The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-14

o.
and II | don't get that saving .lmn..
at the third rehearsal | let I'm b..
Anything else is wasting n. rm,
and mine. All this talk g.I l",
about a good actor who cam r.t.,r.
well is--twaddle. \ man who GA. .,,.
well can rehearse well And .n.r..
another thing I'd like to taa. ID n.r..
at while I'm about ii. and that. ,b'
old theatrical superstition That. ,.b.,r.
dress rehearsal means gu.l fir,
night Your dress rehearsal .r.r.
fcctly good indication of W.t fin.
first performance will be m..,,.....,
the one will be the same mistake. .,
tn" other I've rarely know. -
fail-and my experience hl r.,
ample.
Il suppose you think it, ... ... .,.
| began to work my way ar...r ,,.
summary of all these thin. dom,
YOU? and to tell you jus. vu4t .,.....
rules I've evolved for myself Well
first write into your manuS.r... ..,.-.
massed movement In your u.v.
every important direction T... will
leave your mind free To- dead v... ,b,
lesser details as they present .an.
selves at rchcarsals. And N... h
play goes into stock or into n.
movies there is a record pf s.V d.
put it on | al but died over irwin.
q, reconstruct from memory r.. u.a
ness We had used in IN, Dnor,.
Lady when ii went into stock at'a.a
lapse of five years. 1t took the most
terrific concentration.
Second, insist on having t.....u,..
ready before you call your actors ,.
their first rehearsal, and have every
prop ready. How can you oEup.. aH
actor who has been rohrtl..rs for
heaven knows how many week. on ,
kitchen chair to walk out and n. com.
fortably at home in a handsomely up.
holstered affair at a dress ryN,.rsl.e
How can he be comfortable with
perfectly strange cup Of coffee staring
him in the face, when he has been re-.
hearsing with the morning paper osa.
pair of gloves? And let mo Co.,. Son
that, 1t is about the most important
thing in a comedy that an actor should
be comfortable. If he isn't DIS dis
comfort will communicate itsy., 90 tl.
audience, and then whcr, 49,. yuua
Acting is, in a way, an intrTClnEo OF
mental states between the actor and
the audience. | don't mean of uuar,,
that If an actor you've engaged % PLAY
bit can only find himself COM
Portable in the precise centre of Nh.
stage, you are to rcwrlte your play To-
suit him. But ! do think h, hl.
right to expect that when you ask him
to light a cigarette, the cigarette shall
be where he can reach it comfortably
and the matches somewhere near.
Third stick to the two weeks Zee
hearsals. 1t can be done if the first
two rules are followed. RehcarSu Your
hardest act first, and get ii absolutely
set Then taper Off with tn, easier
ones. | took the second act of TIL,
Chorus Lady first. the second act u1
The Travelling Salesman IN, third
act of The Show Shop and so Oh
AS it happened, the scenery for the
third act of The Show shop Didn't
please me and had it changed. While
it was being changed | was at home
rewriting the business for 1.-THE
'se' | discarded had the window a,
the side and door at the back When
we were all ready again ! rcas,em-
bled the actors and we went on with
the rehearsals.
There's another thing about rho
quick rehearsal-the tension of the
first night often turns up some excel.
lent work In sheer nervouSuo-- the
players key up the whole perform
ance. Long rehearsals make them fiat
and stale. Personally | am bored 10
death with a play after two weeks Of
II, and | don't see why actors should
be expected to be any more patient
than l am.
Il think three dress rchrar-t an,
necessary-firsta scenic rehearsal iuu
which the actors are not expected to
come. This is to perfect all tn. l-lt-
ing and the mechanics So tina, the
whole mise en- scene is ready Tor the
actor to fit himself into il. As ! have
said, | think the director h.- n.
right to ask more than this r. '.,
actor, Then there is rchcarsl JUS,
in the clothes without makeup This
is to get them used to moyiu- about
in their clothes and to take away any
circumstances about them THEN
there Is the final dress rehear-H. with
clothes and makeup, which is Virtually
performance. | have no rtrrnH.
with these things that drag through
till 8 the next morning.
If | have given the offocr rn f
being absorbed in details / o. go.
will not think that l advoCat minute
details on the stage. They ar. AZ very
well if they are submerged property
but they are apt to swamp Or. lIsr
effecrs-and on the stage !, only
large effects that count.
THE ideal production for amy .1y Is
a production that stays in, a.. 'tok-
ground, where it belongs. N.1 CANT
interest any audience in any HrH
for more than minute and 'lH
OF course, that doesn't mean plea
for this simplicity that has lately
got TO be the fashion. The. IS
simplicity that is So Obtru- '.d
you can't take your mind o" i''
minute. What your peop'. 20 on
the stage and why they De- .'n,
stitute the beginning and ~. d Oh
the audiences interest. Let iuc'
ton and clothes stay wher' hr'
long-below the level of console SIS
The last admonition have 'aE'
directors is: Don't lose your per
| loathe sarcasm from a d. NJ
the poor actor is so helpless no.
only needs his work, and an
sass back but he's in such nm