Evening star., 1921-09-25
Taking the Bumps With Barry:

actors, as Inez would put it. Oh,
yes! l expect I'm qualified to
class myse' with the profession.
Anyway, I've figured in first night
md I've discovered that have fully
developed temperament. I'm not
boasting about owning such thing.
I'm sort of Jared to think that i have
It. 1t must be something like being
told your heart is located on the
wrong side. OF that you have gift for
playing the snare drum.
And / would have insisted that
WAS a perfectly normal female young
person up to within twenty-four hours
before the dress rehearsal. 1t was
about then I began to develop case
~ jumpy nerves. 1 didn't realize 1t at
he time. but l must have caught it
rom the others. For it swept through
he company like a flu epidemic.
The old hands showed it first. Mrs.
Bates, who does mum-mah and has
been on the stage since the days OF
The Black Crook" was the first to
hrow cat-fit. She began to Stun
Ne over lines that she'd been letter
rfect in from the first. bungled the
Est piece of business in the part. and
fnished the afternoon SO hysterical
hat some one had to light cigarette
or her. Then Sczernoff went fidgety
and took it out by swapping at me.
Easy on the rough stuff. old dear"
warned him. Go take bite out OF
The scenery if you feel that way"
But the next thing I knew 1 was
clipping myself. I missed couple Of
tues, nearly wrecked the big scene.
Ind found myself digging my finger
halls into my palms and getting red in
he ears. I'd just overheard side re-
IL H,v u y,1a
king. IF this keeps up he said. Il
should advise Ames Hunt to buy
ent and send US out on the medicine
circuit"
k7OU should have been In on that
dress rehearsal, though. 1t was
90 awful for words. and by the time
was over hardly any two Of US
- on speaking terms. 1 was in
a state of mind that I couldn't
wen be sorry for Barry Platt, who
TODD around with his jaw dropped
nd his face white while we mur-
cred his lines. But Mr.. Hunt SEEM
ID quite calm. He's some manager.
II tell the grand jury.
Yes, you're all pretty rotten, thank
Fou," says he. smiling as though.it
vas a good joke. 1.-The usual thing,
o&ever. 1t will go differently to-
borrow night. when you have an au-
Aence to buck you up. Don't worry
nd everybody get a good nights
leep."
He had the true dope We put over
The Prince and the Flapper' as
mooth and strong as if we'd had it
n the try-out stands for a month.
went big, too. No, I'm not going
o mako a noise like a press agent.
o you'll have to fill in the details.
know what first
lights are apt to be when an organ
kation like the Village Players puts
n a new bill-and the managers
friends out. most of the directors
the actors, if any. Every entrance
reeted with enthusiasm and as many
urtain calls as there are members of
he cast
I didn't know 1t then. but a big
oise by first nighters doesn't always
hereby sign like the singing of
rickets-six weeks to a frost. The |
thefs should have been wise to 1T.
ut shey weren't. They went around
he women kissed and wept. and
verybody agreed that the piece was |
sure fire Knockout. |
Really, I didn't think there were so |
hany laughs in the lines" says Q: P.
eiggs. But you heard 'em, didn't |
ou2 Real haw-haws."
nodded with the others. Yet |
rev who had started 1t all. Inez, of
curse. She was sitting in the fourth |
ow with Uncle Nels. all primed and !!
paded. waiting for that scene where |
he prince finds I've slipped a glass
ase into his palm instead of my hand.
nd when he slams 1t on the floor with
crash Inez uncorked that hee-haw
hers, just as she did at the re- :,
earsal. And it touched off all tie
ther hearty laughers. clear to the |
ack rows. That was enough. From |
ken on they all seemed to be dead
Ae this was a comedy they were lis
Ing to and that it was perfectly all
to laugh at the slightest excuse. |
hey did. It was a regular cpl |
eM Those who were too dignified |!