The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-04-29

the same time, the occultism of it
grows beautifully less, if indeed it
does not wholly disappear. 1t was a
very useful superstition, and I soon
came to have quite a respect for it..
I must selfshly confess that this was
not one Of the hoodoos sought TO
Danish
Some of the superstitions of the
stage are more mysterious, however.
There is a most decided supernatural
prejudice against a yellow clarinet
in an orchestra, and one will never
see one of these in theater. I have
never been able to trace this notion
to it's source.
One must never speak the tag of the
play during rehearsal; by tag, I mean
the last sentence. Up to seven or
eight years ago this was one of the
most hidebound of stage supersti-
tions. The actor would be amazed,
until he became familiar with this
custom, to find that in no circum-
stances was the last sentence of the
play ever spoken until the first per-
Torrance. In fact, it was an unchal-
lenged belief of all managers, stage
managers and actors, that no play
could possibly succeed where the tag
had been spoken during rehearsal.
This has quite passed away, though
one will occasionally even now find a
stage manager who pays it some
slight Difference.
It is a superstition that if the act
ors indorse a play at rehearsal, laugh
at the comedy. and are moved by the
emotional elements of it, that if they
are satisfied with their parts, that
when things move smoothly, or if
there has been very little friction or
annoyance during preparation, the
play is damned beforehand. Possibly
this is because there is usually so
much struggle and heartbreal and so
many tears during the rehearsal that
the unusualness of the other condition
gives a mysterious aspect, and mys-
terry is almost always ominously con-
strued.
The old fashioned actor was a great
victim Of superstition. For instance:
If he met minister, priests, or nun
on the train on which he was travel
ing, he would always give him money
to 'break the spell" It was suppos
ed to be very bad luck to meet ONE
of these. It is impossible to find the
origin of this superstition, unless IL
was borrowed from the sailors super
stition. But I have never heard or
sailors purchasing immunity by hand
ing out money 1t was reserved for
actors to do that. And, so far as
know, the professors of religion have
never undertaken to break up this
particular hoodoo
Once when-I was in Miss Daven-
ports company, the star passed me a
fve-dollar bill to give to nun. /
demonstrated with her; but it was
useless. I even urged that it might
hurt the feelings of the lady of the
black veil
ASK her to pray for me-" said Miss
Davenport with great tact.
Needless to say, in the circum-
stance, the nun took the money.
Hunchbacks are supposed to be
lucky. This feeling is not peculiar TO
actors; in fact, it has largely faded
from the annals of stage superstition.
But even now one will occasionally
see among older actors or actresses
a hunchback man or woman serving
as valet or maid Frequently among
attaches of the theater these deform-
ed persons may be found serving in
some capacity not requiring great
Particularly is this true of
European theaters.
No one must whistle in the dress
ing room of the theater. This is still
a we'll defined belief; one that I was
delighted to trace to its source. Here
Is the reason for it; If two or three
persons are dressing in the same
room, the walls of which, as so often
happens. are simply matchboards, so
that all sounds come down the length
Of the dressing room reserves, one !