An Unrehearsed Play.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1852, 2 July 1886, Page 3

An Unrehearsed Play.

The Taranaki Herald says a mistake as to the meaning of the word “ dippers ” brought the “ Called Back ” Dramatic Company into » strange experience at Waverley last week. “ Yon see,” said onr informant, “ when we van told that than ware slot of “dippers" down then, we thonght they meant sheep shearers. Wa wen told not to go, but we knew that •heap shearers were splendid fellows for a •h®w, so we wouldn’t be pot off. Well, we opened then, and at 8 o’clock there was only tour .tan in the bouse. We thought that was hardly good aoongh to play “ Called Back ” too. Bo oaa of us went in front and said we would return the people their mooey; but a party who had come eight miles to see the performance pleaded so hard for us to give them something lot their trouble, that we assembled oo the stage, behind the curtain, to talk the matter ever. We were in all sorts of ng-cnts, some el os not at all ready for an appearance, and we were talking over Uie matter at to what we should play, when all of a sudden np went the curtain, it being raised oat of pore devilment by one of the chaps who bad slipped aside. The rush to get off the stage, I can tell you, was grand. Some of os, even the ladies, are not small, and as there is no room at the side of the stage to stand, we got jammed in a side door in our attempt to rush off. But the most killing thing of all was , who was dressed for his part with hit long coat, teaching to his heels, the tails of which got caught m the roller of the drop scene, and as it went np he was tagged off hi* feet, and there he was dangling on hit toes for some seconds. He could not make out what ou earth was the matter. He kept shouting out to be let go, whilst those io the front were laughing and applauding something fearful. When ihe enrtain was let down again it was decided to pI»T •• O'Callaghan on bis Lst Legs." The psaee generally lasts about forty five minnies but on this evening the fellows kept it going tor two solid h-mrs, and the antice they cat, and the way they fetched the audience was more than I can describe. How on earth our fallows managed to spin it out is a caution to me, but they did. In the part where the husband is supposed to go into the side room to meet his lung lost wife—instead of doing that he hid behind the sofa, and when O’Callaghan was not looking, crawled ont and gave him a fearful rise behind. Oh, I war* rant yon it atartled him. You should have seen how he jumped. Wril with these antics the piece filled np tha Bight, and those in front said it was the best play ever they bad seen. They all eame ©ve» to the pub afterwards, and we eonld have swum in liquor if we tud liked. There Wes lot of jolly good fellow* there, but* Isarfni Into! dippers. I thought I knew 1 ajmoddsal, bull never was so told in my down there t why thoee blooming tauten.