least nine feet high. And then, in the third scene, Vchelak jumps down from it.”
“But why should he jump down from it?”
“Because you distinctly state in the stage direction that ‘he jumps into the room.’ That is one of the strongest moments. You know, your play wants a little more life in it. You surely didn’t intend a common-or-garden scene that any Tom, Dick or Harry might write? Did you now?”
“Oh no, of course not!” replies the author hurriedly.
“Good. I knew you’d see my point.”
I will now betray certain deep secrets of the dramatic art. A creative author is one who will not allow himself to be hampered by the theatre; and a creative producer is one who will not allow himself to be hampered by the text. As far as the creative actor is concerned, the poor devil has no other choice than that of following his own judgment (in this case one lays the blame of the bad interpretation on the producer), or of follow-
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