A TALK WITH SIMS.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 348, 8 August 1885, Page 9

A TALK WITH SIMS.

' Would you tell me what you cousidar to be the qualifications of a melodvamatist ?" The successful one, of course, you mean ?' inquired Mr Sims, with a laugh. ' Well, first of all you must have an eye, and a quick. eye, for a dramatic situation ; a ready sympathy, a fertility of resource, a quick and sympathetic interest in human nature, and the power of characterisation. Those, of course, are among the qualifications." "I suppose you often pick up a situation for one of your plays in the London streets, where little dramas are going on under our very eyes ; now, could you give me an instance of what would strike you ?" " I see many situations, undramatic in themselves, which might easily be made dramatic. A hansom might run over a woman dramatically or undramatically ; it all depends upon the surroundings. Here's an example for you of the manner in which such an accident would be dramatic. Scene : The Strand, say, between 11 and 12 at night; a pretty young woman, gaily dressed, face painted, and hair dyed, is knocked down by a hansom cab; hansom is pulled up, off jumps driver, rushes to the girl, bends over her, and recognises in the injured ontcast his own daughter! Now, there, you see is a life story ; the situation full of dramatic effect. A year ago the girl bad left her father and mother broken-hearted, tempted away by the wiles of some heartless villain ; since then they had searched for her in vain, and chance has thus brought about a dramatic meeting out of what might, to the casual spectator, be but a commonplace occurrence. But for stage purposes the accident woald have to be differently arranged. The real hansom and the real horse would upset the situation, and probably make it ridiculous."