MRS. ALEC-TWEEDIE
AUTHOR OF
“MEXICO AS I SAW IT,” “GEORGE HARLEY, F.R.S.,” ETC.
WITH TWENTY ILLUSTRATIONS
NEW YORK
DODD MEAD AND COMPANY
1904
PRINTED BY
HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,
LONDON AND AYLESBURY,
ENGLAND.
[CONTENTS]
| CHAPTER I | |
| THE GLAMOUR OF THE STAGE | |
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
Girlish Dreams of Success—Golden Glitter—Overcrowding—FewSuccessful—Weedon Grossmith—Beerbohm Tree—HowMrs. Tree made Thousands for the War Fund—The StageDoor Reached—Glamour Fades—The Divorce Court and theTheatre—Childish Enthusiasm—Old Scotch Body’s Horror—LoveLetters—Temptations—Emotions—How Women beganto Act under Charles I.—Influence of the Theatre for Goodor Ill | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| CRADLED IN THE THEATRE | |
Three Great Aristocracies—Born on the Stage—Inherited Talent—Interviewwith Mrs. Kendal—Her Opinions and Warningto Youthful Aspirants—Usual Salary—Starving in the Attemptto Live—No Dress Rehearsal—Overdressing—A Peep atHarley Street—Voice and Expression—American Friends—Mrs.Kendal’s Marriage—Forbes Robertson’s Romance—Whyhe Deserted Art for the Stage—Fine Elocutionist—BadEnunciation and Noisy Music—Ellen Terry—Gillette—ExpressionlessFaces—Long Runs—Charles Warner—Abuseof Success | [21] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| THEATRICAL FOLK | |
Miss Winifred Emery—Amusing Criticism—An Actress’s HomeLife—Cyril Maude’s first Theatrical Venture—First Performance—ALuncheon Party—A Bride as Leading Lady—NoGames, no Holidays—A Party at the Haymarket—MissEllaline Terriss and her First Appearance—Seymour Hicks—BenWebster and Montagu Williams—The Sothern Family—EdwardSothern as a Fisherman—A Terrible Moment—Almosta Panic—Asleep as Dundreary—Frohman at Daly’sTheatre—English and American Alliance—Mummers | [46] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS | |
Interview with Ibsen—His Appearance—His Home—PlaysWithout Plots—His Writing-table—His Fetiches—Old atSeventy—A Real Tragedy and Comedy—Ibsen’s First Book—Winterin Norway—An Epilogue—Arthur Wing Pinero—Educatedfor the Law—As Caricaturist—An EntertainingLuncheon—How Pinero writes his Plays—A Hard Worker—FirstNight of Letty | [74] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| THE ARMY AND THE STAGE | |
Captain Robert Marshall—From the Ranks to the Stage—£10 fora Play—How Copyright is Retained—I. Zangwill as Actor—CopyrightPerformance—Three First Plays (Pinero, Grundy,Sims)—Cyril Maude at the Opera—Mice and Men—SirFrancis Burnand, Punch, Sir John Tenniel, and a Cartoon—BrandonThomas and Charley’s Aunt—How that Play wasWritten—The Gaekwar of Baroda—Changes in London—FrederickFenn at Clement’s Inn—James Welch on Audiences | [92] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| DESIGNING THE DRESSES | |
Sarah Bernhardt’s Dresses and Wigs—A Great Musician’s Hair—Expensesof Mounting—Percy Anderson—Ulysses—TheEternal City—A Dress Parade—Armour—Over-elaboration—AnUnderstudy—Miss Fay Davis—A London Fog—TheDifficulties of an Engagement | [111] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| SUPPER ON THE STAGE | |
Reception on the St. James’s Stage—An Indian Prince—HisComments—The Audience—George Alexander’s Youth—Howhe missed a Fortune—How he learns a Part—A ScenicGarden—Love of the Country—Actors’ Pursuits—Strain ofTheatrical Life—Life and Death—Fads—Mr. Maude’s Dressing-room—Sketcheson Distempered Walls—Arthur Bourchierand his Dresser—John Hare—Early and late Theatres—ASolitary Dinner—An Hour’s Make-up—A Forgetful Actor—BonneCamaraderie—Theatrical Salaries—Treasury Day—Thriftlessness—TheAdvent of Stalls—The Bancrofts—TheHaymarket Photographs—A Dress Rehearsal | [125] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| MADAME SARAH BERNHARDT | |
Sarah Bernhardt and her Tomb—The Actress’s Holiday—Loveof her Son—Sarah Bernhardt Shrimping—Why she left theComédie Française—Life in Paris—A French Claque—ThreeOminous Raps—Strike of the Orchestra—Parisian TheatreCustoms—Programmes—Late Comers—The Matinée Hat—AdvertisementDrop Scene—First Night of Hamlet— MadameBernhardt’s own Reading of Hamlet—Yorick’s Skull—Dr.Horace Howard Furness—A Great Shakesperian Library | [151] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| AN HISTORICAL FIRST NIGHT | |
