The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-10
A BALLET GIRL.

pkcd8S, AIlQ Slhlps ~ III i snail unG
you. No. sir; we cannot have the comic
scenes in the afternoon. I am stage
manager in this theater, and I p I
know my business better than you can
teach me. And I will not nave you
dance a hornpipe outside the butchers
shop. I am surprised a respectable
clown should wish to 10 it. Remember
Grimaldi, and blush. If you wanted to
sing Hot COLLINS you think I should
object just the same? OF course I
should. Pantomime is progressive and
must march with the times. If I were
the proprietor of this theater, instead of
being only a wretched stage manager
to be plagued by you and everybody
else about the place. 1 should cut your
string of sausages and the cuisines
with the butterfly and the split shovel.
Always gets a laugh? Yes, I dare say
If the lime light man were to fall on
the stage and break his neck the gal
lery would think it comic. Played in
ha~rlequinades n think you
ought to know something? Yes. sir,
and I have staged twenty pantomimes.
you may like to learn, with Tom
Matthews and John Lauri: men who
were clowns, sir, and 1 know better.
And let me tell you, sir. that Of all the
towns I was ever in / never had such
disgraceful treatment as / have received
here, sir. None of the. people know
their parts; the band Is always late,
and / am sure the is three
parts drunk; and as for the ballet and
the extra ladies they treat me as if !
were a cipher. I never met with such
insolence-never!
How this show could ever be put on
by Wednesday week unless the govern
or had engaged a man OF experience
like myself to boss it heaven only
knows. Very well, if you can't arrange
your entrances with the harlequin you
must leave them unarranged. l nave
quite enough to do without worrying
myself with the comic business. l Won
der the governor doesn't knock it out al
together. The public don't want it, sir;
the game is stale and played out. No;
you cannot be omitted from the ensem-
BILE in the winter scene of the opening.
We want every available man, woman
and child for the patriotic chorus. |
don't care. If you can't whiten up be-
tween then and the close of the trans
formation you don't know your business,
that's all. The Columbine too heavy for
you to lift? Good gracious, man. you
are not going to make me responsible
for that? Better persuade her to take
jill cAC GIN 6SI liz
Very well, Mr.. Smithers, If the Fairy
Bower is not dry enough to be fixed
tomorrow morning this pantomime will
have to go on without a ballet. Cant
paint scenery as fast as you can black
boots. 1t is no business of mine, sir. 1
don't care how many sets. you had to
prepare for travelling companies in the
autumn, and 1 don't care whether you
are expected to be an or not.
If the Fairy Bower isn't ready for re-
L---1o1 - II O. 1-r Won or L lea va this
theater, sir-that's all. No, Miss Tin
canno, you cannot have a solo in the
Haunt of the Glowworm.'
Yes, yes; the author may have written
it specially for you.sbut the author mas
nothing to do with me. madam. L am
not to be intimidated by the author.
Very we'll. If you haven't a chance Tor
the evening you must go without L
don't care about the double ncores you
had at .Dumbleton, nor what the gov
ernor promised you. If / have mucn
more of this I Shall put on my hat and
let this pantomime come out of It's own
accord. 1 never had such a lot or peo-
pie to deal with-never. E~verypodys
grumbling and growing, ana throwing
the whole of their shortcomings upon
me. What's this?eeThe, Fairy Queen has
a sore throat and, would be Obliged II
the rehearsal could be put OF Till Fri
day?
Tell the Fairy Queen, with my COM
DllmentS, CnaI we Will w OtiAh
kind. I declare I'd rather deal with a
dozen heavies or twenty juvenile leads
than with a clown or a fairy queen.
They are the most unreasonable people
in the whole profession. me clown al
WAYS wants all the fat in the marie
oinade and the fairy queen would like
the theater to be shut up while we are
shifting the scenes. Sh is always COM
planning about the carpenters spolllng
her best song, whereas II Sne hau d
4x1= Chn kn0y
She would never be required at all eX-
cept to keep the show going While we
are mailing up the full set behind. NO,
Mr.. Virgins, we cannot allow any gag
unless previously approved by the man
agement. 1 don mind What the Ian
cashire papers wrote about you. sir, and
you may have understudled Arthur
Roberts or not.
That has nothing whatever to do with
me. j. am stage manager In this theater
and I will not permit II. we cannot
have that topical verse about the town
council spending the rates on roasting
themselves. 1t may go immense, as you
say. sir; but the town councll Is lhe
licensing authority remember, ana L VIII
not run any risks in order to let you
have your fling. No, sir. l never saw
YOU do the burlesque c~onjuring business
in 1.-THE Magician of Margate. Ii you
can stake your reputation on IL 40 SO
on your benefit, when the SHOW mas
only a few nights more 10 run anu ANY
thing will pass muster. Throw up your
part? AS you please, sir-as you please.
I never met such a miserable lot of
people as I have to deal with in this
theater-never.
Now. then, the shipwreck, please.
where's the Spirit of the Storm? Just
gone out? Oh, here you are, sir. You
have been keeping the stage waiting
for ten minutes. Now, / want no nom
sense with you, sir, but understand me
fully, that if this sort of thing occurs
again you don't appear in this panto-
mime on boxing night, whatever you
may think of it. Been hanging about
for two hours? Yes, sir. and 1T seems
to me 1 shall have to hang about for
two years before ] can Get the people
in this to understand what
they have to do. They care nothing
about their business and expect me to
make everything pleasant and comfort
able. Now, sir. if we are net incon-
veniencing you would it be too much to
ask you to get on-unless you prefer
to stay here till A o'clock in the morn
ing. I don't mind in the least. I am
resigned to anything in this theater.
Lights down, there. Lower that bunch
light. More movement in the waves.
you. Toss 'em about Never mind about
the dust.