WOMAN'S'WORLD.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13171, 18 July 1908, Page 7

WOMAN'S'WORLD.

GOING ON THE STAGE. THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY. ADVICE FROM THREE 'LEADING ACTRESSES. . (SFZCIALLY WRITTEN FOR "THE TBESS.! , ) '. SYDNEY, JulyX The stage is a profession vto which the eyes of' thousands* of aspiring girls* are naturally , turned—perhaps fropv its air of .romance, and also;no doubt because of the fact that when success l comes to the. actress, .the monetary rewards it brings are exceeding great. Many of the youthful stage-struck heroines ignore entirely the inexorable fact that the theatrical : profession' is one of hard work, and. much tribulation,; unremitting effort, and / in - the vast majority of .instances, 'bitter, disappointment. I have recently obtained the views of three leading actresses upon : this " subject, and they . have given mc, some extremely ' interesting opinions for your readers as to the enormous difficulties in the path of the girl who wishes to become an actress. Miss Margaret Anglin, ; who; has not yet visited New . Zealand, is just now. enthralling Sydney audiences by her powerful aeting.jri the big I scene between Marise Voysin ahd her husband in Henri Bernstein's "The , Thief.'/ Her distinguished career for more than fifteen years in America, where sho is one of the most brilliant actresses of tho day, gives great importance to her views. The other two ladies who have kindly given mc their opinions, Miss Madge Molntosh and Miss Beatrice Day, are already well and favourably known in 'New Zealand. "MISS ANGLIN'S VIEWS. . Miss Margaret Anglin, when asked for her views, was good enough to commit them to writing, and they are here set forth very clearly and definitely:— "There are so many other .ways for girls to earn their livelihood where the risks of failure and disappointment are much less, that I invariably ask those who seek my advice, 'Why take a 'risk that is so hazardous, and that is with the best of. us, little more than a gamble ?• ~ ' "I do not believe the stage to be a desirable career for girls, and this I say with great emphasis. "The stage as a profession," conI tinned Miss Anglin, "is the hardest one that a young,girl can tako up. It is an exacting taskmaster—always requir-. ing more, never satisfied with the best.' Many, are the essential .qualifications needed for a jjirl for a stage career. Above all, she must possess nfajniotism and power of assimilation. Also receptiveness is important- The stage recruit should alsobe.. highly educated, acquainted with at least one foreign language, and on very familiar terms with the literatures of England and France. In addition, there should be a thorough groundwork in elocution and deportment. A knowlwlge of fanning is requisite, and , also dancing. All of this preliminary preparation may be acquired in schools and colleges, and is usually nart of tho educational training of the average young girl of to-day. I onght to. say that nobody but the very healthiest should attempt to go on the stage, because the demands are so great that only those f robust constitutions can possibly kenp pace. This is not because life on the stage is other than healthy, but only on account of the physical strain. An English physician has recently pubE*ed statistics, having, in view a desire to prove that the stage is the healthiest of all professions. Whether that be so or not, it remains that there is very little sickness among actor folk; sbme people ascribe it to the fact that they have no time to get sick. TROUBLES MULTIPLIED. "Having once - succeeded in securing even an' uncertain footing, the stage aspirant finds her troubles and difficulties multiplied a hundred fold. Sho has to unlearn, a good deal of what she •has laboriously attained, and sho finds out pretty soon that in practice, her knowledge of the stage is something less than ■ nothing. Here she finds her-

