The Reason for a Play
The Reason for a Play is an article published in The Chicago Tribune on 1 december 1900.
About the play Sherlock Holmes at Powers' Theater, Chicago, USA.
The Reason for a Play
The cheerful imagination of a Western newspaper man is responsible for the dramatization of "Sherlock Holmes," by William Gillette. When Mr. Gillette was playing "Secret Service" in London Charles Frohman showed him one day a clipping from an obscure Pacific coast newspaper, which quoted A. Conan Doyle as saying that no one ever should make "Sherlock Holmes" into a play or appear in the role of the detective except William Gillette. At that time Mr. Gillette is said to have had marked dislike for the stories, voting them too impossible for consideration. He laughed at the idea of his ever appearing as the stage Sherlock Holmes. He suggested to the manager, however, that it might not be a bad idea to secure the title of the book for possible dramatic use, and, in accord with it. the necessary arrangements were made with Mr. Doyle.
There the matter rested until the next season, when Mr. Gillette was giving "Secret Service" its farewell presentations in California. Mr. Frohman, who had been thinking the matter over, then advised the actor-playwright to make a trial at dramatizing some of the incidents of the stories. Mr. Gillette communicated with Mr. Doyle, asking him what liberties he might take with the literary character, and the writer responded that he might do anything he cared to. Without more ado Mr. Gillette took up quarters in Los Angeles, announced his tour would halt for six weeks, and in four weeks had completed a rough draft of the play. When he works it is case of coat off and cuffs turned back, and while the play is on his mind he lives in its atmosphere, eating little and sleeping less. Having finished a fortnight ahead of time, he went to San Francisco to enjoy the vacation period.
There an incident occurred which would have spelled lasting discouragement to most men. When the Baldwin Hotel burned the manuscript of the play, with all foundation notes, was destroyed. The present play was not written till a year ago last summer. Mr. Gillette began the rewriting on board a steamer bound for London and finished it at the English capital. He read it to Mr. Doyle before returning to America.
