The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-07-26

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funny 10 us. often goes with dul. sick
eniuS hId az a performance. or OFT. a
serious line. OF what seems 10 b. one 10
US. is greeted by a shout NJ laughter.
The audience really helps us I'm our inter
probation Of a role. for by the manner in
which they accept-a speech, Y'e lasri how
q strikes them. We're rather careful in
this theatre. as YOU probably know ail the
Keith theatres have the reputation for
being, about profanity and anything
risque. We cut ont n great deal that the
author puts IN and Mr. Winter alwyys
weighs speech carefully that is at all
profane or vulgar 10 see whether or not
Il is absolutely essential. for. yop low,
some speeches or that kind give weight
to the theme or a character. and IL he
thinks the expression does not seem ne
cessary, out Il goes.
But even after the pruning knife has
been applied AZ rehearsals. the audience
often helps us decide a point For in
stane, this week. there is speech
have that had so much earnestness in it
this poor little beggar, The Imp is all
seriousness--thst IL never occurred ~ any
Of us that IL was risque. Imagine the Cod
shiver that went up and down my back
on Monday afternoon when someone in
the audience. with a distorted sense VI
humor and a mind evidently seeking such
thing. laughted AZ this line | imagined
that all kinds OF horrible things might be
wrong, and It required considerable effort
TO keep my thoughts from strayinG.
Heigho,- You just can't tell how 4 thing
is going 10 strike the audience. and there
are. I'll wager 81 varieties of audiences
Monday evenings is usually a very
critical audience and a wideawake set Of
people. PerhapsNthey catch our hrst MI ht
nervousness, or We theirs, but thare is
usually a bond of sympathy between the
audience and the actor on the nrst Night
Holiday audiences are usually enthusius-
tic. and anything that brings "a number
Of people from the big cities--liSn the
races, which Brings crowds OF pc 02le from
the metropolis--is good for the actor. for
the people big cities are not Usually
afraid 10 demonstrate their approval,
when they 'eel any"
1T Is generally supposed said Miss
MacGreRor. waiting in the entrance for
her cue during the rehearsal OF "Zsza
"thnt the success of performance de-
pends upon the actor. author and lnan-
aear That statement is true in meas.
ure. but an apprecistive and generous
audience is an important consideration.
Anyone who has ever attended q rehcar
sal will understand how true this is No
matter how gay and stirring a pla.. may
mass OF empty seats confront the PLAYERS
But hll the seats with kindly unbiased
people and the actors are filled with en-
ergy and exh!laration
That which al rehearsal was n spirit
less. dumb show all at once bursts into
life and activity. Appreciation ~ the par
ent OF achievement. Those audiences see
the best acting which encourage The actor
by hearty genial and merited approba-
;ion. The effect Is magical Haven't YOU
felt IL yourself? When the audience Is
enthusiastic. haven't you yourself found
that you enjoyed the evening more? on
the other hand cold house chills the
actor. dulls hLs spontaneity. II II told Of
an eminent comedian. now dead. that n
melancholy face I'm the audience once 40
depressed him that he stepped 10 the
footl!Rhts and the 20 the auditor I'm 1ues
ton said. 1 beg your pardon sir but IL you
don't laugh. | cannot 40 on Ibis remark
J. said 10 have been received~with such
shouts OF laughter by the audience that
the unconsciously offending SpsDtato.
himself laughed louder than anyone else
throughout the remainder of tne evening
Yet IL isn't always n cold audience that
creates an apathy among the actors some
times the audience is 80 warm-literg
speaking not hguratively-that they p,si-
lively will not isugh or applaud or give
any sign ~ iaving s.,n OF heard any
thing upon ihc stat----
s.s