The Washington times., 1906-02-04

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Gated: when the old and weary
in the privacy of distant homes are
found cut and unerringly reached
with instruction by mail" when
eo-eds are abroad in the land and
any girl in her teens can give you
a paper on the most abstruse sub
ject. long before she can clear a
table or brol a chop, il seems
strange that anybody or anything
should still be in need of little
training, OF a sort Of finishing course
OF instruction. Yet actors and act
resses the land over know that life
might be pleasanter ror them if only
audiences were trained in the way
they should go. / was a small
young person in plaits when | heard
the star, James X. Hackett. who
was famous Falstaff, cry queru-
ously as he shook his fist back to-
ward the house: II wish TO the Lord
] could send a missionary out TO
those benighted heather in front
just to teach them the golden rule"
"Oh. l imagine some of them are
acquainted with it already" rather
sharply responded Dame Quickly,
whose home city it was.
Then they need a missionary to
teach them ITS theatrical applica-
tion," growled Mr.. Hackett. as he
laboriOusly mOpped the perspiration
from his wrists while his dresser
cautiously dabbed with old hand
kerchiefs at his steaming brow.
'Confound this padding and this
whole harness." the old actor num-
bled. Then broke out again. They
want 10 be taught Do We (frigid
lockers on unto others (these poor
actor chaps here) as We would have
these chaps do unto you, if you were
up there on the stage straining your
very soul to entertain and win ap-
proval Yes, they'd be a -- sight
quicker at demanding approval than
they are at giving il. And that's not
the only audience that needs mission
airy work-nO, not by long shot,
Eh? Yes-all right! Ha. ha, Ka,"
and he was hauled from his chair,
and, laughing his great, fat-sounding,
unctuOus laugh, he went rolling
back 10 the stage and his exasperat-
ingly cold audiences.
The last curtain fell and the lights
went out for J. K. Hackett years ago,
but the missionary has not yet ap-
peaTed and the public that under
stands so thoroughly its own rights,
and usually receives all that's COM
ing TO il from the theater. is still
unconscious that it is lacking in any
way in its treatment of the acton
who entertains it. and there are still
a surprisingly large number of peo-
pie who do not understand why an
actor requires more than a caTthOrse
to make him contented. A good feed
and a comfortable stall satisfies one.
but a good house, which means food
and bed, does not wholly satisfy the
other
We hear much of the influence Of
the actor upon his audience, but who
considers the influence of the audi
ence upon the actor? Yet il is most
powerful, and often the performance
is what the public causes it TO be-
The very temperament that makes
actors or actresses great in their
work makes them as individuals
most sensitive TO praise or blame
Indeed. a craving for the approba-
tiOn of others is often the unrecog-
niZed moving cause of those seeking
the stage life. There is not an actor
or actress in the land from the high
est to the very newest beginner who
cannot recall nights OF suffering
from the whim, the mood OF the
carelessness of an audience. And
right there. at that carelessness
comes in the need for Mr.. Hackett's
missionary; because the suffering is
caused unconsciously. Now on infor-
nation and belief I am ready TO de-
clare there is no public on earth so
kind-hearted, so fair-minded as the
American public 1t is never cruel.
never maliciously destructive. 1t
does not provide a manager with
kindlings split from his own bench
es; il does not hiss with the venom
of serpents and the stupidity of
geese-neither does it boo" a play
or its players. II greets all strang-
ers cordially; il is patient almost
beyond belief; it has just one weapon
of offense-silence, a chilling, freez-
ing. condemnatory silence, and such
an expression Of mind is usually fol-
lowed by absence of body; and the
first nights silence. underscored bv
the second nights absence of the
public, is sufficient FOR the manager.
He bows his head, murmurs an
L.