themselves know nothing of the art of acting. As
long as there are wealthy tyros mad to go on the stage at any cost, so
long will inefficient teachers continue to flourish.

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[Sidenote: The Dramatic Academy must be subsidised.]

Of course, the Dramatic Academy would have to be subsidised, either by
the Government or private individuals. The experiment is not a new one.
It has been tried at the Paris Conservatoire, the National Dramatic
Academy at Buda-Pesth, the theatrical school at Berlin, and the Dramatic
Conservatoires in Vienna and Amsterdam. Surely it would be possible to
collate the experiences of these various institutions and arrive at a
basis on which to work. A committee of our leading actors and managers
might be appointed to report on the matter. There is a great deal of
nonsense talked about the heaven-born genius plunging into the first
ranks of the profession at a bound, but, as a rule, the heaven-born
genius requires a great deal of preparatory work to fit him for his
profession. Mr. Grein, of the Independent Theatre, puts forward a very
comprehensive plan for the working of such an academy. He proposes--(1.)
The school should be open to children at thirteen. (2.) That they should
pass a competitive examination. (3.) That the school should be divided
into five classes, the three lower ones to be entirely preparatory. (4.)
That the tuition for acting should not begin until these three classes
are passed, or, in other words, that the pupil should spend four years
in merely preparatory work. (5.) That if the pupil then shows no special
aptitude, he should be recommended to give up all idea of the stage.
(6.) That six hours a week should be bestowed on diction and acting.
(7.) That at the end of the course the pupils should submit to a
semi-public examination, and receive a diploma if proficient. (8.) That
the co-operation of managers should be invited, and that the conduct of
the school should be entrusted to one man (not an actor) under the
supervision of three eminent actors or actor-managers. (9.) That the
school must be endowed amply enough to tide it over the first five years
of its existence, and that the fees to pupils should be made as low as
possible. If a certain amount of energy and determination are brought to
bear on the subject, I see no reason why it should not speedily be
brought within the range of practical politics.

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