The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
Odd incidents of the S age.

=.
One of those unrehearsed incidents
which call for extra smartness on the
part OF the performer If he wishes 10
avoid appearing ridiculous occurred at a
performance OF The Shop Girl during
october. 1885, in London. The French
Count, at a sally OF Wit from Appleby
regarding his feet, retors sarcasticlly: I
reserve my foot for you, sare." at the
same time raising it as If in the act Of
kicking On this occasion his boot, IN
fortunately few on into the wings. dis
playing a large hole in his sock. The
resdy-witted comedian who played the
part was, however, equal 10 the occasion.
Farewell, sare,' he exclaimed tragically.
limping around the stage, Farewell,
We shall meet again, 1 go-to mend my
socks The house literally reared win
laughter.
Miss Sarah Thorne tells a good story
of how, when she was playing in The
Colleen Bawn" at 81 provincial theater.
the gun loaded with powder to shoot
Danny Mann was missing from the wing
just before 1t vas required, and could
not be found At the last moment one
of the actors. eating from a paper bag.
emptied out the biscuits, inflated the
bag. and bursting il with a sudden blow.
Danny rolled over into the water. killed
by the report OF paper bag as eneetu-
/ ally as he would have been by q real
gun.
Miss Marie Wainwright narrates an alb
surd instance that nearly threw her OF
her balance during a first night: Per
/ haps you remember that as Dame Han
nah. in 'Ruddigore,' I had 70 go on vi b
/ q small dagger, with which TO threaten
/ the wicked Baronet's wife. When my
/ turn came round the dagger was no.
I I
me 10 go on without my property, and
although Mr.. harrington implored me 10
! appear without it, I was resolute. There
was a terrible stage wait and at last
/ Mr. harrington grew desperate, and fore
/ ing something into my hand. absolutely
pushed me on 10 the stage. And what
do YOU think ii was? A large gas key.
I continued 10 conceal the absurd make
shift from the audience: but when
had 10 hand my supposed dagger 70 Mr..
/ Grossmith, he most unkiudly gave me
/ away. How can 1 kill myself with this
thing?' he said. holding up the gas key
/ In its entirety. which produced a perfect
/ howl OF laughter, and for some minutes
| We were unable to continue.
When Charles Kean was Playing Rich
/ ard IL" his fearful grimaces in char
/ acter paralyzed all the other actors with
/ fright, much TO his amazemeut. on one
/ occasi new man had 10 take the part
/ OF the sentinel who awOke Richard When
asked who IS there?" he had 10 say
IT'S I, my lord; the village cock hath
twice proclaimed the hour Of morn" But
/ as Kean was making such fearful grim
/ aces and scowling al him, the poor fel-
/ low lost his head, and could only STAN
mer. "'Tis /. my lord tits l. my lord:
/ the-village cock, It's I, my lord; the
village cock" BY this time there was
a decided litter all over the -theater. and
/ Kean then said, Then, why the mis-
/ chief don't YOU crow" which. needless
to say, brought down the house.
jefferson. while playing Rip Van Win
kIe'' went TO the theater one evening
tired out after "A lOnS days fishing. Whn
the curtain rose on the third act 1t dis
closed the white-haired Rip still deep in
his twenty years nap. Five. zen. twenty
minutes passed, and he did not wake
The fact was that all the time he was
really sleeping. Finally. the patience Of
the gods became exhausted. and one call
ed out. is there going 10 be nineteen
years more Of this snOoZe business At
this point jefferson began 10 snore, which
decided the prCmpter who. opening a
small trap. began TO prod him below. The
much-traveled comedian began 10 tumble
in his pocket for an imaginary railway
ticket and muttered, Going right
through. conductor" which transfxed
/ the audience with amazement. An Instant
later Jefferson sat up. with a loud shrek.
evidently in agony The exasperated
prompter had 'jabbed" him with a pin.
The audience is sometimes responsible
for interruptions which give performers
an opportunity of displaying their ready
wit. Barry Sullivan. the Irish tragedian.
was playing I'm Richard IL some years
ago at Shrewsbury. When the actor
came to the lines, "A horse horse! my
kingdom for a horse some one in the
nit called out. Wouldn't a donkey suit
you. Mr.. Sullivan Yes. responded the
tragedian. turning quickly on the inter-
rupter. please come round 10 the stage
door"
Signor Foil some years since took part
in a concert at St Helens. where he
sang The Raft" He had just finished
the first verse when an infant I'm arms
made the hall resOuud with its cries. Foil
commenced the second verse the first
line OF which runs. "Hark. what sound
is that which greets the mothers carr
He could get no further than the end q
the line by reason Of a At II unconToH-
able laughter He left the stage. but
soon returned smiling and rendered in
his inimttahle style. "Out on the Deep
This calls 70 mind an absurd b.under
related in Tom Moore's "Diary" concern
ing John Kemble He was performing
one OF his favorite parts az some c0un-
try theater. and was interrupted from
time to time by the squal - - child
in the gallery. until AZ lcrEth. sueere3
by this rival performance. Kemb.e " *
Cd with solemn steps 90 the front ~ the
stage and exclaimed IN his most tragic
tones. Ladies and gentlemen. unless che
plav is stopped the child cannot possibly
20 on"
II was not often that Charles Mathe-~-
was noupiussed; but one night a. tae
Olympic a swell !n front stat got H7
in the middle ~ one of t5e scenes % plt
on his coat for the purpose n leaving.
vvhereupon Charles. with cool manner
which in any orc else wouf nsvs been
fu1oertiuent. said. You had better wait
a little. STR: there's more 20 come
That's Just the reason : sm going
said the swell, and Charles said after
wards that he had never felt go sat upon
IN his life.
Co,4Lo,, Ka,.ao Eu~fnae- No,