The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-05
THOU SHALT NOT WE'D"
Commandments Which Footlight Fa'
 yOrites Must Not Break

From London Answers.
 Mir George Edwardes' recent mandats that no actress under his management may throw up her part in order to get married, except she pay for the privilege of doing so Is not new so far as the stage is concerned.
 Mir. Bandmann, whose musical comedy and comic opera touring companies ars so well known in India and other eastern countries. has for some time past had . similar clause in his contracts with his principal ladies and chorus girls.
 But, If the Idea Is not altogether quits new, it is at any rate. one of the latest additions to that ever-growlng list os thou-shalt-nots with which actors and actresses are faced. Few people outside the theatrical profession know it,, but it Is fact that in some ways stage feik can hardly call their souls their own.
 Football playing Is one of the things that many managers are strictly down on. It is no uncommon thing for young actors to have to sign contracts forbid ding indulgence in football during an enc gagement; while in cases where no such actual agreement exists participation h the game is sternly discouraged.
 Mir Robert Lorraine, himself a manager. used to fly, but he has given up the prao- tice now, and the actor or actress whs wants to soar in the skies-as Madame Sarah Bernhardt, for instance. frequent ly declares she does-had better keep the matter from the managerial ears. A famous Gaiety comedian once con- | aded to the writer what happened to him when he purposed to go for flight His employer heard of the intention. and his remarks were very brief, but very much
 You can juss drop that idoa.v he said. 'I m not going to have my show let down to please you. I'm paying you what am paying you to keep fit for acting-not to go and break your bloomin' neck!''
 Golf, tennis and motoring are all 'ai- | lowed" but one has heard of manage | ments which do not view cricket and hockey as altogether harmless. Cricket got into bad odor with some of the pow CTS that be because a we'll known come dian played kicking" ball with his nose. and broke it--his nose, not the ball in match a few seasons ago; while hockey is admittedly very dangerous game, especially when it Is mixed,
 And it is not only outside the theatre that the player has to mind hls-or her. ps and as, so to speak. On the other side of the stage door there are numerous rules and regulations to be conformed to. At many theatres the player, however important who dares to allow friend or acquaintance behind during the per formance without the managerial author | ty is liable to get into very hot water. l Written permission from the manager or stage manager has to be obtained first. and the stage doorkeeper who ncautious-
 y passes stranger behind without per- mission does so at risk of instant dis missal.
 | An artist who is late for rehearsal can be fined, while a player who keeps the stage 'waiting'--who is not ready to take up.a cue during the play--is guilty of al most the worst of all possible crimes in | stagedom.
 Strictly, artists are not supposed tt smoke or drink behind" but this is one of the rules honored in the breach rather 1 than in the observance.