The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-13

New York Morning Telegraph.
Speaking of the ~fecundity of invention
and the prolific production of plots, Clyde
Fitch has, 1 am sure. all other dramatists,
past and present, backed into the pale and
bloodless realm of innocuous ~desuetude,'
remarked the returned star. who had been
discussing a new play with the master dra-
matte mechanic of the time while Ire drank
the curative waters of foreign springs.
When l saw Fitch at Berne he was
suffering from appendicitis, and a mere
SHELTON, having lost fifty pounds off his
none too heavily feshed frame. Neverthe-
less, he was boiling over with ideas and
kept two stenographers busy recording
dialogue. He was working on four different
plays, and turned from one to the other as
from work to play.
HE told me that when he tired of a So
ciety play it was a recreation to turn to a
comedy, and again just as refreshing to be-
gin work on a serious production, and from
that to switch back to something farcicaL.
III dictates his dialogues. as he con-
siders the conversational method of com
position more natural and spontaneous.
He deteSts a wooden dialogue, and tries. by
talking his concepts, to make his charac-
ters speak like human beings. using the
language OF life, not that of books. Fitch
- SIOOS lI6 L. lie llle. he Is a DEOQl&l-
Gus reader of good plays, and labors IN
cessantly 10 master the mechanism of the
most successful productions. He has more
ideas and plays than he can work out in
years. In my opinion he will die with his
work not half done and the best part of it
will be lost.
He is improving all the time, and we
may be sure that some day he will produce
a work OF startling power and originality.
His mind is wearing cut his body, how
ever, and the few friends who have seen
him a civ are fa1T mi that h. IL 80 H.
for this world. The physicians tell him
that he must not work, but he persists in
toiling away on ordered plays.
strangely enough. the sicklier his BODY
the saner and healthier his brain. and he
told me just before my departure that he
didn't feel alive below his head. The rest
of me might as well be dead. he remarked.
when taking the baths in Italy, Fitch
had TO remain in one of the carbonic
springs for hours daily. Tsis was a sheer
waste of time, he thought. so he arranged
to have his secretary sit beside the steam
ing pool and take dictation. In this way
he began a new play of a fantastic nature
destined for Annie Russell. Fitch is am
bitious to do a play for Irving, who he
thinks has not been suited by any char
acter created for him in recent years.
This is part of his consuming desire to
be recognized in England, where, as yet,
he has not arrived. He Graves a London
success, and ultimately he viii attain il.
but not, l think, while he tries 10 write
all the plays for all the stars.
"Rostand. stephen Phillips and Sardou
have the right idea of playwriting. They
toll upon a single play until it is as near
perfection as they can make it. The result
WI ~, 81 PtIIhdhJnI quantities.
Rostand and Phillips produce literature and
SardOu masterpieces of stagecraft. Fitch
does neither. but he does attain the sue
cess Of a season. Discussing this a few
weeks ago he said that had he been born
abroad he would have distilled his dra-
matte creations into a few MASTERPIECES
but. being an American he declared.