AN ACTOR'S DILEMMA

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN ACTOR'S DILEMMA

(Carl Rosa in 'Murray's Magazine.') Of recent disagreeable experiences I recollect one night at Her Majesty's in 1882. I had produced Tannhauser, and for the third performance of it Mr. Gladstone, who was at that time in power, had notified his intention of being present. The intelligence had got about, and the opera being a great success, with Mr Gladstone's prudence adding to the attraction, we expected a great houße. I loft the theatre about five and waß just sitting down to dinner when a messenger arrrived at my residence, saying that Schott, the representatative of the title-role, had suddenly collapsed and could not sing. No greyhound ever j umpod up quicker than I from my ropast. Putting a cigar in my mouth instead of food, I drove down to the theatre, wher.e my managerial eye met what would at other times would have been a glorious sight. The colonnade before the theatre was packed with people raady for the double event. " Tannhauser and Gladstone." But alas! they were going to be disappointed in both respects. In the afternoon I had received a communication informing me that Mr. Gladstone could not be present having been summoned to Windsor. When I arrived at the stage door great consternation prevailed. I had on my way down already telegraphed to most of my artistes to come instantly to the theatre. I had determined to change to Maritana. I know that as Burns and Ludwig were in the Tannhauser cast, I had my Maritana and Don Jose ; but quite on unexpected difficulty presented itself. When I looked for the master-carpenter and his principal assistant I found them in a perfect state of intoxication lying on the floor in the cellar, and no gentle persuasion nor stern treatment would persuade them to change the scenery. By this time it was tho hour for opening. Written bills were posted on the pay-box that Maritana would be substituted ; for Maritana I must give, though at that moment Heaven only knew where my Don Cesare and Lazarillo were to come from. The first man appearing was Davies, the tenor. "You must sing Don Cesare-!" " I don't know it." " Can you get through the first act ?" " I might." " Try, and go down and dress." Miss Yorke was the second to arrive, and I had my Lazarillo. My friend Eandegger, although he had never conducted the opera, consented to do so until my sub-con-ductor had returned from home in evening dress ; and up went the curtpin. But what about the Bcenery ? Well, we pulled the " Venus scene " off, and played the first act in Thuringia with. the Wartburg in sight, instead of in a Spanish market-place ; the second act in a chamber close at hand, instead of in prison ; and the third act in tho grand hall at the Wartburg, instead of in a Spanish interior ! But my troubles were not over. I soon discovered that, in spite of the best intentions, Davies would not 'go through the opera, and my eye watched at the stage-door, as Wellington spied for Blucher at the battle of Waterloo. Well, Blucher came in the shape of Turner, who lived a good distance off, and had induced an express train to stop and let him out at one of the stations running into town. He dressed and released Davies in the middle of the first act, to tho great astonishment of the audience, and Pew did the same for Randegger. I did not shut the theatre, but it was as narrow an escape of doing so as aDy manager ever had.