CHILDREN ON THE STAGE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 90, 15 April 1908, Page 6

CHILDREN ON THE STAGE.

(By .Ellaline Terriss.)

I*have heard people argue that the stage is not a fitting profession for children because, in - the first place, it shows them an artificial and. bad side of life; secondly, because it takes them away from their lessons; and, thirdly, because it unsettles them and unfits them for work afterwards. I cannot agree with such views, since my experience, which is rather extensive, of children on the stage, has given me quite different impressions on this subject. My husband and I have been giving children's plays for several years now, and v.re always malce special preparations for the accommodation of the little people at our theatres. In order that, they' should be kept in their own surroundings we provide, them with special dressingroom?., while those who ought to be at school ha^se lessons given to them at certain times, when they are not on the &tage. As for the stage unfitting them for other work, I have found the exact opposite to be the case. Many of the children whom we employ come from quite poor homes, where it is uncertain what sort of' work they will eventually take up, the odds being that they will take whatever they are fortunate enough to get. In such circumstances, regular work on the stage serves to accustom them to become punctual and diligent, and, many eases, proves to be the stepping-stone to other employment which bhey would probably not have been fitted to undertake but for their sound early training: upon the boards. REFLECTED BRIGHTNESS. It is really quite surprising to note I the differericG an engagement works j in many of the children who come to us. They arrive ragged and' ill-fed, often to ask for'employment because "father is out of work," or " mother is so ill," and, needless to say, in such circumstances we give them what tbey want, if we possibly can. But after a comparatively short stay at the theatre their v;hole appearance becomes quite changed, and even though their clothes may be old, there is an air of neatness and cleanliness about them which it is •.very pleasant to notice. The brightness of the stage seems to reflect itself a little upon their own lives, and S&ey become different beings from what they were when they first began : c.tb help mother." They haye.:, of course, many things fx> learn before they are able effici-' ently to fill the parts for which they are "required, and in this connection : therefs one very disappointing feature about children on the stage, which is—that they will grow so Guickly! ; Consequently, the fairies of one'year are too big for their roles ,in another year or two's time, and \a fresh lot ■of children have to be procured and taught all over again. The task of obtaining children for the stage nearly always brings to light at least one or.»two : touching little stories of childish devotion or unselfishness, and 1: can rememher many such tales myself- I think that the most remarkable story of this kind, however, was in connection with a little girl whom we had with us some .years 1 ago at the Vaudeville Theatre The facts of her case, indeed, might have come out of a novel instead of happening in real life, so extraordinary was: the coincidence that proved to be the turning-point in her life. A PATHETIC LITTLE FIGURE. One day, on my way to the theatre, I came upon a most pathetic little figure of a child, who was crying her heart but, and from whom I covM get no reply when I first spoke to her. Once having overcome her shyness, however, I was able to discover the details of her story, which, alas! was a too common one, I, fear. Her father was dead, her mother kept to a bed of sickness, and the only other relative^ she possessed, an uncle, had. gone to Canada some years before, and was now completely loat- sight of. And so, determined to do something towards easing the terrible poverty of their home, this poor mite had been spending several days in tramping round the great city trying to find some sort of work that might bring in a/ few pence which she might take back to her- mother. All her efforts had been unsuccessful so far, and she was beginning to despair of being able to do anything helpful, although. she wished it so much. I listened with mingled feelings to the x broken story of hardship and suffering which;, bit by bit, she told me, and, 'when it was over, took her along with me to the theatre and arranged for her to become one of the stage fairies straight away. Her delight over her new work was pretty to witness,, and she showed,the greatest intelligence in learning everything that was taught her. In a very short time she became one of the best stage children- whom we had with us. On several occasions I went with her to visit her mother, but the poor woman was past all earthly help, and soon afterwards she died. : A home was then found for the child, with regular employment, but she always came to us for the Christmas pantomimes to take her part as a fairy. -- THE RICH UNCLE APPEARS. One night an old gentleman oc-) cupying-a front seat in the stalls was so much struck by her appearance that he came round afterwards to ask if he might have a chat with the child, pointing out at the same time that he was a lonely old man with private means, so.that he might be able to do something for her;. And this is where the wonderful part of the story comes in, for this old man turned out to be no less a person than the iincle of our protege, who, having made a fortune in Canada, had now come home to spend the remaining years of his life in his native land. Arrangements were soon m jT i llis niecß to live wi*n nim > and I should not be surprised if our poor little waif of a few years back becomes one day a comparatively rich young woman! This story is, of course, a most uncommon one, but I could tell of many cases where a child's early connection with the stage has proved to be a very useful start in life, leading to a permanent employment and regular wages afterwards. The stage work, too, is generally very much appreciated by the little ones, and they never seem to forget any trifling thing that one may be able to do for them fit times. I»f the pantomime is running when my birthday occurs, in April, they celebrate the occasion by decorating my dressing-room with flowers, literally from floor to ceiling, a token of their love which is very much appreciated by me. Talking of love reminds me of an amusing'letter which I received from a boy of seventeen the day after my baby girl was born. He explained -that he had long been deeply m love with me, but was filled with despair

because I. was already married. Now, however, he had become hopeful once more, for he had decided to marry my daughter when sjie was old. enough, and meantime he intended to work hard so as to be able to offer her a position which would be worthy of her acceptance.-—Daily Mail.