Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-16
His Life Told by Himself.

His Life Told by Himself
 At number IS Boulainvilliers in Paris is the dwelling of Monsieur Got, house almost buried in trees end shrubs. We open the door of the garden, which causes a bell to ring. An old woman with dogged air comes to meet us. She has been in the ser- vice of His 'tdoyen' of comedians for many years. While still grumbling she bids us enter the dining room, saying, M is either not up yet, or ne is dressing. Have you cards 2"
 One minute passes and Got him. self appears, dressed in long gar- ment originally black, which falls to his feet. His hair is so white, and face So smooth, he looks like some good village priest, but priest with . singularly bright, mischievous eye. This ecclesiastical look almost cost him his life. It was during the Com mune. Got lived in London as dtrec- tor of the troupe from the Comedle Francaise. He and his comrades were trying to earn some money at this most strenuous period, by giving sev- eral presentations in different cities. The Comedie had not one sou to spare. Got was obliged to go to Paris to reg ulate certain business matters. His to leave the capitol when he fell into the hands of the Commonards. Who are you, and where are you going ? they demanded" 'T am Got, the Pres- ident of the Comedie Francaise, and I am going back to London
 ''Youi Goti nonsense, we know you we'll you are the curate of Sainte- Marie dus Batignolles!"
 Got defended himself bravely, as- suring them he had never been a cur ate in his life. See for yourselves. he said, I have no tonsure! But to no avail. They took this gifted comedian to the Place du Troue. and left him in company with several prisoners. At the end of the day they took him from his strange prison. Since you are an actor. you must be able to re- cite for us. Go ahead now and spout some poetry, which Got did so won derfully, that they were at once con- vinced and liberated him. The Neu- tenant, who commanded the confed- crates in this place was Italian, and 1t was also because Got knew this lang uage so well and could plead his cause with him so successfully in the Italian tongue that he was set at lib erty. The President of the Comedie adores to tell of his recollections of other days. Strange anomaly, he pre- fers to speak. not of his wonderful theatrical career. but of the time when he was a soldier in Algiers. Then his face brightens and he takes military attitude as he recalls the years of his youth in Africa. I had as brigadter, said he, Gerard. the famous killer of lions.
 Wait,-I will read you some extracts from my diary which I kept twenty years ago, about my life and the theatre, my ideas have not changed since then
 M. Got returned with a small copy book in which were compiled notes of the theatre. It was with i'll concealed pleasure that he turned the leaves, reading first of his existence in the province of Constantine, the sensa- tions, experienced in his first en- counter with the Arabs and his life afterwards. Then came his return to France, of his examination. Would l be received, he wrote. was l gifted enough? We all know how Got was received and that he was not long making a world wide reputation We will skip his theatrical career which all the world knows. Here said Got is what I have tho't and still think of the theatre *
 In the first place has the comedian need of intelligence to succeed? Not at all sometimes the less intelligent they are the better they succeed 1 dosnot need to name those who are in this category, you know them as well as I. The unintelligent comedians go right on without any fear, because they are sure of themselves. If they were more intelligent they would hesi- tate to interpret such an author for sidered then, it is better that the