bles which the actors and actresses may have
among themselves.

If the performance is a great success, the actors will have the credit
of it, and will probably be receiving compliments amongst the audience
whilst the stage-manager is blowing out the guttering footlights, or
showing the youngest performer how to get the paint off his cheeks,
without taking the skin off into the bargain. And if the performance
is a failure, nine of the performers will have nine separate sets of
proofs that it was due to the stage-manager's unfortunate selection of
the piece, or mistaken judgment as to the characters.

He will, however, have the satisfaction (and when one has a head to
plan and a heart in one's work, it _is_ a satisfaction) of carrying
through the thing in his own way, and sooner or later, and here and
there, he will find some people who know the difficulties of his
position, and will give him ample credit and _kudos_ if he keeps his
company in good humour, and carries out his plans without a breakdown.

By this time, my dear Rouge Pot, you will see that the stage-manager,
like all rulers, pays dearly for his power; but it is to be hoped that
the difficulties inseparable from his office will not be wilfully
increased by

THE ACTORS.

They are a touchy race at any time. Amateur actors are said to
have--one and all--a belief that each and every one can play any part
of any kind. Shakespeare found that some of them thought they could
play _every_ part also! But besides this general error, each actor has
his own peculiarities, which the stage-manager ought to acquaint
himself with as soon as possible.

It is a painful fact that there are some people who "come forward"
readily, do not seem at all nervous, are willing to play anything, and
are either well provided with anecdotes of previous successes, or
quite amazingly ready for leading parts, though they "never tried
acting," and are only "quite sure they shall like it"--but who, when
the time comes, fail completely. I fear that there is absolutely
nothing to be done with such actors, but to avoid them for the
future. On the other hand, there are many people who are nervous and
awkward at first, and even more or less so through every rehearsal,
but who _do not fail at the pinch_. Once fairly in their clothes, and
pledged to their parts, they forget themselves in the sense of what
they have undertaken, and their courage is stimulated by the crisis.
Their knees may sha