gone before, *ro mere trivialities.:this Is tho time when the heart sinks low, and the call noon -the determination is great. Many a beginner, appalled by tbe tremendous chasm of - experience which has to be creesed,- retires from the fight before she baa begun.. But to. those few who -do strugole-onward lamely and - with much halting, , the practical experience .that they, gam on the stage itscjtf; by actual contact with those who are already established, and whose art has already developed;much, is speedily learned. "With a power for observation the perfunctory rules aro overcome, and technique is slowly ac"A pitiful few of us rise ,aboyo tho level of mediocrity. Mediocrity is painful in every walk of life, but ife is particularly so on. the stage/..,.T0. be a pawn in the hands of a stage manager, when one feels qualified to; bo a queen, is one of the most humiliating positions to 'occupy. "In conclusion, I would nrge* all those who find themselves attracted by the footlights, to think many times, and think again and again, upon all sides of the question, to weigh carefully the few words I have said, and to believe in the sincerity; of myi assurance, that tho dramatic profession is the hardest, most tiring, and'"the more tiresome "one, that any young girl can adopt.". - . . TRIALS AND, TEMPTATIONS. Miss Madge Mclntosh, the English actress, who is now touring New Zealand, answered my question in an interesting chat at, tho Criterion Theatre, one afternoon beforo she loft Sydney. "'And how would you. advise a girl who contemplated adopting the stage as a profession?" Miss Mclntosh was asked. . • ■ ■ ■ -•'' Don't 1' in capital letters!" she promptly replied. . "But why?" "Because, the positions that average girls are calTed upon to. fill, command very poor salaries.- 'If they havo.their homos, or can count on getting 'their board and lodging; it is all right, otherwise tho battle is too keen. ■ -Even with these advantages I wpnld . encourage girls of only exceptional ability to undertake the " life, since they have tho best chance of rising/to a good position. It must be a very /heart-breaking thing to spend-the best part of one's life at a profession, and to note that advancing years bring no change, and that the careor ends where it began. And on the stage this, is the rule, not the exception. ' ,\ -'.'But for, the girl who possesses great histrionic -ability, coupled with ambition, there must bo some future, .'surely?, ,, , •■■■;. • :. "Ah, thero you are right. And with the- patience to wait, tbo capacity'/ to, endure, and a good physical ■ constitution, the opportunity to show her. worth, is sure to come. Stage: life •: without great talent is a hopeless Tjndcrtakiug, but with that, addw to.temperament, success is attained'—after hard work,, it must be remembered. The royal road to. ferie in theatrical ranks,, however, is" reserved for the girl who,, in addition to these gifts, possesses beauty. . Then groatness is thrust uponhejv'-But these qualifications are rarelycombined. ' • • ■' •■ ;■■;■ ' : ; '•*' ■'■■ ....•.-•\/c>-; "Is the work'- so - ha?d as to Dβ exacting:on the constitution?"- - • ■;,."■ : -• VFor.thoso who.are-stirong-it iß r noiaxduoue, but for 'I ~ shoTiH! not dream ot-it.. In the 6riginal*cird«ir,-oF things, I anr firmly convinced women were not intended -.to; become, breadwinners, or< to battle 'with s 'ih*'world/in any way.' t The ideal dealiiig with them■- was to ; keep .them at ,homo until theyleft' to managelhomefeof tHeir own. Tnen they afiado hotter; privies iiad mot&ers, ■ because: . the&iVcohstitiUtioas were, not •/ by. Nature "never 'for;.- ; >, v "But;" sh© ■ original plan, hes been upeet, and einee women r are . compelled;''--ip' - cw«*V''- : .:'for. themselves , and 1 others; I."tJiinkflthe stage is a profession for them, provided they have"{cerjiiin , ] 'qualifications.'' . .■•..■ ■ ■, '»: ; ; "i;;.'.■■'•>■;'';V : ; "Is it a feet that a girltq greater temptations than" «ny other?";',' ; U '[)•, ;.'■> -i-. ■ v >-^r9'v.'■-■;' ."Not at all. B«hear9*ls lovers take allitbe : sanitißttentfouiisdf you. £ Of : coure*;-' for igirlK/ilftre J are greater temptatione,than- Wr.otbfcrs;"; biit does that not i apply ! to'«i?ery?welk j .in* ■ lifefi ; 1 ngnt,., to the 'stage if she has" the nec**earT"QOa-. lifications:* But : has the talent, she: will let enytbiEft stop,b*r, no matter tow. greet; theop- ' pjosition ehe encounters?' /:■ /v: ,;f ,-■■. ■ v ■■■•"■■ >>"'v\v' ■".'» - *, : ' ']