The Return of Peter Grimm | Page 6

was such a room as would be dear to all
old-fashioned, home-loving people--unlike a room of the present, from
which every memento of parents and grand-parents would be banished
in favour of strictly modern or antique formal furniture. In this room,
the things of Peter's father mingled with those of Peter's boyhood and
young manhood. This was done in order that the influence of his
familiar belongings might be felt by the people of the play. When his
niece stood with her hand on his chair; when she saw the lilies he loved;
when she touched his pipe, or any of the familiar objects dear to her
because of their associations,PETER was brought vividly back to her
mind, although she could not see him.

Peter's clothing was selected with unusual care so that it would not
catch the reflection from the lights. Months of preparation and weeks of
rehearsal were necessary.
One detail that was especially absorbing was the matter of lighting;
catching the high lights and shadows. This was the first time the
"bridge of lights" was used on any stage. Lighting has always been to
me more than mere illumination. It is a revelation of the heart and soul
of the story. It points the way. Lights should be to the play what the
musical accompaniment is to the singer. A wordless story could be told
by lights. Lights should be mixed as a painter mixes his colours--a bit
of pink here, of blue there; a touch of red, a lavender or a deep purple,
with shadows intervening to give the desired effect. Instead of throwing
a mysterious light upon the figure of Peter, I decided to reverse the
process and put no lights on him. The light was on the other people--the
people still in life, with just enough amber to give them colour.
The play was cut and cut until there was not a superfluous line in it.
Every word was necessary, although it might not have seemed so when
read. It was only after the play was recalled as a whole, that the
necessity for everything could be seen. The coming of the circus with
the clown singing "Uncle Rat has come to town," and the noise of the
drums, are instances of this. It seemed like halting the action to bring in
a country circus procession, but its necessity is shown in the final scene
when the little boy, William, passes away. It is always cruel to see a
child die on the stage. The purpose of the coming of the circus was to
provide a pleasant memory for the child to recall as his mind wandered
away from earth, and to have his death a happy one. This was made
more effective when Peter took up the refrain of the song as though he
knew what was passing in the dying boy's mind, showing that the dead
have their own world and their own understanding.
No company of players ever had situations so fraught with danger of
failure. They were very nervous. Mr. Warfield appeared in the part for
several weeks before he felt at ease as the living man who returns as his
own spirit.
There is one memory associated with the play which will remain in my

heart as long as it beats. This piece was written during the last
year-and-a-half of my daughter Augusta's life. For some reason, which
I could not understand then, but which was clear to me later, the subject
fascinated her. She showed the greatest interest in it. The dear child
was preparing to leave the world, but we did not know it. When the
manuscript was finished, she kept it by her side, and, notwithstanding
her illness, saw the dress rehearsal. During the writing of the play, she
often said, "Yes, father, it is all true. I believe every word of it." It was
as though the thought embodied in the play gave her comfort. When we
discovered how ill she was, I took her to Asheville, North Carolina,
thinking the climate would help her. She grew worse. Still hoping, we
went to Colorado, and there I lost her.
It has seemed to me since that the inspiration compelling me to go on
with "Peter Grimm," in spite of its difficulties, came from this daughter
who died.
I cannot close this reminiscence of "The Return of Peter Grimm"
without acknowledging the help and inspiration received from David
Warfield, without whose genius and personality the play would not
have been possible.
I doubt whether Mr. Belasco has ever infused so much imaginative
ingenuity into the structure and picture of a play. Even in the reading,
its quaint charm is instantly revealed. We quite agree with Winter in
saying that the effectiveness of the role of PETER lies in