The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-05-07
RICHARD m UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

down to coy little supper with
manager Dan Frohman, OF the Ly-
ceum, and actor Edward Sothern, and
during the little supper the converse
ton came around to Mr.. Booths expe-
riences as manager, and in answer
to question Mr. Booth gave quaint
little bit of autobiography which was
too good to keep, and the story is go
ing the rounds among the profession.
about my first experience as
manager" said Mr.. Booth, twas in
the year 1854. and four others were
on our way to Australia to fill pro-
fessional engagement. Two of the
party were d. G. Anderson and his
wife. We were in slow old sailing
ship, and we were compelled to stop
at the Sandwich Islands for supplies
and to make some repairs to the ship.
We found, to our surprise, that Homo
lulu had rude sort of theatre, and as
we were to be detained there for sew
eral days we thought we might earn
few dollars by giving performance.
. We were told that the king-Kame-
hameha, / think his royal name was
was an enlightened monarch, who
had visited Europe and come back
with great admiration for the drama,
and that he would graciously patron
ize our performance.
1--WE determined to give Richard
III, and | was elected manager. Now,
the full strength of the company was
exactly five, and there are about
twenty-five parts in the tragedy, as
you know, to say nothing of the lords
and ladies of the courts, citizens MUIR
derers, messengers and the two armies
of Gloster and Richmond. So you can
understand that the manager had no
easy task of it. | was to play Richard,
and by an ingenious scheme of doub-
ling up, by which each of the others
was to play at least two parts, we man.
aged to arrange for some sort OF a per-
Torrance until 1 suddenly discovered
that had no Lady Anne. Mrs. An
.derson was the only lady in our COM
pany, and she had to do two parts
the Duchess of York and Elizabeth.
II was almost in despair until ]
learned that there was white man in
the town who, as was told, had once
been an actor in q humble way and
would be glad to help us out, and that
as he was an under sized man he might
do to dress up as a woman. So sent
for him.
Meantime / had another trouble.
We had some bills printed with q
brush and marking ink, and l sent
some natives out to bill the town. But
-four was entirely too scarce and high
priced in the Sandwich islands to make
paste of, and as substitute was adj
vised to buy some stuff called poi poi,
the sticky juice of some tropical plant
of which it appears the natives make
an intoxicating drink. innocently
gave this stuff to the bill stickers.
But the rascally natives, instead of
using the stuff as had intended, drank
up all the paste, got drunk, and didn't
post bill! At the last moment had
70 take a pail and brush and bundle
Of bills and 60 through the town pyst-
ing the bills myself.
1.-THE new member of the company
who was to do Lady Anne almost gave
me a spasm when l saw him. He was
about four feet high, a stumpy fellow
with handy legs, cross eyed, and with
all his front teeth gone. He chewed
tobacco furiously, and he spoke with
German accent His only know
ledge of the stage proved to have come
from once working as a grip behind
the scenes of some theatre in the
States.
''But there was no help for it, and
had to engage him, after exacting his
solemn promise that he would never
forget that he was a royal princess OF
England, and not squirt tobacco juice
over the stage during the play.
II shall never forget that perform
ance of Richard ILL., Its like was
never seen before nor since. The two
English armies were made up of native
Sandwich islanders, and to see the fol.
lowers of Richard and of Richmond
,fighting the battle OF Boswcrth Field
in burnt cork was something 'neve,
before attempted ON any stage
but the Lady Annel regret to
cay that her appearance when made
up was something worse than gro
tesque. If she had been homely in
mans attire she was hideous in skirts,
and when I had made ardent love ia
her AS e
Sweet saint!-'divine perfection
of q woman fairer than tongue can
name thee, and tell her Of her beauty
which did haunt me in my sleep,
thought should burst with mortiflca
ton, for her handy legged waddle
her cross eyed leer. her toothles.
mouth and German accent were some
thing INDISPENSABLE. And, horror oil
horrors! while she stood mourning q,
her dead husbands bier, her ladyshir
had broken her solemn pledge and wa,
actually chewing tobaccol
'Oh, there never was such per
Torrance as thatl We shortened thu
play a great deal and left good dea.
to the Imagination Of the audience
but l was in cold perspiration unit
it was over. But our audience wa
good natured and by no means crit
cal. We had a big house and they
seemed we'll pleased"
But there was curious sequel X
the performance" added Mr. Booth
AFTER the play, while was dressing
King Kamehameha was ustered int
my room. He proved to be very
pleasant, well informed gentleman. HI
had been educated in Europe and hal
travelled extensively. He spoke kind
ly of our Richard, and he surprised m,
greatly by eyclaiming, as he patted
me Familiarity on the back: