New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-29
Deaths and Disasters on tho stage.

Many cases are on record IN WHICH, POI
formers have been struck with paralysis OF
apoplexy on the stage. Moilere' wnsn act,
ing in his celebrated comedy of the "Maiade
Imaeinaire, was seized on it's fourth repre-.
aentation with a convulsive attack; he tried
to conceal it with laugh, and went on
with the part, but sunk into the grave lew
DAYS afterward. In this case he had been
warned by his friends and advised to desist
from acting for time, but he did n05 iixe
to interrupt the run of q new piece which
was likely to benefit the manager and the
tack of apopIexy on the stage: so likewise
had Mondory. when playing Hcrode IN the
drama of "Mariamne;' lie resumed the
stage again, but before long broke down
altogether. During the time of George |.
an actor named Spiller was struck
with, apoplexy on the stage of the
Lincoln's Inn Theatre. About twenty
years later, at the Norwich Theatre. Cashel.
the actor, was similarly seized while per
forming the part OF frankly IN the oas'
picious Husband and died N few hours.
Near the close of the reign of George II. the
celebrated Mrs. Wellington, the kind hearted
"Peg Wofington," was enacting tho part OF
RosSl;nd in s.As You Like It." When she
Game to the epiogue she was suddenly rem.
dered almost speechless By paralysis, and
never fully recovered. Foote, the come.
dian, was a man who would have Joked
even under the gravest circumstances
Although struck with paralysis while act
inc in his own farce Of the Devil on Two
Sticks" he continued his habit of punning
and practical joking during the few re
naming months of his life. Being rec
commended to 60 to France for the lnl-
proyement of MS health, he stepped
awhile at Dover, and went one day into
the kitchen OF the inn where he was So
iourning to ''chaff" the cook. He told her
che must have been great traveller, tor he
had heard that she had been all over Greece
Esreasel; she declared she had never been
ten miles from Dover in her life. That
must be tib," he returned. for you have
often been seen at Spithead.'
Later wears have not been without their
instances of sudden attacks of illness on
the stage Miss L;niey. related to the Sher.-
dams was struck fatally while singing Il
know that MY Reieemer liveth," IN Han
ders Messiah" When Bacdeley was act
inc Noses in the school FOR Scandal" at
Drury Lane Theatre. he was suddenly taken
i'll. and died soon afterward. Mrs. Pope, an
actress of some eminence IN her day, was
seized with an apoplectic fit while playing
DeSdcmoia, and was lost to the world
week later. Lucca Fabres. singer at the
San Carlo Opera House at Naples, broke
blood vessel while attempting to reach
note above the compass of his voice. Two
sterling comedians, Farren and Harley.
men in middle life, were attacked with
paralysis while on the stage. The former
played afterward. though symptoms OF the
affection were painfully visible. He was play
ing Old PAR when seized. Harleys at
tack came on while he was acting Bottom,
in, midsummer Nights Dream" 1t is said
that his dying words, uttered unconsciousiy,
were some of those which Shakespeare puts
into the mouth of the redoubtaole Bottom
the Tcarer-'I have en- exposition OF sleep
come over me-" Some what similar was tie
case of Powell, the actor, who, when on his
death bed, became suddenly animated, put
himself as nearly as be could in the proper
theatrical attitude. and gave utterance to
the we'll known line in !'Macbeth'-"Is
this dagger that l see before met The
death of the elder Kean was peculiar in
many ways. He virtually received his
cath stroke on the stage, though he sur
vived a little longer. His irregular mode
of life had weakened bis health. i'm
paired his memory, and destroyed
his elasticity Of spirit: he had been
troubled, too, by the determination of his
son Charles to take to the stage as pro-
fession, against the paternal wish. The
resolve being fixed, the father agreed to
give the son an introduction to the public,
by playing CHetio to his iago. The per
formance took place on the twenty fifth of
March, 1888. The great actor was tanner
than usual. The audience waited for the
bursts Of energy with which they had SO
long been familiars; but waited in vain.
The accounts do rot exactly agree as to the
precise passage which was destined to be
the last uttered by him On the stage. We
are inclined to think it was:
"Oh, now forever
FArewel, the tranquil mind
saving which he broke down, became
speeches. and was led off the stage. Mr.
BARLEY solicited the indulgence Of the au-
dience for a few minutes; but when it was
found that the great actor could not reap
pear Mr.. Warde took the character OF
OU.ello during the remaining scenes of the
play. Virtually an old man at forty.fve,
Kean fingered while and finally sank.
His funeral was attended by larger num-
Der of theatrical celebrities than were. per-
haps, ever before assembled at any one
time in one place. Though man who had
given way to Incorporate habits, Kean had
endeared large circle of acquaintance to
him. Among the pail bearers and mourn
ers were Bfaham, Macready, Farren, Har
ley, Cooper, Charles Kean, BARLEY, She1i-
dan Knowles, Kelley. Wrench, .. Smith.
Strickland, Webster, Fitzwilliam, Vining,
Anderson and Frank Matthews, while the
humber members Of eight diferen. theat-
rioal nompapiea folIOwa1 in tho train