Evening star., 1909-03-07
A Bakers Useful Nag

d
He says. Stock companies often get into
dreadful straits. l recall an incident that
happened to one company IN which L was IN
terested. horse was needed in the play for
a charger something equally heroic. The
only nag they could hire belonged to a baker :,
for the town was small one, and other
horse was available. This baker gave the loan
of his horse for a consideration after he had
gone his rounds delivering bread to his Gus
toners. The whole of that company, especially
the stage manager, used to be on thorns till
they heard the hoofs of that steed Gathering
along the street. All lathered as he was we
dragged him-he needed dragging-.on the
stage, and then heaved sign of relief that the
play was Saved~
Fortunately 1t Was at Rehearsal
THIS from Charles Warner. the great imper-
senator of the drunkard in " Drink
81 shall never forget fasco that happened
to me when playing with Samuel Phelps.
Phelps took quite a fancy to me. and gave me
the part of FRANCOIS in Richeleu. You re-
member the business of wrestling the package
out of FRANCOIS hand? Well, Phelps dldn'
signify what business he was going to intro
duce during rehearsals. On the first night ne
rushed at me and knocked the package right
out of my hands. asking me at the same time
what had to say l was SO taken back that
l forgot what my lines were. and merely
blurted out, '1-er-don It know
Sizing Up Bernard Shaw
RERNARD SHAW is thus immortalized by
Charles Hawtrey. the English comedian {.
"Once on time" says Hawtrey. Il had
mad desire to produce Shaw's play of You
Never Can Tell / wrote to Shaw and asked
his permission. He answered that he would
come and read it to me He did, and began
by saying that sometimes he thought it was
the best play that ever was written. and at
others he considered it the greatest trash
Anyhow. he was of opinion that 1t was pretty
hot / ~ -xx,all
must take the consequences: Sometime after
ward l asked Shaw if could compress the last
act. He declined to allow one line to be altered
or cut out In view of certain contingencies,
had at last to tell him that couldn't produce
the play. His answer was. Thank you SO
much You have taken great load off my
mind Now what are you to do with man
like that?'
Couldn't Forget She Was Lady"
WILLIAM SEYMOUR, Charles Frohman's S
stage manager. tells this story of an as
pirant to the boards:
This young lady had certain amount of
influence and so was cast for little character
part She rehearsed, and proved satisfactory.
The piece had its initiation at Williamsburg.
Going the ferry the morning of the
day the piece was to be produced. was told
young man wished to see me He handed
me a note, which somewhat after this
fashion:
"'DEAR Mr.. SEYMoUR.-On consideration |
am sorry to say that | have decided to throw
up my part. | was born lady educated and
brought up as lady. and l really cannot bring
myself to appear before the American public
except in the character of lady
Later on l believe by some means other
she did get a lady's part with another COM
pany, and total failure "
What Was the Matter
r. A. SOTHERN has an amusing story about
dilemma he once got into:
81 acting in a comedy when had to
speak the words, What's the matter?' Well,
one night l was rather slow about taking my
cue, and was prompted. l forgot myself for
the moment, and when the words came,
What's the matter?' l thought something or
other had occurred out of the common.
paused and looked round. Everything seemed
normal. and the stage waited. Then came an
other What's the matter?' from the o. P
side. They were all getting anxious behind
the scenes; and so was l, for that matter
looked myself up and down, and then scanned
my fellow actor; but for the life of me couldn't
anything wrong. At last an audible whis
per came, Go on with your lines, you idiot
What's the matter with you?' Then it suddenly
dawned me where l was but the house
had tumbled to the situation, and came down
,,1e.<.