The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-29

his shotgun.
In the curtain speech which Arthur
wing Flnero, the English dramatist.
made at the first performance of his
new play, Lefty he suggested that
the drama should be taken more Sc
riously, and that it should be ranked
IN Importance ahead of dinner. at least.
re suggested that prospective patrons
indulge in a high tea" late IN the aft
ernoon, that they might be in time
Tor an early curtain at Z o'clock, say,
and then have their dinner after the
theatre.
Most Of the newspapers made fun Of
the suggestion. and one Of the principal
theatrical clubs, wishing to ascertain
the drift of public opinion ON the ques-
ton. sent out SEQ circulars. securing an
amusing variety Of answers
Sir Charles Wyndham SAYS the Gus
tain should rise at the convenience Of
the public. and fall before they are
bored.
George Bernard Shaw. the author and
critic. says that in the case of the great
majority of plays the curtain should
not rise at all He adds
There is no difficulty in the re-
mainder- If 1 were allowed to cut PIN
eros plays he would reta late By cut
ting mine and Barrie and II. A Jones
would operate upon one another in the
same manner"
wooden Grossmith says:
AS an actor I would say the cur
tain should rise at O'Clock and descend
al 10 O'Clock; as one Of the public /
would say it should rise at o'clock and
go down at II o'clock
On the whole the vote repeats the
general conviction that dinner must be
considered before the drama.
Joseph Jefferson has this story to
ten Of an incident that occurred at
Buzzard's Bay. near his favorite fish
ing grounds last summer. The hero
was a storekeeper who amorg various
things. sold fishing rods. For the pur-
pose of advertising them he had a large
rod hanging outside his shop with an
artificial fish at the end of it. Late one
night a toWnsman VINO had been dining
bit too well happened to see this FISH.
He looked at it. then vert cautiously
10 the door and knocked gently.
Who's there2" demanded the shop
keeper from an upper window.
sinh Don't make a noise. but come
down as quietly as you can" was the
reply.
Thinking something serious was the
matter the man dressed and stole down
stairs.
Now, what's the matter?" he in
Hist Pull your lire in quick: you've
got bite!' admOnished the bibulous
one.
At enc Of Sir Henry Irving's perform
ances of Dante last week. two women
IN the audience seemed Unconmonly in
terested in the scene in he'll where two
traps in the stage suddenly open. show
ing a defunct cardinal enduring all
manner Of torture, as he lies strapped
20 the trap. The exacU effect of this
scere was admirably described by one
Of the women. who. turning to her
friends exclaimed: "I always felt sure
hell"
Senator Depew, i'm the Gays OF his
specifying glory. used frequently TO
turn to the stage for humorous exDeri-
ences with which to regale the ban
quCt-filled guess hanging upon his
words IN never forget" he would
cay on these occasions, striking his ia
vCrite attitude che stately super in
powdered wig and silk stockings who
stalked, chin In the air. UPON the stage
TO answer the earTs question. WHO'S
there Toe super should have said.
The boy, my lord. but what he did
say was The lord. my boy
Then there was another super, I'M
like the former one-a super eelf-pos-
seSsed and ambitious. This chap. after
years of stage life. had not yet pro-
crossed beyond a part consisting only
Of a meaningless line or TWO. He was
hungry for applause and at last he
determined. at all hazards. to get it, So
one night after he bad said his usual
solitary eeutenCe of The carriage
waits he stalked to the center of the
fcage, Glowing the star to one side,
and, striking himself on the chest, he
proclaimed in a loud voice:
And permit me to add. sir, that he
fr1cA
save in the name CT kindness, is un-
worthy Of the name of gentleman
That brought down the house, but
the poor super lest his place on ac-
count Of it,"
Jessie Bartlett Davis hasn't the least
patience with the actress who objects
TO wearing tights. She said so the 9th
er day. when two young women of the
Erminie' chorus threatened to resign
# they were compelled to appear as two
little tightly fitted vivandieres.
whenever / see anything like this 1
want TO draw the entire company OF
girls into line and lecture them When
viii the stage women learn that it is
not the role, but the woman that makes
the tights obnoxious or respectable?
The real actress loses herself in her
role, whether fl is an emotional lead
she is French soldier in her giisten-
ing uniform, and the tights are forgot
ten. She is not a woman in boys
clothes but a hoy at heart as well
rs in tights II is when the woman
forces her personality to notice above
the tights that they become noticeable
and questionable. There are young
women who can carry tights with absO-
Lutte dignity. and there are girls who
can raise lace-trimmed skirts couple
Of inches with a gesture that makes the
lingerie indecent. Clothes cannot make
the man nor tights the woman. The
real woman was there before the
tights."
just how much Of the credit for the
success Of a play is due the author and
how much the actor is a question NOT
easily determined by an auditor Rich
ard Mansneld expressed himself i'm a
Characteristic vein the other dav on
this subject. and he speaks out OF the
experience or an artist who has made
many plays appear strong which with
out his inspiration. finish, and life
might have seemed rather slim pick
ings.
Yes, we hear again and again that
an actor has made q poor ulav sue
coed. said Mr. Mansfeid. "but I have
never yet seen the cleverest actor make
q success out of a bad play. The actor
IS, after all, but the creature Of the
playwright. and often receives both the
praise and the blame which belong TO
the author On the other hand nv
motto has always been. if you will ex-
cuse the language, II faut excuser I
vauteur, by which 7 mean that an
actor can give strength TO weak lines
srrf-