The San Francisco call., 1909-05-30
By WALTER ANTHONY
? MADE my first appearance in San
Francisco" said Rose Coghlan
go - -. 5c-n.


vanity. three years before that
In cradIe?" asked this merry au-
tumnal woman.
Sure" said ].
you're a mere babe in arms" she
concluded with much 5nality, and hav-
ing thus got well acquainted she told
me TO get out, while she changed her
gown. You don't want TO sketch me
in the same finery that the other news
papermsn who preceded you has put in
his picture, do you2"
NO. grandma said I, retiring meek
" before this charming woman who Is
not ashamed OF her years. and who
doesn't look EN-. either.
While Artist Rorhand and I waited
at the portals, the former deplored the
impending change He said he liked
the blue wrapper with its lace and
fzings, and ] thought so. too-not
knowing anything about the matter
But when she appeared it was in
street gown, and with 8 hat that I
took to be a great creation. How
ever. you may see for yourself
This is the third today" she said
with mock resignation
The third what?" 1 inquired
Interview" she responded.
Horrors" said I. thinking Of that
limit which must obtain to any
woran's powers Of speech
Don't worry" said she with sweet
reinsurance. I'm only just started"
And then
Talk about an Interview, / give you
my best word Of honor that I sat with
my mouth open and the first word al
ready framed for three quarters Of
an hour waiting for chance 10 say
something.
What were you wanting to say%'
she asked at the close of a monologue
that grouped everything theatrical in
America
Alas. had forgotten. Ny mind. as
salarino says to the Merchant of Ven
ice. was tossing on the ocean" of native
drama II had been waited hither and
thither like argosies under portly sail.
and she had been the somewhat er-
ratio bat mostly interesting pilot. I
had clean forgotten what it was that |
wanted TO say. so the interview,
luckily. remained a rapid fire mono !
logue, and Rose Coghlan, who is Mrs. 1
Jennings at the Van Ness theater to |
John Drew's Jack straw. continued:
<l-rHAT was in 1879, did I say?
Wen. sir. it was the old Baldwin
stock company. and great times
we had. What has become OF Stock
well? Is he still in the city2 Must
look him up. He was a grand come
dian in his day.
And that reminds me. Do you real
ize that this role I'm playing now is
the first low comedy part that 1 have
ever assumedg Didn't think 1 could |
90 it. did you, after being Rosalind. I
Peg Wellington. Viola. Lady Teazle. |
Nance OIdfeld and Lady Macbeth? On. /
yes Lady Macbeth. When I was 1s |
years old the manager of the COM
pany in which ! was playing assigned
me to play the tragedy queens role.
Imagine st., I said to him: In heavens
name, how old do you think I amZ |
lie looked me over critically and /
drawled-he was an Englishman and |
had to drawl, Of course. else this /
wouldn't be a good story-wen, he /
drawled. oh. about five and twenty. I
fancy
He presented me with nine years
that didn't belong TO me at all.
That's always the way. An actress
is eternalIy older than she is People |
think that because they saw me play |
ia 1879 1 must be more than 30 |
years old. Isn't it absurd? But / did |
play Lady Macbeth with Barry Suln- |
van when I was only l9.
kiDERHAPS now I'm going to get
DMfe's berth. I am selected for the
stock company which is going to
do things at the New theater in New
York. It's going TO be an interest
Ing experiment. OF course, with the |
directorate made up OF the multimiI-
lionaires, most Of whom are back Of the /
Metropolitan opera company, the ele-
ment Of profit and loss is not going |
to be particularly vital If they lose |
money nobody viii care an awful lot /
and II they make money Il Will be /
a sign that the worthy in the drama |
OF this country is coming into its own.
New plays win be staged by native
writer's. the classics viii be revived on /
an elaborate scale. and nothing un-
worthy of serious consideration, /
whether IN the realm Of tragedy, or
comedy, OF farce. even, viii be given
a place on the stage OF the new thea
ter. The fact that the Shuberts are
associated as business directors, how
ever. viii insure. am told, the small
est loss possible and the biggest gain 1
when the public likes to work.
George Foster Plstt, who is to be
The stage director, is in the city now.
ssa't he?"
Yes" said ]. he is at 1
I must meet him." she said. "and
talk things over with him. Mercy on
us, but he's going TO have the time
of his life trying to keep US old stars