A few memories

CHAPTER VI
FEW theatre-goers of to-day realize the difference between the old travelling star and stationary stock-company system and the present one, when every star has his or her own support Though one could cite numerous individuals who have soared high in the theatrical firmament in spite of it, the effect of the former system could not but be pernicious in its influence on dramatic art generally, principally because of the lack of time on the part of the company to study and digest their work, and so give to it the respect and importance due to it as an art. Besides, it seemed to me anything but conducive to intellectual or artistic growth or to originality. It fettered and cramped one, and its conventionalities frequently descended to mere tricks. One of these, much practised at the time, was for the actor to stand in the centre of the stage as far back as possible (in the lime-light, if there was one), so as to force the other artists, in listening