The Robesonian., 1918-07-29

One of the characters in the second
act was named Broadway Kate, and l
had an awful job to break in one of
the Tommies to act and talk like q
woman.
Another character was Alkali Ike, an
Arizona cowboy, who just before the
close of the play comes into the saloon
and wrecks it with his revolver.
We had eleven three-hour rehearsals
before I thought it advisable to pre-
sent the sketch to the public.
The whole brigade was crazy to
witness the first performance. This
performance was scheduled for Friday
night and everyone was full of antici-
patton; when bang! orders came
through that the brigade would move at
two that afternoon. Cursing and
binding was the order of things upon
the receipt Of this order, but we
moved.
lage of s. and again went into rest
billets. We were to be there two
weeks. Our company Immediately got
busy and secured the village for
suitable place in which to present our
production. Then we received another
shock.
A rival company was already estab-
ushed in the village. They called
! <ho,oco1x,os sGTLo Do~- DOLLS opd
put on a sketch entitled, "Blighty-
What Hopes?" They were the divi-
sional concert party.
We hoped they all would be soon
in Blighty to give us chance.
This company charged an admission
of q franc per head, and that night
our company went en- masse to see
their performance. 1t really was good.
had a sinking sensation when /
| thought of running my sketch in op-
position to it.
In one of their scenes they had a
soubrette called Flossie. The soldier
that took this part was clever and
made Incorporating and chic girl
We Immediately fell in love with her
until two days after, while we were
on a march, we passed Flossie with
cher" sleeves rolled up and the sweat
pouring from 'her' face unloading
shells from a motor lorry.
AS our section passed her I yelled
out: "Hello, Flossie; Blighty-What
Hopes?" Her reply made our love die
out instantly.
"Ah, go to HI"
This brought quite laugh from the
marching column directed at me, and
instantly made up my mind that oul
sketch Should Immediately run in op
position to "Blighty-What Hopes?"
When we returned to our billet from
the march, Curley Wallace, my the
atrical partner, came running over tt
me and said he had found a swank!
place in which to produce our show.
After taking off my equipment, ant
followed by the rest Of the section,
went over to the building he had picket
out. 1t was monstrous barn with ,
platform at one end which would max
an ideal stage. The section got righ
on the job, and before night had tina
place rigged out in apple-pie order.
, The next day was Sunday and afte
church parade we put all our time OF
a dress rehearsal, and it went fine.
, I made four or five large signs an
, nouncing that our company would opel
up that evening at the King George tn
, Fifth theater, on the corner of Amm
! street and Sandbag terrace. Genera
admission was one-half franc. Firs
ten rows in orchestra one franc, an,
boxes two francs. By this time ou
!, printed programs had returned fror
London. and I further announced tina
on the night of the first performanc
a program would be given free o
charge to men holding tickets costing
. franc or over.
! We had an orchestra Of seven me
! and seven different instruments. Thi
, orchestra was excellent, while the
2 were not playing.
The performance was scheduled t
start at p. m.
At :15 there was q mob in front @
: our one entrance and it looked like
big night. We had two boxes each az
) commodating four people, and thes
2 we Immediately sold out, Then
t brilliant idea came to key Cohensteir
; Why not use the rafters overhead. ca,
E them boxes, and charge two francs fo
= a seat on them? The only difficult
~