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STAGE MANAGEMENT.
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By Quis.
In the main Ave are of opinion that, except perhaps
Avhere he is his OAvn bright particular star, or- at least
the undoubted leading man in his company, no lessee
or proprietor of a theatre should be an actor, or at all
events should act, except perhaps occasionally., so as
to keep himself in touch Avith the theatre-going portion
of the community. We clo not expect a ready concur-
rence Avith this a'iew, and yet Ave contend that it is
based on sound principles, inasmuch as in such cases
there is always the danger of the true interests of the I
theatre, Avhich are, as Ave take it, to . make the best I
possible use of the company, being .endangered from
the ever underlying motive in an actor's mind, personal
ambition or personal vanity. It may be said that the
danger of this is A'ery small, since lessees, are usually
men of business Avho are too wide-awake, and Avho Iciioav
too Avell on Avhich side their bread is buttered, to adopt
such a suicidal policy, and Ave at once concede the
point. But such is not always the case, and therefore
our argument holds good. We have in our time knoivn
many a fair prospect to be spoiled by those having the
poAver insisting on thrusting themselves doAvn. the
throats of the public Avilly-nilly, and surfeiting them
Avith continual oA'erdoses of, Avhat they do not Avant.
» Of course in such instances the fault, " or error in
; judgment, invariably, sooner or later, brings its oavii
punishment in the Avay of non-paying business, .with
; the result that sometimes the.whole company, has .to
suffer through the incapacity of one individual to draAV
houses. We all Icuoav how firmly ingrained in the
i. minds of most actors, is the ambition to shine, and the
utter belief that he is, or ought to be, the prime attrac
tion : and within limits, this ambition is not only a
pardonable but a laudable one, for the actor Avho is not
actuated by a constant desire to attain, and luwing
attained, to hold, the front rank in his arduous profes
sion, is not, nor ever Avill be, an actor in the true sense
of the Avord. But the lessee of a theatre has a duty
to perform paramount to that of figuring on the stage,
and that is to provide theatre goers Avith the best pos
sible, and if he be not the best possible, or if he have
become stale and passee, to retire and get something
better.
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