Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-05
BROUGHAAps NEW PLAY.
An Old Story of the Genial Irish Come
dian RetOId.


One Of the most daring practical Jokes
ever played in theatre was carried out
by Brougham at BurtOn's Theatre (frst
the Metropolitan, afterYard Winter Gar
den }, in Broadway, opposite Bond street.
The genial John BrOugham announced on
the bills new play by himself-a one
act afterpiece called "This House to be
Sold All the critics were agOg about
it. The first piece on the bill-''A Pretty
Firm" a three-act drama-they did not
like, and had already condemned, but the
new one by BrOugham drew them.
At the time for the curtain TO rise on the
afterpiece there was a great cOmmOtiOn
heard behind the scenes-angry voices
and a great uprOar. The curtain was
pushed aside and Brougham, flushed and
excited, came before the hushed audience.
Said he:
''Ladies and gentlemen, this is one Of
the unhappiest moments of my life. l
have never, l think l may safely say, APP
peared before you as a brawler, or an
apOlOgist, or as person inclined to dodge
the responsibilities of my profession, and
moreover, when I find myself Ill-treated
abused, the victim of a Misrepresentation,
and Outrageously misrepresented by the
management, know you will declare nv
cause is Just and that the dramatist has
some rights which the manager is bound
to respect. Therefore l leave my case in
your hands, confident that you Will do me
justice"
He was about to bow out of the sight Of
the bewildered audience when Burton, APP
parently in a fury, rushed on the stage
from the opposite side. BrOugham paused.
Burton burst out:
Don't believe this man. When this
play was written-it is now a week or two
since-it was rehearsed, and we agreed
but no matter-it is now all prepared and
at the last momentum. BrOu CHAM knows
what l say is true"
sit is falsev shrieked Brougham.
''Didn'tI say yesterday" said Bur
ton.
''YOu didn't" said Brougham.
Then the two put their noses together
and wrangled like two fishwOmeu, but not
a word nor a grain of sense could the au-
dience make out Of it. In the height of
this scene a respectable-looking old gen.
tleman who occupied a stage box and who
had been restrained by a handsome young
lady, evidently his daughter, broke loose
and came to the front of the box.
''Stop this wranglingw said he; 'I've
come here to see you fellows play-nOt to
hear you wrangle like drabs. Stop your
disgraceful quarrel"
''Shut up!" said Burton.
''Sit down and mind your business, -
said BrOugham.
you're a couple of blackguards," said
the Irascible old chap, in a frenzy that
was almost verging on an apoplectic eli
max.
The young lady clasped Ler hands in de-
spair and yainly tried to calm her angry
parent.
''Ploice! Put that man outw shrieked
Burton and Brougham together.
There was great excitement in the
house. The officers on duty went to the
box. While they went in at the door the
old man took OFF his wig and got on the
stage, helping his daughter after him.
The four joined hands and bowed to the
astOunded audience, while the puzzled po-
lice looked out of the private box.
Ladies' and gentlemen" said Brough-
am, ''this old man l find to be an old
friend Of mine-in fact, the old man of
the theatre-and this is our comedienne,
Miss Raymond. The play Is ended. This
house has been completely sold.
With that they retired, the audience
burst into laughter and retired, too, and
the critics bOlted. Next day they said
nothing about 1t in their papers, and
Brougham could not get one of them to
acknowledge that he had been present at
the first performance of the play, al
though they had been sold, every one of
them, as were also the employees of the
house and the police on duty in the audi
tOrium. 1t was dangerous trick to play,
and it required man of BrOugham's wit
and talent to work it.