New-York tribune., 1903-07-30
THE sTAGEsTRUCK YOUTH.
Mrs. Kendall Describes Some Amateurs She
Has Met

BY way Of a warning to the stagestruck, Mrs.
Kendall draws interesting comparison between
professional and amateur acting in a chapter on
Theatrical Life which she contributes to The
Woman's Library" (E ?. Dutton & Coz. Accord
ing TO her the amateur dramatic artist has dis
tinct advantage over the professional, which he
evidently does not realize. since. with plenty of
means he is usually straining every nerve to get
upon the professional stage.
LIT is my lot" says Mrs. Kendall, TO meet and
receive many amateurs. Some of them TO
ask for points. to pour out their artistic long
ings some to tell me how they burn with mis-
sion, TO recite long. lugubrious poems but
all of them to speak of their grievances as anna
teurs.
Now. can only perceive the advantages that
accrue to amateurs. and if I can but make them
perceive likewise, however quantity. and thereby
restrain even a few from adding TO the struggles
Of those whose bread and butter involved.
shall have done a good deed. Not that 1 deceive
myself for one moment with thinking I shall
do so.
TERRIBLY IN EARNEST.
THE kind of amateur 7 is terribly in
earnest A short and rotund lady TO me
only last week and said she full of hidden
fires and wanted 70 fulfil herself scarlet faced
/ and nervous young talked to me not long ago
for one solid hour about his love for Art and how
/ These are random instances Of the amateurs ex-
treme seriousness He is equally serious s3 in NH, his
/ headstrong spirits? How make them content TO
TO begin with long before professional actress
tolerated. let alone being deemed f feSpecta6ie
aged by no less a person than queen Bess. The
and amateur Performances OF masques and pa
geants whereas on Ihe pun5' p5 sIage ~ b f br
( sex would have ventured 10 appear. Indeed, a
g15e d TGS vet some years later the women Of
French company that visited Englahq were s Ge, &
stage
HE: Is RICHER SOCIALLY.
DO not centuries of historical and social tradi-
tions count for anything? And to-day. is not the
amateur the richer socially for his gracious state?
II he he socially eminent already as an amateur
! actor he becomes at a bound pre-eminent: and if
individually 2 social nobody. as member of A
! somebody In professional ranks he would be
! swallowed up and lost sight OF t,, ,,o,st+t,r
! Social fiddlesticks. want 10 lead the real NE
70 to kmow " or the real Shouid sh@f 10 0ve e it All a @ |
Whenever 1 talk with the stage smltten amateur @
adn,ira his zeal his enthusiasm MS dlsint tereSt-
/ edness in the cause of what he lovingly calls Art
but never fail to 8f e at his ina bity to dgest
il of glamour and tnsel and gloss ana 70
- ieI,nTL air and superior smile that he knows
what long IehearSa5 one or two When men
,i 1S bjigstorv long rehearsals day after day in
draughty theatre he smiles agaln-
HARD WORK HAS NO TERRoRS
ia ,o,s 70 20 touring He knows a
1,t,ia, life would suit him down TO the grouno-
,o,5ld he love dirty lodgings and insolent land
ladies'? 49,, L.
Hard work would have no terrors 1or MN ne
. had hard enough work when his cIun pToCuc97dd 7d
!aI chooI for Scandal; he wished by Jqye coqId
,-.,-s eeer his Joseph. But wouId ne :
b@TTs and hours Of waiting to be called. meals
snstched anywhere and dgesteo W-65,1d his
.sjta asDres TO play broad coined MT4I" NJ l ul9
- ag 01p be IS broad il he were sick WIN sos-
ne1,se or faint with hunger oId ba +o NAV
Would the part attract MN a ILi..e Il a.,
rIs, il night after night 10 a Jullst ile III
E,;rctJ,,sly shrank from? - - -. ana
N oeo,IS 60 on multiplying instances OF IN -
,a,re ignorance Of professional ilIe ne s %%l bs
80. az 9three weeks in the year No wolCe L'l5 r5
w. W. Seb nd nj at the end. But tnIte lIlI 1. ~,
pfeSt9 in the year Of incessant "o'A Il
matter advantages peculiar n
ler,a;;eur that strike me more osr
tine am privileged 10 witness an when for some
I"iI ] Io,,r part has failed dismaly; 10 De NJ
tTHtbfuIiv to say that you aecepre1 ~ % MS Iones
y,,ice as personal favor 20 1 hiss IN
sHcnndlv how reassrrinE 10 see Eoo 80, ,on DO soIne
sta,,edS and delighte surprise |ISi a., go - noU
an esiIy weiI! Thirdly how ST sun m az 7 7n9ua lined
It IeeiIy that TO succeed at al means - bs
oeIoL Relieve me. The amateur IS ~ Tt 1ros
suT9ed5 ;ed and has solved the queslIoH ~ 'N' 49,