Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-18
One.Niuht Stancls


ITO THOSE looking for an e1bilarating
= vacation let us commend n week of
'trouping' on one-night stands with a
theatrical company, which mirthful cx-
pcrience has just been ours. We went along
in the very lowly capacity Of co author,
which placed us somewhat beneath the stage
hands as far as dignity was concerned; and
we tiatter ourself that we have learned our
station and observe it with due humility, The
first task of the director who stages play
is to let the author know icre he gets off.
This was accomplished in our case by an
argument concerning a speech in the play
where one of the characters remarks 81
propose to send a mental message TO Eliza
, This sounds 1--WE contendD quite u harmless
sentiment, but the director insisted that the
person speaking, being an Ehglishman of
.studiOus disposition, would not say anything
so inaccurate. "IIe would use much more
correct language" said the director He
ought TO say 1 purpose to send We
baked mildly at this. ''All right" said our
mentor. THE trouble with you is you
don't know any English. I'll send you u
copy of the Century dictionary"
H1HIS GENTLEMAN carried puriam to
almost extravagant lengths. He objected
W SuoluludIy VI jew D.
harp insisting that the word should be
Juice harp" and instrucung the actor who
mentioned this innocent instrument of
melody to write it down so in his script.
When the dress rehearsal came round, he
was surveying the 'set'" ror The first act
with considerable complacence. This scenery
was intended to represent n very ancient
Euglish inn at Stratford- on Avon, and one
of the authors was heard to remark softly
that it looked more like brokers' Office on
Wall Street But the director was mistaken.
''There's an old English inn up at Larch-
mont" said he, ''and this looks a good deal
like it, so guess we're all right"
r EFT ANY ONE who imagines the actors
IL life is one of bevo and 'skittles sally
along with new play on its try out in the
one might circuit. When one sees the de-
lightful humor, fortitude and high spirits
with which the players face their task he
gains a new respect for the profession. 1t is
with a sense of shame that the wincing
author hears his lines repeated night after
night-lines that seem to him to have grown
so stale and disreputaby stupid, and which
the ingenuity of the players contrives to
instill with life. With sense of shame in
deed does he reflect that because one day
long ago he was struck with preposterous
. idea, here are honest folk depending on it
to earn daily bread and travelling on a
rainy day on a local train on the Central
New England Railway; here are 500 people
in Saratoga Springs filing into u theatre
with naive expectation on their faces.
Amusing things happen faster than he can
stay to count them. A fire breaks out in a
cigar store a few minutes before theatre
time. 1t is extipguished Immediately, but
half the town has rushed down to ser the
excitement. The cigar store is almost next
door 10 the theatre, and the crowd sees the
lighted sign and drops in to give the show
the once-over, thus giving one capacity
house. Then there are the amusing acci-
dents that happen on the STAGE, due to the
inevitable confusion of one night stands with
long jumps each day, when scenery and
props arrive at the theatre barely in time
to be set up. In the third act one of the
characters has to take his trousers out of a
handbag. He opens the bag, but by some
error no garments are within. Heavens
has the stage manager mixed up the bags?
He has only one hope. The girlish heroine's
luggage is also on the stage, and our
comedian dashes over and finds his trousers
in her bag. This casts most sinister i'm
putation on the adorable heroine, but our
friend blessings on him) contrives it SO
delicately that the audience doesn't get
wise. Then doors that are supposed 20 be
locked have a habit Of swinging open, and
the luckle1s heroine ready to- say furiopsly