How Sardou Writes

Sardou's way of worldng Is as follows: The moment an Idea occurs to him he puts it down, and all the variou notes, documents and particulars whlcl have to do with this idea are joinert to gether, forming a eort of dossier. Whei the idea is crystallized into dramatic shape, Sardou writes a scenario of a few pages, giving the skeleton, as i were, of the whole play. Then he puts the work aside. All his various schemes are treated in the same way. He has at the present day from seventy to eighty dossiers in his drawers, out o whick eight or ten plays will come. So when he has to write a drama or comedy, he only chooses. For instance "Theodora" was written flfteen years after it originated in the author's mind As soon as Sardou's choice is made he reads over all the accompanying notes and documents which pertain to tha play and then he begins to write the drama or comedy, act by act, scène by scène, as they come Into hls mind When he has done this preliminary work he rewrites the piece on large white quarto paper. The play Is then reduced and condensed. It is this second manuscript which ís given to the copylst, to whom is intniBted the care of putting it in shape. All this Writing is ordinarily done at Marly. Sardou is not disturbed there as he is in Pari3.