THEATRICAL INCIDENTS.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12403, 19 November 1908, Page 4

THEATRICAL INCIDENTS.

. How pathetic scones may be marred, tragedy turned into frace, Miss Adelaide Noilson had a few experiences. She was playing Pauline in "Tho Lady of Lyons" to the Claude of an actor who had been ill, and was still weak, and sho told him that when sho rushed to him sho would clasp her arms round him and ho must just give way a little. "I flew to his embrace," says Miss Neilson, "and ho gavo way indeed, and down to tho ground wo went. Wo gathered ourselves up as best we could and tho audience tried to stifle | its mirth when Claude's next brought down the house — "This is tho heaviest blow of all!" The same lady tells us how when she was playing Juliet in Dublin tho effect of the death scene was spoiled by an Irishman in tho gallery, thrilling _ with sympathy and horror, exclaiming as sho was about to stab herself, "Och, miss, don't do it!" That recalls a talo that is told of Mr George Conquest when enacting in a sensational drama a character half-man, halfmonkey. In that gruesomo part ho was chasing tho heroine round a room and as she shrieked in frenzy — "Oh heavens, what shall I do?" the house was thrilled with emotion. Somo ono in the gallery tendered the advice, "Chuck him a nut miss!" and emotion of another sort swept through tho audience. Equally practical was tho advice offered the hcroino of an Adelphi drama,, when with hand flashing with diamonds she announced that sho and her ehe-ild were starving, and she knew not what to do for bread. "Try pawning somo of them rings, mum," was the suggestion from tho "gods," which showed that tho frequenters of "even tho cheap parts of tho house pay attention to detail. Certain actors havo a reputation for hoaxes and the playing of practical jokes, and a bright particular star vof such exploits was the. lato Edward Sothern. He had invited a party of friends to dine with him, and all had arrived save one. Tho company wero finishing their soup, when tho card of tho missing guest was handed to Sothern. He proposed that before the lato arrival camo in they should all get under tho table. Expecting somo comical denouncement, all tho other did so, and awaited results, unaware that Sothern had not followed their example but had quietly continued his soup. Tho belated guest entered apologising, and gavo a puzzled look at tho empty chairs and plates. "Where aro tho others?" ho asked. "Oh, thoy aro all here," replied Sothorn, "but for some systerious reason they have all gone under the table. What they aro doing is more than I know." There was great variety of expression on the victim's faces, as ono by ono they crawled from their 1 •!• _ _l