New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-15

dinavtans, dropped his his IN battle hymn It
caused almost a panic.
We soon saw that without Irish actors these
Irish plays were doomed to failure. We realized
that must take some OF our own countryrnen
and educate them for the stage This at first
seemed impossible because in Ireland there are
extremely few who have the leisure for such an
experiment. After all our project at that time was
only experiment
Let US go to the clerks and the shop girls one
Of said and train them for the stage after their
work hours. Let try.
we found the task far easier than we expected
It was only another evidence OF the spirit OF in
teuectuaI unrest which pervaded all classes We
formed company. and rehearsed at night our
first plays were chiefly one act productions and
only required q half dozen performers. yet 7 am
sure we put more time on these productions than
many Broadway managers on long plays. We were
not working for money or fame We were working
for the love Of country"
The dramatist became enthusiastic over his
subject that he had half climbed the chair on which
he first rested his foot. He On brass
bar Of the bed. and was apparently entirely obiv-
ious OF any uncOmfOrtableness. With his right
hand he emphasized each sentence with d grace
which showed him to be much an actor as a
playwright
THE English actor. and perhaps the American
too. in learning a play, spends the first twenty
days on the positions and poses and eight days on
the speech. Our actors were accustomed to spend
a month the speech and a week on the poses.
=
he spoke it uncoHscousIy and with unfettered fer
vor Then ii that founded the Irish Ma
tionaI Theatre Society, in which irish plays were
played as well written by Irishmen. From that
time on our work succeeded. We even went to
London and filed the Queens Gate Hall. which
though not exactly a barn can boast OF few OF the
glories Of the ordinary playhouse. The LOndOners
gave US good box receipts and the press Us
graciOusly.
Il suppose you wonder how our actors could be
actors and shop people, too don't suppose II
would be possible in America. Nevertheless. our
company often played in villages several hours
ride out OF Dublin evening. and each per
former would be back work the day. I re-
member one instance as an ILLUSTRATION We were
to produce Kathleen NJ HOulihan.' play Of Irish
peasant life Il Is only one act. and has cast Of
i've one set OF scenery is sufficient. and II Is as
out 10 the village OF LOUghrea- County Galway.
three hours out Of Dublin Il was holiday night,
SO We arrived time. and had rehearsal N the
village hall before the performance The whole
village was there to US. and had their ap-
pIaLse throughout. Our company stayed IN the
Village that night. rose az the next morning. and
back at work as II they mad remained in
Dublin the whole night
Tine plays that produce are not in Gaelic
but English Nevertheless, movement has sprung
up. which is due 10 tie Gaelic League a. well as
to our Efforts 10 produce Irish plays IN the ancient
irish language Or. Douglas Hyde president OF
the C;1eIir League has written several plays.
which have been produced IN Dublin with great
success PLAYS in Gaelic have also been produced
ip many parishes Of Ireland under the auspices OF
I'athoIc priests. Most ot these dramas nave Teen
v-ritTan bv Father Peter O'I.eary- Indeed. Dublin
uvf,s in .4Ead bv Gaelic companies recently and
to+t, drew crowded houses. one play al the to-
1Juda drew nightly audiences OF 400 persons Out
- tba 4 90 go inhabitants OF Ireland. only tryp
m the western counties speak Gaelic in their