finger. I don't know what's happened to authors. They don't seem able to
write good lines any more. Bricks without straw; that's what we actors are
expected to make nowadays. And are they grateful to us? The authors, I
mean. You'd be surprised if I told you the terms some of them have the nerve
to ask."
"The fact remains (// //), we can't do without them (
: )," smiled Julia ( :
). "If the play's wrong ( ) no acting in
the world will save it ( )."
"That's because ( , ) the public isn't really interested in the theatre
( ; public ,
, ). In the great days of the English stage ( :
) people didn't go to see the plays (
/ /, ), they went to see the players ( ,
). It didn't matter what Kemble and Mrs. Siddons
acted ( , : ). The
public went to see them ( //). And even now (
), though I don't deny ( ) that if the play's wrong
( ) you're dished ( ; to dish
, ; . , , ), I do contend (
; to contend , ; ,
) that if the play's right ( ), it's the actors the
public go to see ( ), not the play (
)."
"I don't think anyone can deny that ( , - :
)," said Julia.
"All an actress like Julia wants is a vehicle ( ,
, ; a vehicle
; . ,
). Give her that ( : ) and
she'll do the rest ( //)."
Julia gave the young man a delightful, but slightly deprecating smile (
, =
; to deprecate ; ).
public ['pAblIk] contend [kqn'tend] vehicle ['vi:Ik(q)l]
"The fact remains, we can't do without them," smiled Julia. "If the play's
wrong no acting in the world will save it."
"That's because the public isn't really interested in the theatre. In the great
days of the English stage people didn't go to see the plays, they went to see the
players. It didn't matter what Kemble and Mrs. Siddons acted. The public
went to see them. And even now, though I don't deny that if the play's wrong
you're dished, I do contend that if the play's right, it's the actors the public go
to see, not the play."
"I don't think anyone can deny that," said Julia.
"All an actress like Julia wants is a vehicle. Give her that and she'll do the
rest."
