The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-07-25
SAVING THE, SCENE.
An Emergency For Which Actors
Must Ever Be Prepared.
ACTS NOT ON THE PLAYBILLs.

An experienced actor is supposed to
be able to cope with any stage emer'
rency. no matter what is lacking or
what happens. Cool, self possessed, II
Is expected Of him to turn the ridieu-
Ious into source of applause rather
than of disapproTal or laughter.
And among the necessary acquire
ments for the actress Is an unshakahle
self control, no matter If by some care
lessness she is thrown into situation
almost without precedent She must
never fly off at tangent because OF
some unrehearscd incident. She must
not scream VIXEN the perennial gallery
idiot wells Fire If something is for
gotten she must try hard TO hide its alb
sence or invent n substitute.
If ANYTHING unusual occurred | al
ways tried to incorporate 1t into the
play If possible, as when in the school
room scene Of Miss Mutton" / was as
topislicd to see large water spaniel
coue trotting on to the stage, waving
his tail at me as If we had been bosom
/ friends for years. don't like to recall
all tile things thought about that dog
for moment or two.
Then rose, and, thanking heaven
and generous master for the collar he
wore, | grasped 1t, and, having stroked
his silky ear with the other hand, /
said to my pupils: "Children, l do not
wish to curtail your pleasures, but l
have told you before that cannot per-
nit you 20 have your pets in this room
during lesson hours. Now, don't force
me NO remind you of that again"
Aid the little girl who played Paul
quickly and cleverly responded to my
wink. "Oh. excuse us this time, Miss
Mutton, and we won't do 1t again.
And, taking the dog from me. she led
him of into the retirement of private
life, while in the morning one newspa-
per remarked that among the prettiest
of tho lighter touches of the perform
ance was the scene at the Christmas
/ tree in the first act and the dog scene
In the third act"
Another time, in Baltimore, when
was playing Camille" ! had similar
experience. In the fifth act had stag
gcred from the window to the bureau,
nearing that dread moment when was
TO see the reflection of my wrecked and
ruincd self in the looking glass. The
house was all attention, watching dim
eyed the piteous. weak movements OF
the diving woman. Just then | heard
the quick indra wing of the breath that
startled womanhood always INDUCES
in before either scream or laugh.
My heart gave plunge. What Is
IL? oh, what is wrong" And glanc-
cd down II myself anxiously. for really
wore very little In that scene. what
is IT."
Then came litter. and evidently 1t
was growing. In agony | turned quick
~ about and found myself facing a
INDUSTRIOUS eat Starlike, he held the
very center of the stage. his two great
topaz eyes fixed unflinchingly upon my
race His tail stood straight and ag-
excessively in the air, twitching with
short witches ut the very top.
Alas, no wonder they giggled! But
how TO save the approaching death
scene was what went through my
mind
Cllnging to the bureau. | slipped TO
my knees. and with an earnest prayer
that he would not resist my appeal IN
n faint voice | called him to me.
Thomas looked suspiciously at me. hes
ltated. then approached gingcrly and
shifted nj my fingers. Then he rubbed
his dingy body against my knee. and
In an instant my arms were about him,
my cheek on his wicked old head.
What sigh OF relief went like wave
over that audience, had won.
then called Nanine to relieve me,
and the applause that swept the house
was a. balm TO my great distress.
said TO Nanine. Take him downstairs;
he grows too heavy for me to pct"
And Sir Thomas was carried of re-
luctanty. imagining perhaps that
was envious of the hit he had made.
My manager. who was somewhat OF
a wag. OF course made the most or the
saved situation. A gentleman met him
on the street the next morning and was
anxious for him to settle au argument
between himself and wife.
My wife. who has seen tho play sew
cral times in New York. insists that
the beautiful little scene with the cat
belongs 10 the play. while don't recall
Il. nor 20 any Of our acqualntances
whom have asked this morning
Won't you kindly set US rightgr
"willingly." replied my manager.
"your wife Is in the right. my dear sir.
That cat scene is always done II is n
great favorlte with Miss Morris. and
she hauls that cat all over the country
with her
suy heaven forgive him.-Clara Nor
rs IN New York Press.
----
TsntaI,zinsly Accurate.
Che 7rl,oro.e ettrh T. fl.iu~ ~ go