Heighieing the Effect.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 78

Heighieing the Effect.

The following story is told of a company who toured with "Hamlet" in the Far West of America. ' The manager, who also played first grave-digger, was in despair in one small town, for his company was booked for a two weeks' engagement, and the people treated the piay with a most disheartening' indifference.

He would have changed the bill, but there were neither costumes nor scenery for another play. So "Hamlet" had to continue, though the players would have given anything for the power to stir the audience up a bit. One night the manager woke them up unintentionally. He had put on, by accident, two vests. When he took off, in the (?rave-digging scene, first the one vest and then the other, the people were amused. A roar of laughter ran over the house, and there was an outburst of applause — the first applause they had roused. The actor was pleased and proud. He saw now what the people liked, and he resolved to give it to them in full measure. So the next night, in this scene, he wore twelve vests, and, standing in front of the grave, he removed them t>ne by one. Roars of mirth shook the house; it was the proudest moment of his lie; he felt that he had been the company's salvation. As he removed the ninth vest, he looked round, and at once his Eelf-corceit vanished. He had thought they were laughing at him alone, but there behind him was the second grave-digger, putting on the vests as fast as he took them off.