The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-07-31
SAVING The PLAY
Actors Are Often Called Upon to
Exercise Quick Wit.
SOME CURIOUS EXPERIENCES
Rose eytinss Once Ex.erporired the
Entire Part Of Lady Isabel In EAST
tynnc"-tiow John erousham Made
. Hit Without His Leading Lady.

Hit Without His Leading Lady.
Quick wit has saved many an cmbar-
RAISING situation. turned many a seem
ingly disastrous failure into success.
Politics, literature, courtesy, all are
served by quick tongue and ready
word
Actors as well as business men, have
special use for quick wit 50 often do
they need help out of difficulty dur
ing the play. A college performance
was saved from wrcckage by one of
the young actors.
One OF the cast, a boy easily upset,
had just given his line. "All need Is
an advertisement" when half of his
stage mustache fell Off.
"Oh, no. said the ready youth be-
side him, seeing his embarrassment;
what you need is a hair restorer."
And under cover Of the laughter the
victim had a chance to recover himself.
1t was surely the same readiness
that enabled Rose Eytinge to go
through one Of the most extraordinary
experiences any actress ever had. In
San Francisco she was once asked to
I'LL Mary Anderson's place at short
notice, appearing with the local stock
company. The play was to be East
Lynne" BY singular chance, no prompt
book could be found, nor could they
secure copy of the novel. Miss Ey-
tinge protested that it would be i'm
possible for her to play. as she had
never so much as seen the piece. That
fact they refused to believe. More
over. to add to her difficulty. though
all the company claimed to know the
old drama backward. no one seemed
10 have an idea of the lines she. as
Lady Isabel. would have to speak.
'Oh. that'il be all right" said John
Mccullough. the manager. TO whom she
appealed. Just you sob and look sorry.
and 1t will GO"
So Miss Eytinge. rather than cause
the loss Of closing the theater. went on
totally unprepared TO act in an abso-
iutely unfamiliar play.
Tom Keene. the Archibald Carlisle.
instructed her in the proper emotion
from scene to scene. Now she's a
jealous cat. a jealous cat" he would
whisper. Now she's kitteny." .Now
she's sorry she was such a fool" Now
she wants her young ones" Now she
up and dies"
The performance seemed to cause en-.
tire satisfaction to the audience. and
Mccullough, as he generously handed
over half the receipts to the heroine of
the hour, declared, well. YOU may
have had to vamp that part. but I've
often seen il played with less soul"
The story of an experience demand
ing similar readiness Of wit is told of
John Brougham. the early American
comedian and playwright. On one &C.
casion, when his own clever burleSque.
''PocahOntas.' had been billed and the
house sold out in advance, the leading
actress left without warning TO take
another position In Baltimore The au-
dience had assembled before her alb |
>ence was discovered by the manager
and star. As 1t was that play or moth |
Ing BrOugha m, who was famed for his |
The curtain and suggested giving the |
piece without Pocahontss. He recalled |
rh- old story of the actor who played |
Hamlet so execrably that on the fol
lowing night the tragedy was given
with that character omitted by request.
Now, II Hamlet can he acted with
out the hero ne remarked, "why not
l'Wah0ntas' without the heroine? or
course you are all aware OF the fact
that pocahontas' is a much greater
play than Hamlet Even IL you do not
know that, ! do. aud | ought to, for I
wrote II myself Are you willing to
try itp'
Go ahead"" came the cries from the
audience, who settled themselves back
10 see the result
The burlesqur proceeded as usual
until the entrauce music was played
for Pocahontas. then. turning toward
the audience. HroushanI, as POwhatan,
sadly began: Ladies and gentlemen,
that sweet strain il supposed to bring
my daughter l'ocahontas on the stage
You are already aware that she Is i'm |
HE city OF baltimore. and the stern
law of the land will not permit Chris
liam, much less II savage. TO be in two
places at once thus does the law
protect that most useful instrument,
the alibi However. " Poky were here
She wouid hasten TO say WhereupOn
Ihe comedian gave her lines in exact
imitation of the missing actress. keep.
my up the dialogue in two persons all
through the play The delighted peo- ,
Die who were fortunate enough 10 be
present declared that Brougham was
I,cnged
q. l.. Huntiey tells of an incident
hat took place at an east side theater
n London The gods We're b0oing 1
he piece and throwing chunks Of bread /
Z the performers
At last the star came forward and 4
aid: Now, look here. We're trying our \
'est TO amuse you. Throw bread, Il q
GU like; hut" he added as he stoppcl
nd picked up n chunk. thank heaven
m not too proud to eat IT,"