Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-08-08
SAVING The PLAY
Actors Are Often Called Upon to
Exercise Quick Wit.
SOME CURIOUS EXPERIENCES.


Lynne"-How John Brougham Made
Hit Without His Leading Lady.
Quick wit has saved many an embar-
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, SO often do
they need help out Of a difficulty dur
ing the play. a college performance
was saved from wreckage by one Of
the young actors.
One of the cast, boy easily upset
had just given his line. can need is
an advertisement" when half of his
stage mustache fell off.
"Oh, no" said the ready youth be-
size him. seeing his embarra ssment;
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 90
through one Of the most extraordinary
experiences any actress ever had. In
San Francisco she was once asked to
fin Mary Andersou's place at short
notice. appearing with the local stock
company The play was to be East
Lynne" ~ singular chance no prompt
book could be found, nor could they
secure a copy of the novel. Miss Ely
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
to have an idea of the lines she. as
Lady Isabel, would have to speak.
"oh, that'I be all right" said John
Mccullough, the manager. to whom she
appealed. Just you sob and look sorry.
and 1t VIII go"
So Miss Eytinge. rather than cause
the loss OF closing the theater. went on
totally unprepared to act In an abso-
lutely unfamiliar play.
Tom Keene, the Archibald Carlisle,
instructed her In the proper emotion
from scene to scene. Now she's
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
oyer half the receipts to the heroine Of
the hour, declared, "WeA, you may
have had to vamp that part. but I've
often seen 1t played with less soul"
The story of an experience demand
ing similar readiness of wit is told of
John Bmugham, the early American
comedian and playwright On one oc-
casion, when his own clever burlesque,
"Pocahontas," had been billed and the
house sold out in advance, the leading
actress left without warming to take
another position in Baltimore The au-
dience had assembled before her alb
sence WINS discovered by the manager
and star AS It was that play or moth.
ing, Brougham. who was famed for his
witty imprompu speeches went before
the curtain and suggested giving the
piece without Pocahoutas He recalled
the 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, If Hamlet can be acted with
out the hero" he remarked, why not
'POcahontas' without the heroine? OF
course you are all aware of the fact
that 'Pocahontas is a much greater
play than Hamlet Even If you do not
know that. do, and | ought to, for
wrste it myself. Are you willing to
try it?''
Go ahead" came the cries from the
audience. who settled themselves back
20 see the result
The burlesque proceeded MS usual
until the entrance music was played
for Pocahontas; then. turning toward
the audience. Brougham, as Powhatan,
sadly began: ladies and gentlemen.
that sweet strain is supposed to bring
my daughter Pocahontas on the stage.
You are already aware that she is in
the city of Baltimore. and the stern
law Of the land viii not permit Chris
tan. much less savage 70 be in two
places at once Thus does the law
protect that most useful Instrument,
the alihi However. if Poky were here
she would hasten to say Whereupon
the comedian gave her lines in exact
imitation OF the missing actress. keep
ing up the dialogue in two persons all
through the play The delighted PEG
pie who We're fortunate enough to be
present declared that BrouEham was
avenged
G, Z. Huntley tells Of an incident
that took place NJ an east side theater
in London. The gods" were hooinc
the piece and throwing chunks Of bread
az the performers.
At last the star came forward and
said; Now. look here! We're trying our
best TO amuse yea Throw bread. If