An Interesting Dinner—Peace in the Transvaal—Beerbohm Treeas a Seer—How he cajoled Ellen Terry and Mrs. Kendal toAct—First-nighters on Camp-stools—Different Styles of Mrs.Kendal and Miss Terry—The Fun of the Thing—Bows ofthe Dead—Falstaff’s Discomfort—Amusing Incidents—Nervousnessbehind the Curtain—An Author’s Feelings | [173] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| OPERA COMIC | |
How W. S. Gilbert loves a Joke—A Brilliant Companion—OperasReproduced without an Altered Line—Many Professions—ALovely Home—Sir Arthur Sullivan’s Gift—A Rehearsal ofPinafore—Breaking up Crowds—Punctuality—Soldier or noSoldier—Iolanthe—Gilbert as an Actor—Gilbert as Audience—TheJapanese Anthem—Amusement | [186] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| THE FIRST PANTOMIME REHEARSAL | |
Origin of Pantomime—Drury Lane in Darkness—One ThousandPersons—Rehearsing the Chorus—The Ballet—Dressing-rooms—Childrenon the Stage—Size of “The Lane”—ATrap-door—The Property-room—Made on the Premises—Wardrobe-woman—DanLeno at Rehearsal—Herbert Campbell—AFortnight Later—A Chat with the Principal Girl—MissMadge Lessing | [200] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| SIR HENRY IRVING AND STAGE LIGHTING | |
Sir Henry Irving’s Position—Miss Geneviève Ward’s Dress—Reformationsin Lighting—The most Costly Play ever Produced—StrongIndividuality—Character Parts—Irving earned hisLiving at Thirteen—Actors and Applause—A Pathetic Story—NoShakespeare Traditions—Imitation is not Acting—Irving’sAppearance—His Generosity—The First Night ofDante—First Night of Faust—Two Terriss Stories—SirCharles Wyndham | [222] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| WHY A NOVELIST BECOMES A DRAMATIST | |
Novels and Plays—Little Lord Fauntleroy and his Origin—Mr.Hall Caine—Preference for Books to Plays—John OliverHobbes—J. M. Barrie’s Diffidence—Anthony Hope—ALondon Bachelor—A Pretty Wedding—A Tidy Author—AFirst Night—Dramatic Critics—How Notices are Written—TheCritics Criticised—Distribution of Paper—“Stalls Full”—BlackMonday—Do Royalty pay for their Seats?—WildPursuit of the Owner of the Royal Box—The Queen at theOpera | [240] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| SCENE-PAINTING AND CHOOSING A PLAY | |
Novelist—Dramatist—Scene-painter—An Amateur Scenic Artist—WeedonGrossmith to the Rescue—Mrs. Tree’s Children—Mr.Grossmith’s Start on the Stage—A Romantic Marriage—Howa Scene is built up—English and American TheatresCompared—Choosing a Play—Theatrical Syndicate—ThreeHundred and Fifteen Plays at the Haymarket | [263] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| THEATRICAL DRESSING-ROOMS | |
A Star’s Dressing-room—Long Flights of Stairs—Miss Ward atthe Haymarket—A Wimple—An Awkward Predicament—Howan Actress Dresses—Herbert Waring—An Actress’sDressing-table—A Girl’s Photographs of Herself—A GreasepaintBox—Eyelashes—White Hands—Mrs. Langtry’s Dressing-room—ClaraMorris on Make-up—Mrs. Tree as Author—“Resting”—MaryAnderson on the Stage—An Author’sOpinion—Actors in Society | [275] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| HOW DOES A MAN GET ON THE STAGE? | |
A Voice Trial—How it is Done—Anxious Faces—Singing intoCimmerian Darkness—A Call to Rehearsal—The Ecstasyof an Engagement—Proof Copy; Private—Arrival of thePrincipals—Chorus on the Stage—Rehearsing Twelve Hoursa Day for Nine Weeks without Pay | [292] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| A GIRL IN THE PROVINCES | |
Why Women go on the Stage—How to prevent it—Miss FlorenceSt. John—Provincial Company—Theatrical Basket—A Fit-upTour—A Theatre Tour—Répertoire Tour—Strange Landladies—Bills—TheLonged-for Joint—Second-hand Clothes—Buyinga Part—Why Men Deteriorate—Oceans of Tea—E.S. Willard—Why he Prefers America—A Hunt for Rooms—AKindly Clergyman—A Drunken Landlady—How theDog Saved an Awkward Predicament | [302] |
| CHAPTER XVIII | |
| PERILS OF THE STAGE | |
Easy to Make a Reputation—Difficult to Keep One—The TheatricalAgent—The Butler’s Letter—Mrs. Siddons’ Warning—TheatricalAspirants—The Bogus Manager—The Actress ofthe Police Court—Ten Years of Success—Temptations—LateHours—An Actress’s Advertisement—A Wicked Agreement—RulesBehind the Scenes—Edward Terry—Success aBubble | [325] |
| CHAPTER XIX | |
| “CHORUS GIRL NUMBER II. ON THE LEFT” | |
| A Fantasy Founded on Fact | |
Plain but Fascinating—The Swell in the Stalls—Overtures—Persistence—Introductionat Last—Her Story—His Kindness—Happinesscrept in—Love—An Ecstasy of Joy—His Story—ARude Awakening—The Result of Deception—The Injusticeof Silence—Back to Town—Illness—Sleep | [345] |