The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-22

From the New York Post.
~ URING the warm months theatres
are mostly under lock and key
- Their only hustle springs from
painters who refurnish the proscenium
prove the "gridiron." There are neith
or plays nor audience, and rehsarsals
come only with the waning of sum-
mer. Meanwhile, where are the play
ers? With regard to some of them
the public is kept well Informed.
Their comings and goings are chron-
icled, their habits and diversions
bulletined A Is taking a motor trip
through France, B is at his country
home on the sound, C is furnishing
good advertising by his presence at
some hotel. In such wise does the star
commune with nature the while he
steadily plays part before his mid
summer audience.
But what of the rank and file? All
winter they have been telling us that
the carriage waits without, m lord. Or
they have been vinegary mothers in law
or stern fathers, or sophomore younger
SOILS, eIlultSSiy lCCdiii6 POiiieo n.y.
the insatiate stellar NAV. For them
there are no automobiles and motor
boats. And there Is small chance to
work, for the number employed by
summer stock companies is almost neg
ligible. Therefore they linger in the
metropolis.
They maneuver like yachts jockeying
at the start of race-drifting. tack
ing, backing, and filing. killing time
in various ways till the starting gun.
1t is hard to realize that these are
really people like ourselves. Lamb re-
marked: 1T Is with some violation of
the imagination that we conceive of
an actor belonging to the relations of
private life, SO closely dn we identify
these persons in our mind with the
characters which they assume upon
the stage" None the less one stares
at them with the same vague curiosity
he feels in the presence of a celebrity
AS for them, they are serenely Olym-
plan; the rest of mankind is on a level
far beneath. AS in primitive society
the local and professional topics are
banded about by word of mouth. In
point of gossip group of idle actors
is like New England sewing circle;
the resemblance ends there.
1t is the liking for companionship, as
we'll as the opportunity for making en-
gagements for the next year, that
draws the player to New York. Broad
way is. the rallying point, a lodestar to
the Thespian. The town is meat and
drink to him; he loves its bricks and
walls. It's cacophnny and glitter. TO
him the bity means actual life, whereas
trees and daisies and cows mean moth
ing but so many trees and daisies and
cows. Comus-like surroundings make
no stage to his liking Indeed, they
bore him. But at least he has the
merit of admitting this frankly, unlike
some Janus minded individuals who
rhapsodize about Mature" There is
nothing essentially shameful in regard
ing a grazing cows as planked steak
in embryo. The actor is fond of a
good dinner, but of good fellowship
most of all. So there be friends about,
IL matters not who has to pay for the
repast. Goldsmith long ago hit off the
unemployed player.
II am sorry, sir that a person of
your appearance should labor under
difficulties" 90 sir" returned he, my
appearance is very much at your SER
vice; but, though l cannot boast of
eating much, yet there are few that
are merrier; II l had 10000 year
should be very merry; and thank the
Yates! though not worth groat, I
am very merry. STILL If I have three
pence in my pocket, never refuse to
be my three-half -pencer and II have
no money, I never scorn to be treat
ed by any that are kind enough to pay
my reckoning. What think you, sir.
OF a steak and tankard? You shall treat
me now; and I will treat you again,
when l find you in the park In love
with eating. and without money to pay
for diuner.v
There speaks the play-actor himself.
It IL impossible not TO feel 4 certain