The sun., 1909-01-03
WILLIE COLLIER, HE WORKS
OJJiLR ACTORS MAY PLAY,
BlT HE NEVER DOES.


manager, who has never even had a milo
attack u plot. His classification as q
NoGD. who as you know are fist Icousin.
to the Mahatmas and fifth removed from
the Earth Bound, is due TO the fact thai
Ike them he dovotes much time to soil.
fud' and meditation, Every night for
half an hour before the curtain rises, with
makeup on and cares removed, he sits in
Us dressing room thinking, thinking
thinking merely that and nothing more
Vie assures Sun reporter that this prac-
tcn has helped him immensely.
If It did nothing else than get me in
touch with things and, TO use an abused
term, into the atmosphere Of the theatre,
should he more than repaid for anything
! might have to sacrifice" he says. at
j. during the half hour give up to medi-
riion that Iprepare the constant changes
that a farce undergoes while it is sup
loscd to be finished
You hear lot about actors playing.
some Of them do, / don't | work. A
farce is never written. II is merely re-
written and the presentation of its first
night and that Of six weeks later are
scarcely related-merely held together by
the fact Of having the same cast and the
same title"
Mr Collier is sitting while he talks on
the short flight OF steps that lead from Mr.
Newmann's Office at the GarTick Theatre.
lie has just lighted his first cigarette for
the fifth time and has the same dog sit
ing by his side Hc weaves back and
forth while he spins his web Of talk and at
no NJ il,
unlined face becomes a network Of hu-
morous, orisscrossing wrinklets.
Without undue egotsm.- he says.
Il believe that | may consider myself
the most notorious Jack the Ripper OF
sage annals. l have done more than
any one else | know to separate with
anatomical correctness the play from
any possible thread of connection with
its title
There are lots Of people who contend
that the success of a piece is at least
Iartly due TO the fact of its having catch
ing and appropriate title. That may be,
hut leave IL TO you If there ever was a
piece that had a more misleading label.
The Patriot! No one would know before
he saw II what kind oil a play il was and
] n absolutely certain that he wouldn't
know a'terward.
y Hartley Manners. who helped write
it, must have had conscientious scruples ,
that didn't share. for there were reams of
real good patriotic talk. but it al! got lost
IN the shuttle. | remember distinctly
Mr. McIntyre's expression when he saw
the manuscript Of his lines for the first
time and had to climb on a chair and look
over its bulky proportions to converse
with me. Before we got in working con-
H'ion he could carry it around in one hand
and use that hand freely.
This isn't any criticism on the con-
o'ructIOn OF the play: il is merely told TO
'I1s'rate the difference be: ween the farce
aud other kinds of plays The other kinds
"hou they are once licked into shape re-
main So, with purely minor changes per-
AupS, for a run of two hundred or three
hundred nights; farce is constantly
tered even from night 10 night, till lit
Il" OF the original matter is left.
There is one unfaing rule. You must
keep your audience amused all the time.
80 amused that they don't stop to say to
each other How silly that is, or TO look
politely bored at your attempts at humor.
After they get home and sit down in front
"' the ga log the incongrIities Of certain
situations may return TO them and thew
may depreolte their mirth, but if YOU
can carry them with you for the time
+, ~ i all that is necessary.
\ farce isn't Intended for scientific
ard psychologic dissection in cold blood
Il is intended to make you forget for a
- M 70 h. = Al.
mood ct comes after a hearty laugh.
Ihe rehearsal of a farce accentuates this
Il difference.
You are in reality discounting tho :
'ut". You are preparing for things
'ntt yon hope will happen. For instance,
] rememher rehearsing once and saying U
90 on" Of the new members after he had a
SPOKEN line.
Come over here and wait for the Il
ll-l.' h
II" said What laugh not realizing 6
'he sarcasm of that intcrrogat ton.
What laugh. indeed 1t was tho laugh a
We hoped for-and perhaps didn't get. u
Ihe-" j. no like tragedy in the ordinary
'"''hrs1L That is reserved for the d
"r.a Kind Of amusement Of which we b
ar" 81 nahiug. il
! farce should be played as seriously 81
rs 'Hamlct.' Perhaps this isn't n spe- n
aIIY apt comparison. for there are many
iian''s' that are funnier than a farce
I'D ever he if ii tried all night, and there Sc
'" tarcos more deadly serious than the d,
most melancholy Danes best attempts W
I' u will have to do. for can't think of
,'y.hng better at the moment 4
! mean that the audience must alwavs 81
.gh a' you, not with you The minute ~
ol N"gn TO take them into your con- tn
'"no" and say by word or gesture Now in
r"raro, I'm going to be awfully funny l,
81 tina, minute you spoil the very effect w
"l arc trying TO produce. Fl
Wien you walk down TO the footlghts
'i begin TO laugh you take the edge of. m
~" audience gets worked up 10 the ex
CHING point and then If your story or dc
.-'9o-s isn't up TO the high mark that kI
'..ve prepared them for you have an en-
r"u'Zed them and you have got double fir
"|. 10 got them back 10 the point they Di
r" at when you stopped. We
Ihore are two ways of playing a an
''"". the quick and the slow way. You let
n'" 10y that wireless telegraphy which bl
way, exists between the stage and the tn
.d'orIm whether your audience is M
iai.. tft ba arnusa5 or yn,,sf bo uyaLoJ 49,. no