The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-09
MISS CRoSMAN'S SUCCESS.
A TALK WITH HER NEW INCARNA-
TION, "JoAN OF THE SHOALS"

AtmoNphere--JOau Is a Most Iowa
bic Heroine-"Chums From the
START la Miss Crosman's Word oi
Her-The Actress Has Given Nell
Gwyn Up for Good and ms Joan
Hopes 10 Repeat Her Former Tri.
umphs.
New York, Feb. 7.-Brave the dan
gers of Niagara's whirlpool! jump from
the Brooklyn bridge; dance on the edge
of grumbling volcano; tantalize Fate
in almost any fashion your fancy may
suggest, but II you really value youI
life do not attempt to interview an
actress on the eve of a new produc-
tion. / tried with Henrietta Crosman,
and, now, calmly reviewing the expert
ence. l realize that my survival is due
either to Miss Crosman's unaccountable
| self-control or the good offices of that
| angel whose duty consists in safe
guarding young children and fool
headed elders.
Through the door of her dressing
room at the theater there came sounds
like this;
"Um- um- n m an -um- b'r-a-um!" con-
hdently. by her husband and manager,
Mr.. Maurice Campbell.
mo, indeed! Couldn't think of it,
Postively-by Miss Crosman.
"Er-um-b' I'M m M ah- I'D mn -er-um?''
Reassuringly.
II don't want to see newspaper peo-
-. "a L. on Cantttfs
cidedly falsetto and anything but
promising.
"Bm-er-um- n NIB -er-um- ----.
Hesitatingly.
mol Mo- / haven't an idea on any
subject. | don't know whether clut
women make good mothers! don't
care whether the stage elevates the
masses / know nothing but joan
| JoAN-JOANv Fortissimo with thun-
der clouds in the background.
"Er- Er-um-s't-m'm--and she has come
over from New York to see you---"
silence! The wind machine against
which l leaned creaked in sympathy
with my suspense.
Really? oh, this is too bad" Di-
minuendo and more hope-for the in
teryiewer.
well, Just for few moments, ther
yes, until rehearsal"
One glance around the dressing room
proved that 1t was a far cry from Mel
Gwyn' to Joan o. the Shoals. Dur
ing the exuberant .NelPs run in New
York last winter. Miss Crosman's dress
ing room was a thing to be talked abou
about over afternoon tea tables. Bu
now! These Whitley washed walls migh
have been transported from Joan's owl
hut. There was so much as photo
graph of the actress to break the mo
notony. Even the cover for her make
nm shelf was of ld-fashioned dimity
| starched and "crimped" In the mos
primitive style. The wig, at It's fur
thest end, was vastly different IRON
the flippant, curly affair worn at tn'
court of King Charles. Joan's hair II
thick, loosely braided and of the rieh
reddish chestnut which indicates sell
reliance and determination. In tn
Nell Gwyn days, Miss eros
man wore negligee
pink. an indescribable, but bewltch
ing affair of china silk. chiffon ant
ribbons. And now? Black heavy lus
terless black, hung with deep fiouncei
i of black lace. Near at hand, behint
the stars chair, stands Rosalind's star
handed over to Miss Crosman by Julls
Arthur.
The clothes hung against the blaei
| wall would make. the pleasure loving
| Nell shed tears. There was JACKIE
| of rough cloth in cinnamon brown
very short as to waist, very larg'
! as to sleeve, with the latter slashec
to the shoulder and fastened witt
| buttons, while on each shoulder wal
| the most absurd little epaulet. Th'
shirtwaist worn with this Is of hand
woven linen, almost as coarse anc
heavy as bed-ticking. Her best froek
donned after she wakens to desire
to please her lover, Is equally primi
| tive. of nondescript color, laced dowT
| the front with black ribbons and worr
| over a. guimpe of the same hand-wover
| linen, The one touch of coquetry Il
| given by the slippers, rich brown, II
| undressed leather, with high heels anc
enormous gilt buckles. Quaint ane
| homely, all of these garments, bu'
| with the scent of wave and its weeds
| clinging to them.
| For Joan o. the Shoals is the exact
| antithesis of the pampered "Englisi
| Nell" She is rough, unculturee
| daughter of the New England of the
! seventeenth century, an earnest, stout
hearted product Of the rugged New
| Hampshire coast--the sort of woman
| who when called upon to make, al
| she supposes, a choice between hel
love and the performance of her duty
| does not falter. She saves by her bea.
| con a boatload of people, presumably
| the pursuers of her lover. Her hero
| Is a noble from the court of Charles
| III, exiled because of a reckless duel
| who has cast his lot among the fisher
folk, won their favor and Joan's love
do you think you will ever be Sc
| fond of Joan as you were OF Nell?"
''Yes, yes! We were chums from the
| start-Joan and !. If only the public
| will like her as well as ! do. She is
SO strong, so genuine, so earnest. You
see last summer, ] went TO 'Sconsei
(short for SiasconseD OH the Island oi
Nantucket, forty miles from the coast
| Not only did wish TO be with Mrs
Sutherland who wrote my play, but tc
study the life of the fisherwomen.
First you must know something OF
'Sconset. IT is at the extremity of this
island, and the only way to reach II
is by a most primitive railroad with
runs from the town Of Nantucket
straight across the island. Actually II
that road were brought into New York
any man Of the Broadway squad could
| pick II up, cars, engine and all, ano
carry II out Of the way.
II had always imagined that life or
a. barren coast must be hopelessly dead
and colorless, but II is gloriously free
| and exhiliarating. Twas like being or
an ocean steamer. Water-water every
where, and no mosquitoes. No hotels
either.
"rhe literary people who camp there
every summer live In huts, iishermen's
huts, that smell Of the sea. and fish
| Over nearly every door is the name
board from the bow Of some Inflated
x,aesat .s.ranlfad an the iala ndfg shOrc