STAGE CHILDREN.

Evening Star, Issue 12865, 14 July 1906, Page 11

STAGE CHILDREN.

Although very few of the thirty children now touring New Zealand in Messrs Meynelfl and Uunn's phenomenally successful drama 'The iatel Wedding' are twe}ve years old, the stage u> tor them no sudden fancy. Many of them have been on the boards from the age of four, and have even had speaking parts. Eight plays performed by the Knight-Jeffries Company have parte for children, and under the .care of "one of the ladies" a small child from Melbourne appeared in thorn all. Others have taken part in plays produced bv Mr Andrew Mack. One is very proud to relate that she was the little boy in the aohool ecene in ' Tom Moore,' who " would not go." The stage seems to have leas attraction for boya than giric. There we only six in this little company, and none take a prominent part. The boy actor has /always been rare. Master J3etfcy (born 1791), who at twelve yeans took such parts as Hamlet. Romeo, Macbeth, and Richard 111., could not be made enough of. He was called the " infajit Rosoius," and received what was then almost unheard-of payment—£so for an appearance. The greatest tribute paid to Maeter Betty was the adjournment of the House of Commons in order that its members might witness hie performajwe of Hamlet. One boy in thb , company now in Dunedin docs not mean to out his talents to the test of maturitv (where Master Betty failed). He will leave the stage when the present engagement is over. The other boys.are uncertain. They do not show the' eagerness and enthusiasm of the little girls, who seem quite sure that they have found their life's vocation. There are always plenty of girls to fill their own parts, and some to take the Dlaces of boys. Half the ohorietere in ' The Fatal Wedding' are girlfl. A little girl of eight leads the tincan march, another of the same age sings a solo to her dolly. A large part of the success of the piece depends upon a child actress of twelve. Girls a 6 a rule take boys parts when they are of any length or importance (like Lord Fauntleroy and the Princes in the Tower). Ambition to act is evidently born later in the bov than in the girl. The actor's art does not Geize his ima/rinntion and fill his mind to the exclusion of other thinfs. as it does that of the girl of the same age. ' The Fatal Wedding' children are under the immediate care of a trained London mvnso (Miss D« Burgh) and an nwristant. Their niges range from eicht to twelve. All are equallv independent, able to sew. mend, and darn, and attend to their own make-no. They can color their faces, and treat their eye*, "or do each other's." thev say merrily. Fun and haoptness seem to surround them. They can all | act the whole plav ri<rht through. The | wedding scene they find particularly

faßcinatrng. Malsie Posser most enjovs being carried across the rope on Mr Gannam's back. All rega.rd the tin-can march as if it was part of real life. Tho children be<rin their day at nine o'clcck. Bv ten hot baths, draaoin". and breakfast are over. An occasional rehearsal, a dancing or i>in.?ing lesson, takes up the morning. They have lert'/ms at a school daily for tv;o honra in tho afternoon. In the little intervals thev plav about, " for." put in one of the elder ?irlfi. "we write to our mothers. We generally write twice a week." They ."•11 look stronfr and well. To Miss De Bm-ch's English ideas they are too fond of m>etai. TTney are all wi?ely allowed to have what they like. Though under

perfect control, the inevitable "youwould not know there was a child in the honre" remark heartilv bv the

iTY-tew." they a.re not ,: worried." If thev have littlp differepceti. t.h*v fettle nlnre. C"ffre and milk have been seii'ed. -and n.'! tb© little r'v>nl<» h.ivo rrnt their tirpd he.ads on their <->wn dr*ar. delightful bedf>. ATp p,.-> i n , AB. their bnHnera mo.nager. ban wide and liberal views the onterfcaanme.nt of tV children. He provides them with variety.