STAGE STORIES

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12421, 10 December 1908, Page 4

STAGE STORIES

Once while playing "Macbeth," ' Irving was somewhat disconcerted by one of the gallery "gods." He ; had reached the point where M«c- . beth orders Banquo's ghost to leave the banquet-bourd. "Hence, horrible shadow, unreal mjckery, hence." exclaimed Irving in his most tragic tones, and, with a convulsive shudder. ■ sank to the ground, drawing his robe about his face. Just aa Ban quo withdrew an agitated Uockney voice from high up iv the gallery piped out, aa if to reassure tnernotor, "It's all right now, 'enery; 'c's gone." On another, occasion, at the same theatre, on the first night of "King Lear," Sir Henry was, through the stra ; n of particularly arduous rehearsals, in rather poor vl>icb, and [bis pstformsnco ia .the title-part Buffered eouuvAhat in eonsequonco. ! After the curtain' bad fallen he was jiuterrupted hi bis speech of thanks !by j sarcastic gallery critic, who, w'ltli characteristic, impudence, suggested that if thp aotor had only apoKen the lines of his part as well as be had delivered his speech the play would have been a triumph. Recently in a West Ji'nd production several actors, suffering presumably from rirst-nigbt nervousness, were delivering toeir lines in irritating undertones. In the middle of a most important scene a humourist in the gallery was prompted tv inquire, in a quiet voice and most politely, "I say — are we supposed to near this?" The players tooU the interruption 'in good part, and, seeing the point of' the reminder, forthwith com- j menced to "speak up," at which there came a devout "Thank you so much," from tDe "gods."