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Show OLD WAYS PREFERRED. Criticism of Changes in Methods of Theatrical People. Actors and their most celebrated characters char-acters pass out of the public mind with a pathetic speed once the play or the player Is shelved, and not a day passes that I do not have questions addressed to me about stage history' which would appear immortal, says Amy Leslie In tile Chicago News. A man of evidently fine recollections of the stage, rather of the end of the last century than the fussy stage of today, to-day, asks If C. W. Couldock ever played Dunstan KIrke to Efile Eilsler's Hazel In "Hazel Klrke." It seems almost al-most like asking whether Mansfield ever played Beau Brummel or Mary Anderson Ander-son Meg Merrilles. Of course he did, and beautifully, an Couldock always did everything, "and ought to be distinctly remembered by a man whose charming remembrances run back to Fanny Herring, Her-ring, Walter Blackford, Maud Forester, Fanny Louise Buckingham and Charlie Constantlne. the clubman, and Sid C France. The writer of this agreeable letter asking as well as offering hoarded Information has that rarely preserved sentiment about the players of his youth which usad to be part of the rein Hon between be-tween the stage and the public when they were divided by an alluring line of mystery. The mystery la all out of It nowadays, the charm partially dispelled and everybody nearly knows an actor or two or Is privileged to bow to a saucy show girl, sup with a comedian or talk things over with a garrulous stage manager. man-ager. At the restaurants after midnight mid-night crowds of musical comedy lights chatter famillorly with the irreverent world, which used to be held beyond the veiled prophesies of the footlights with an august hand of polite secrecy and art which was pretence but enjoyable. "How I reveled In 'Nick of the Woods.' with Joseph Proctor!" writes this man who brings a whiff of tho musty atmosphere atmos-phere of the traditional nctor-reverence out of the past. "And I remember, dearly, Minnie Truesdale, Jay Simms, Frank Chanfrau and George Plkel" How many of the present noisy, loud, parading soubrcttes and leading men, comedians and 3tars will be "dearly remembered" re-membered" twenty-five yearsfrom this riotous time of day? "Occasionally .one sees the name of one of the old timers, but they seem to havo been crowded out, and I am afraid to go to see them act for fear that the pleasant recollections I have of them will be blotted out because of their oc-nupylng oc-nupylng lowly positions In the plays In which they appear," Now could any sentiments be more worthy or more truly tru-ly indicative of the proper spirit to exist between the' pleasure-seekers and tho plcasure-glvcrs of the public nnd the stage? It seems that the writer of this episode, which attracts me, was an apprenticed ap-prenticed printer and owed his allegiance allegi-ance to a programme published. "You can Imagine the rest, no show got away from me, and sometimes I was there every night in the week I have no Idea that this Is edifying reminiscence, remin-iscence, but as I feel In the mood to 'go backward" I thought I would ask if you have any way of keeping In touch with the old, old times." Indeed, It Is edifying, and to nobody would It be more agreeable than to the remnant of that dignified old guard of players, long-haired, talented, strutting perhaps, but delightful and exclusive entertainers. A man who can mure over the dramatic exploits of Domlnlck Murray and the old stock company out at thr Natlonnl theator (tthlch used to hold forth In Clybourn avenue) and remembers re-members gratefully Mnud Granger, Snm Jones, Wright Huntington. Mattle Vlck-ers Vlck-ers and the George Oners, the Caw-thornes. Caw-thornes. Newcombes and Fullers and Is not bothering about Booth, Lawrence Barrett and Sara Jewett half ho much as his old gnllory friends of long ago, has that which I should call a valuable and Intensely Interestlng.storc of goodly mcmorlPH. Something has gone out of the theatrical theat-rical attitude It was literally theatrical, perhaps, but loyal and mystifying so that glamor has depurtcd as splendid scenery and costly productions increased. in-creased. Daly kept up the traditions religiously re-ligiously and with his disappearance his precepts were abandoned, and the curious, curi-ous, vulgar stnre of the eager public was Invited into sanctums and Hensa-tlonn Hensa-tlonn courted, revelations advised and a destroying Intimacy established between the commonest ticket buyer and the plnce where the sacred greenroom used to flourish. The elegant bohcmlar.lsm of ancient days, when Colly Clbber and gossipy Popys bowed and scraped and bore down Imposingly upon the clientele clien-tele surrounding players, has not been revived, but a cheap familiarity among actors and people with whom they should hold no converse, between tho dazzling nobodies of musical comedy and burlesque and their flatterers, between be-tween underlings In the widely spread contagion of theatrical endeavor and smart men and noisy women from every path of life. The stage ought to be kept aloof from barroom chummlness, garish print, street Intimacy. The back door should still be held Inaccessible by the little threatening red lamp and bolt, lock and formidable guardianship. But It Is a riotous time. Traveling companies carry car-ry about In their trains Indescribable galaxies of toadies, caterers, providers and "angels" and account themselves successful If they came by these parasites para-sites through most undesirable means. Actors of worth and managers of wealth have slid down to this casual depth wittingly wit-tingly and court distasteful attentions. The dignity of the drama Is offended and Irredeemably blackened. They even extend ex-tend their "advertising" courtesies nnd exchanges beyond the pale of legitimate i manners these days. For Instance, In no losi? than seven plays of this season openly are the names of wines, hotels, cigars, newspapers and authors badly "sprung" on a listening audience In the most patent and observable way, with the Inference that the man whose liquors li-quors or other commercial Interests are thus fostered by public use of the brand returns the courtesy either with unllmr Ited supply of the good advertised or other remunerative expressions of thanks awfully. To this has dramatic art fallen conclusively and with a dull thud. |