III, II Macready had Eot found Bulwer
leu or The Lady of Lyons The actor
wrote little or nothing of these plays. hui
u was MS suggestion or shaping of the
them power. The Identical material ont of
Whch Mr.. DAILY made such charming come
ales from the German in other hands might
nave proved Ineffective. Mr.. Gillette is
master hand at play CONSTRUCTING and
Henry Irving is the best stage manager
that ever walked plank.
Or course, Mr.. Irving has able assist
ants. but he is the master hand that con-
ceived the effects The stage manager
simply, as a rule, makes effective what the
author supplies There may be genius in a
Inhanuscllpt' put II Is the stage manager,
who. from experience. knows to a nicety
when scene is too long, when there is a
tribe too much sentiment and too many
words. He is not the author, but he is the
authors best friend, his next of kim"
There has been much discussion concern
ing the character drawing of the pretty
private secretary, Hyacinth Woodward. in
Heddon Chambers Tyranny of Tears"
The fair typewriter has long been a topic
Tor humorists of the pen and pencil, but
this Is the first time she has been seriously
used as a trouble-making element in a re-
fined society play.
Mr.. Parbury is novelist and Miss Wood
ward Is competent amanuensis In the
latter capacity the writer views and values
her, but she pities him because of a GER
tain tangle In the skein of his domestic
relations. FROM plying him she almost
unconsciously falls in love with him. In
real life the masculine side Of this situation
OF employer and typewriter is supposed to
be the first to be touched by the love god