The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-01

make merry for an audience, if you be-
lieve the stories of the little ones who
make up the company of Lilliputians
now playing at the Opera House. There
are studies. and play, and sightseeing,
and between them all there is just a lit
tie time to rehearse new play or pro-
duce an old one, and the round is really
a most amusing one, too. if you believe
the same authorities
There is not another such an organiza-
ton as these same Lilliputians, for it is
old enough to have its history and to
have descended from father, and origina-
tor, to sons. who are present managers.
and more than that, 10 have grown from
the LilIiputians of eighteen years ago
to two adult companies, recruited mainly |
from the ranks of the little ones of days |
gone by, with just enough of the new |
elder star element TO make the com
panies modern. And while the little peo- |
pie of the older days have developed into |
actors in general, there are many men |
, and women in Australia who look back |
TO seasons with the Pollard companies |
as the most enjoyable pIay-days of their
; lives.
AT the thi'ty-eight children who are
making this tour of the world with the
company of pigmies now playing here,
there are thirty three girls and five boys.
Most of the boys parts are taken by
girls, the principals being IN large part
little women. The reason for this is in
I the words of the folk who are charged
4 with the care of the little people, that
! ! it is easier to control d half-dozen girls
than one boy; that one boy is more of
disturbing element than a half-dozen
girls. In TINS way it is that the parts
4 which would afford fine opportunities to
( boys are given over to the girls.
8 The little ones who make up the pres
q ent company, and in fact all the preced-
4 ing ones. come from one section of the
q city of Melbourne. In other place
q does it seem possible to find boys and
81 girls who have the same amount of
4 brightness, who take up the mimic work
y as readily. This makes it easier for the
n management, for all experiments having
q been made, the course now is to get the
n little ones from what is known to be
u their homes. Some experiments have
"a been made with the children of other
81 cities, but Sydney little ones are not am
81 bilious or Industrious, and the young &C
Is show any ability to cope with the real
II work of the stage.
n The choosing of recruits is matter
of moment They come from no partcu-
- lar rank of society, some of the children
being of good parentage and of some Tor
tune, though the most of them are almost
waits, in that their parents are not able
to take proper care of the little ones.
The standing of the company is now such
that parents constantly bring their chill
dren to the theater of the management,
to be tried out. The first thing is the
testing of the voices. This is done by
the musical director at a piano. Then
there is a recitation and some callSthen-
les to show the vigor of body, which is
as necessary as of mind. Usually when
the company arrives at home for rent
ting there is a company of thirty to be
tried and within the fortnight of train
l. ing this number usually is reduced 10
y less than a dozen. For instance, In the
z present company there are twenty-five
Z children who have been with it for more
! than a year having made the tour of the
= Orient
= once the little ones have been selected
2 there is a step to be taken which Is
Z purely formal. This is the signing of al
! agreement with the parents, by Whict
+ the company agrees to take the chllu
7 clothe, care for it in every way, pay t.
L
I month. and in return have the use of the
= cultivated talents of the child for a tern
= of from two to five years. Then steps
z in the government. In taking away iron
! the schools at an early age so many
J. the children who should be in their les
Z sons, there is possible danger TO IN
7 State, and so it is provided that Wher
Z ever the company goes there shall &C
/ company it a school mistress, who is
= regular teacher of the department IN Mel
2 bourne. The duty OF this teacher Is L
have a full hour of instruction each day
! at which time the three Rs are TO o
= taught to the little ones SO caretuL
Z is this done that there is no need OF co
7 ercion to make the little fellows stud
their lessons They want to know an
! they know that the only road to know
= edge is through the books which are be
7 fore them. They study no geography
Z for they are learning that branch wit
! the feet.
There is no sudden transition from e2
= IRENE youth to age in this training
7 Young actors either. The little ones haV
! their playthings, the many pleasures
! youth, which are priced by other youns
70 sters, and in every way become the me-
- ry children of a large family In IN
they are aided and abetted by the matro
Mrs Chester, one of the proprIetorS
the company Mrs. Chester is moth'
oto come to love her and obey, in a wa
His which is astonishing. There would
.rg- difficulty in finding a more quiet al
ISL more circumspect lot of young ones an
but where, and this too when there are
'ali, many people always about hotel
the spoil children. But they do not seem
not have had this effect upon the little pia
ood ers. They are good because they wa
lich n he lust as much as because they ha
De- to be.
And yet it is said that there is never
'os., blow struck The discipline is said to
IAN maintained without any kind OF corPofe
to punishment The method is much mo
llch effective, though for the little ones o
the come so thoroughly wrapped up in t
parts they play that they cry :hemseiv
ana to sleep and are no good for WORK
several days if they are degraded TO
.rrs ranks after they have won their way
III" front rank, or principals part; .
ro of the instances of this was seen satt
day evening. To anyone VINO sa"