Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-11
STAGE FRIENDS
WE NEVER MEET
BY 4. B. MORSE.
In the Seattle Times

A T-some time in the indefinite fu-
IA ture some one will write a play
A whose characters will be selected
from the background personages OF ia
nous dramas-the stage friends we
never meet. Ibsen, for instance, might
have unfolded an exceedingly interest
ing story built around such suggested
dramatis personae as "Dr West" who
figures so prominently by suggestion
in "Rosmersholm;" Captain Alving,'
whose personality had such sinister
influence on the characters IN
Ghosts" and Morals" father, who
was responsible for the Doll Wife's'
lack of moral perception.
Any story or play that embodied the
famous unknowns of drama would pos
sess absolutely fascinating qualities.
For example, who has not felt keen
interest in "Yorick," the merry soul
whose bright quips and jests fingered
in the memory of Hamlet, the melan-
choly Dane? One feels perfectly GER
tain that "Yorick," with all his Jovial-
ity, must have been of middle height,
quite stout, and not inclined to undue
activity. He was probably semi-bald
and red-faced, but his twinkling eyes
and humorous mouth surely offset the
outward manifestations of inward gas
tronomic oVerwork. 1 orick. like
"Maior Brace" of more recent date,
probably figured as the central charac-
ter of a decidedly cheerful funeral. AT
his obsequles also there was no incu-
bus of responsibility perched on the
coffin peering around among the
mourners, seeking pair of shoulders
on which TO alight, and surely there
was for Yorick decent amount of we
could have better spared better man"
sentiment.
And, to descend swiftly from classic
drama to comic opera, there is the case
of THE Comic Twins" in the Merry
Widow" They are mentioned but ones
in the opera, but every one who has
chuckled at the droll remarks and
grotesque costumes of "Mr. Nish" and
observed the quickly checked overtures
made by his caricature of a wife to
prince Danilo," must, before the final
curtain, have detected himself specu-
lating on the particular brand of ugli-
ness that Providence meted out TO
those unfortunate comic twins. And
while on the subject of children, it is
apropos to consider the case of the
child born to Ruth Jordan" and
stephen Ghent"-the baby that we
hear so much about in the last act of
THE Great Divide" Did young
"Ghent" grow up with an inclination
toward strong drink and a talent for
lOtdllllB SOlu IlllltSs VI ulu ne llLttlL
his mothers New England conscience?
His character, considered twenty years
later, would be quite as interesting as
that of any of the personageS to whom
we are actually introduced during the
three acts of THE Great Divide"
Reference to 1.-The Great Divide"
suggests another Henry Miller produce
tion that presents an interesting un-
known-"M "Mary's" mother in "The Ser
want in the House." We know that she
died of typhoid fever fifteen years be-
fore the time of the play, but that is
about all the author tells us OF her.
Yet her case is interesting in connection
with the suggested events that follow
the final chapter in "The Servant i'm
the House." When the last curtain
descends the Vicar, if he escapes death
in the drain, is pledged to recognize
Bob" as his brother, and presumably
offer him a home at the vicarage.
Bob" has a naturally fine character
but does not appear to be a man to
whom bath tub would appeal He is
unquestionably profane in his most
commonplace remarks and his table
manners exceed the fantastic attain
ments of the common or garden variety
of Sword swallowers." He doesn't
hesitate to tell a Bishop of Gods
church" to go to h, and he has no
objection to entering a parlor while
still covered with the muck of a sewer.
"Mary's'' high bred manner and deli
cate beauty cause us to suspect that her
mother was a most attractive woman
1t would, therefore, be satisfactory to
know something more about the mother
and how she managed to live with her
Drain Man husband. Certainly she
could give some interesting inside in
formation to the Wears wife that
would be useful to that lady in the
presumable continuation of 1.-THE Ser
want in the House"
The first wife of His House in Or
der" is another interesting unknown
In spite of her sins we cannot repress
feeling of strong sympathy for her.
And we must not forget Lord Dun
drearys brother "Tham," who was
"such fool" Every one who has seen
either of the Sotherns play "Our Amer
lean Cousin" feels that he has almost
speaking acquaintance with the un-
seen Sam.
These are just few of the interest,"
ing unknowns that stalk beyond the
reach of the footlights. Every theater-
goer has, whether he realizes it or not,
a private mental list of stage friends
that he has never met. And again and
again he has sub consciously consid-
cred their character and presumable
physical makeup while following the,
development of the play that aroused
his full interest. Longfellow mentions
CONTINUED on Page Eleven)