The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-12-11
Powerful Acting.

The last almanac issued by the Eng
lish theatrical paper, known a. the Era,
gives these amusing but apocrypha! an
ecdotes Of powerful American acting
On one occasion Mr. Edwin Forrest,
then a young man gave Il tremendous
display Of really powerful acting. He
was supposed to represent Roman
warrior, and 70 be attacked by SIX min
ions of a detested tyrGnt. At the reher-
sails r. Forrest found great deal of
fault with the supers who condescended
to play the minions. They were too tame.
They didn't lay hold of him. They
wouldn't go in as if it were real fight.
Mr Forrest ,tormed and threatened
The supers skulked and consulted. At
length the captain of the super, inquired,
10 his local slang. Yer wants this to be
a bully fight, EMP I 30" replied Mr..
Forrest. "All right, rejoined the cap
tain, an9 then the rehearsal quietly pro-
ceeded In the evening the little theatre
was crowded, and Mr. Forrest was en-
Enthusiastically received. When the fight
ing scene occurred, the great tragedian
took the center of the stage, and the six
minions entered rapidly and deployed in
skirlnishing order At the cue Seize
him one minion assumed pugilistlc
attitude and struck blow straight from
the shoulder upon the prominent nose of
the Roman hero, another raised him
about six iache~ from the stage by we'll
directed kick, and the others made ready
to rash in for a decisive tu>sie FIR a
moment Mr. Forrest stood astounded,
his broad chest heayine with rage, his
great eyes flashing fire, his sturdy legs
planted like columns upon the stage.
Then came the few minutes of powerful
acting, at the end oe which one super
seen was sticking head-foremost in the
bass drum in the orchestra, four were
having their wounds dressed in the green
room, and one, finding him elf in the
flies. rushed out upon the roof of the
theatre and shouted Fire - at the top
Of his voice while Mr Forrest called
before the curtain, bowed his thanks
pantingly to the applauding audience,
who looked upon the whole affair as part
of the piece, and had never seen Forrest
act 50 splendidly Upon another occa
sion, however. the powerful acting was
upon the part of the supers. For the
sake Of poetic Justice, let us hone they
were the same supers. The hero was
Mr. George Jones, afterward known as
the Count johannes. Mr.. Jones was
impersonaiing the theatrical British
sailor transformed. Of course, into the
theatrical Yankee sailorl, who fights a
broadsword combat with four pirates,
and rescues lovely damsel in distress.
BY some means or other, Mr.. Jones had
offended the free and independent supers
who played the pirates, and the result
was a material alteration in the denoue-
ment of the drama. The damSel was in
distress; the four pirates were just about
TO bind her and bear her away to their
secret cave the feelings Of the audience
were wrought up to their highest pitch,
when suddenly Nh Jones (as the Yankee
tar) dashed upon the scene, threw him
self before the unhappy damsel, -four
ished his cutlass, and shouted, Come
on, villairsl One Yankee sailor is more
than match for four such lubberly
sharks - u guess not, replied one OF
the pirates and the four of them took
the ast7nished Jones by the legs and
arms, and in spite of his desperate
struggles, carried him bodily off the
stage. locked him in the property closet,
and returning, bore of the maiden &C
their mountain cavern behind the
scenes. The curtain fell