The New York herald., 1920-01-18
MISS RITA WEIMAN COMPARES
WRITING LAYS AND STORES
Author of "The Acquittal' Finds
Former More Emotional
and Thrilling.

Tmpelled by an irresistible desire to see
what the author of that vivid dramatic
offering 1.-The Acquittal'' looks like, the
intrepid HERALD reporter found out wher
Eighties. and range the bell.
A little French woman about seventy
eight years DID, but n CHEEKY lass at that.
a Breton cap on her head. answered the
ring. After little. walt in a library,
where all the books had covers either pale
blue, or mauve, or white, there entered a
handsome, young brunette woman.
She no sooner had said how-do-you-do
than she was called to a telephone and
began a serieslof rather surprised answers
to some person in the telephone distance
who seemed to be either proposing mar
rlage or trying to negotiate a large loan or
to enlist support in the concealing of a
crime. You can guess the other end OF a
telephone conversation pretty well when
you know the person whom you hear
speaking, AMI his or her affairs, but with
stranger you are simply floating out
on a sea of imaginative melodrama; espe-
cially when the person is young, feminine
and herself writer Of melodrama.
That is one trouble with becoming
famous overnight" the reporter remarked
by way OF being chatty; next morning
you begin getting proposals OF marriage
and circulars about winter travel and
$50 hosiery"
Only Asked for Help
''It was none OF those" replied Miss
Weiman, rather seriously; 'it was some
young girl. stranger to me, who was in
distress. and having seen my play. looked
me up in the telephone book and asked
if she could have my advice. She said she
knew L could help her.
"Tut. tut, Miss Weiman." exclaimed the
reporter superciiously. that sort OF thing
won't do. you know. 1t is easy TO see that
this telephone call Is frame-up. To any
one who can rig UP a melodrama the way
you can such devices are doubtless mere
second nature"
The authoress opened her dark eyes wide
with Indignation, and-well, It wasn't &
plant" that telephone call; we'll take II
all back. In fact, Miss Weman is prob
ably just the sort of person that another
woman might naturally appeal TO. Miss
Chrystal Herne. who is the leading woman
in The Acquittal' at the Cohan &c Harris
Theatre, says Miss Weiman has deer
understanding OF feminine psychology
Gs there any other kind of psychologist
and likely enough it is so.
After that the interview proceeded with.
out any further recriminations. Miss Wei.
man had another play. THE Correspond
ent," produced three years ago. and has
since written magazine stories, from one
of which she wrote her new play.
"Playwriting is moro thrilling and emo
tional than writing stories,'' said Miss
Weiman. "and the excitement lasts longer
In the writing OF a story you stand oI
fall upon what you put down on paper
and deliver to the editor in tho theatre
live persons step into the shoes you have
placed there. the actors, and they hold
your fate in their hands. a sort of happy
peace settled upon me at the premiere OF
THE Acquittal' when ! saw that Miss
Herne and william Harrigan appeared as
just the persons had strved TO bring into
being.
No Place 10 RnmbIe.
''That means great deal 20 me. In 4
play you must have characters who ern'
body your plot. In writing fiction yor
can rambe a bit. your readers can turr
back in their minds. and their imagina.
tions have a broad and easy path. but
in the theatre all must be real and def.
! mite. realized that remarkably ir
watching Mr.. Cohan while he was staging
my play.
| II do not think that writing fiction car
be regarded as training for playwritinr
] do believe, however. that writing plays
should increase ones ability in tho story
or novel. Newspaper work 1 regard al
the best primary school for tho play.
wright IL for no other reason than be.
cause IL relentlessly teaches elimination
of non-essentals. Condolences Is an art ir
itself-you should see Mr.. Cohan cut out
IN entire speech in n play and concen
trate it into simply gesture
| Miss Weiman engaged in newspaper
work soon after she came here with hel
parents from Philadelphia as a young girl
She was with tho HERALD, specializing ir
Sunday features" and Is recalled in tho
office as being especially adept u maxim Z
things vivid and in getting people 70 tall
who had never talked for publication be.
fore. She appears 60 be q young woman
Of unusually clear and nicely balanced
mentality, sympathetic disposition and
cheerful, easy determination. and &c is
fair to presume that she will be from
now on q distinctive figure i'm the Ameri'
can theatre