Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-30
MOB HA[TS
MANNERS'S PLAY
Press United in Expressing
Sympathy for Laurette Taylor,
the Leading Lady
BLAMED ON ENEMY'S PLOT

London. April 80. - \ gallery mob
brokr up the first production Of !.
Hartley Manncrs's play. One Night in
Rome" at the Garrick Theatre last
night, Tho curtain was lowered soon
after the start of the second act.
Charles Cochranc. tho manager. ap.
ppared before the curtain and said hc
would not permit Miss Laurette Taylor
to proceed in the face of such dis
! turbanCc and the audience dispersed
! amid great uproar.
John W. Davis. tho American am
bassador. was in the audience.
Employees of tho theatre said the
| trouble was started by enemies of MIR.
/ CoChranC. and that II was in no sCnsc
! an anti American demonstration. and
( that Miss Taylor. the leading lady. en-
| ioyrd great popularity With English
| playgocrs.
No such occurrence has been wit
messed in n London theatre within the
memory of the present generation of
ulaygocrs. although such scenes were
common in tho earlier days Of the Eng
lish stage. when rival managers hired
claQueS to break up plays.
stage Setting starts UprOar
The uproar began soon after tho
singing in the gallery. Part of tho
trouble seemed 10 have been caused by
stage setting. The scenery was not
high enough to reach the top of the
stage 50 the curtain was raised only
about two thirds the way, The gallery
audience demanded 1t be raised high
enough for them to see everything.
Miss Taylor made speech at Fhc bc =
ginning Of the second -t,t1I ks,ans tnG;
defect in the scenery would he remcdlcd
today. and added: You know we
do things on small scale in America.
The attempts OF Miss Taylor to pro-
cccd with her part were drowned in
the shouting. Therefore. Mr.. tUChranc
announced he would drop the curtain.
When he apologized for the scenic de
feet a voice cried out from the gal
lpry: 1T isn't that. Mr. Corhranc
There's an organization up here to
spoil your show.
Outbreak Entirely Anti Cochran
The demonstration seemed to be anti
Cochran and not against Lauretto Tay'
lor particularly "r American plays ol
American performers generally. Within
the last few weeks thrr" American
actresses. Peggy O'Ncil. Edith Nav anC
Mary Mash. Lave scored triumphs Ol
the London stage in American plays
and critics and public alik" have gvrT
them un>tlUtrd prulS". Their success
led to IL discussion aS t. the compare
tive merits of English and American
actresses.
/ Cochran wrote letter To one LOudUE
. paper. in the course of which he said:
. "Th" British theatre is hetbcd o
: Snobhrry. Our leading actors an(
actresses think more Of nod from {
ducheSse or a tea party with Lady y
q than of proficiency in their art, II /
bad form to b. emotional upon ia,
British stage. There is NOR" prudcr
IN West End theatres than i'll youn
! ladjos' boarding school in EaStbourn"
J" Theatrical Folk Protest
Ta.~ letter brought indignant protest
from English and American theatrica
people, Miss Gertrude Elliot drSCribet
? 'ir a. an Illogical "utburst. Davi,
B".u>,u said that he had nrvcr seer
SnoDbery on the stage. Mr., Patrirl
Cumpheil'S comment waN: Nha
IWaddlc.
The morning newspapers indignant!
,anounce as a disgraceful and amazin!
/ affair the disturbance at the theatre. anl
agrpe the demonstration was an organ
I, jIed one. As proof Of that. it is said
packages Of snuff and evil smelling com
nouads were thrown toward the stage
most OF these, however. fell in tn
audience.
All the writer's express sympathy will
Miss Tavlor. In a joint letter to th
Times Sir Johnston Forbes Robertson
Cyril Maude Gerald Du Maurier anc
other noted theatrical men assure Mis-
Taylor that the esteem and affection o
the London public toward her are oqua
10 the feeling held for her in the Unitec
States.
Manager COrhrane says he will on"
reward Of $500 for the discovery o
! tIc orouniZer uf tbP disturbance