STAGE SUPERSTITION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17469, 1 June 1922, Page 11

STAGE SUPERSTITION.

Though superstition is nowadays little more than the fabric, of fireside tales in the majority of homes, in the world of the theatre it is still a live and vigorous thing --more than a pastime, ahno3t part of our lives, writes Peggy O'Neil in tho "Evenng Standard." It fkuruhes behind the footlights like an orchid in a greenhouse, flourishes in an artificial atmosphere of cardboard houses, electric sunshine, paper trees and roses. Ten is one of the luckiest numbers on tho stage. Think of ail the tenletter stars on the English and American sta'.'c to-day—Fay Compton, Doris Kcano, Cyril Maude, Evelyn Lays, Oscar Asche, kelson Keys, Elsie Janis, and scores of others—and d-iro to say that there is no luck in ten letters! The stage "nevers" ire ondleijß. >.ever speak the last line of any play at rehearsal; never raise a parasol oti th:) stage; never dream of placing a hat on top or a bed; and, of course, what CVcr you do or don't do, never, itever whistle in u. drtsaiiig-room. Naturally ono cannot observe every dreadful one of them. The fatofu 1 . days need rigid observance. Perhaps we all indulge in, favourite and fateful days; but I fancy that on our .side of the footlights mere preference is strengthened into superstition. Each day of the week has a different n«d well-de-fined complexion to the actress. Monday is always very—well, Mondayish; Wednesday is packed with energy; Saturday is an unmitigated bore. My 'ucky day is unquestionably Friday. My first contract was signed en Friday; I played my first pirt; I arrived in London—will I ever :oiget the tears and the teeming rain in tiie Strand, tho greyness of it all; I opened with "Paddy" in London—all on Friday. In fact, I sun nearly as fond of Friday a« Kobinson Crusoe was. Strangely enough, Friday is the day that is taken most Seriously right through th« profession, tooIt ifl the- day of Buper-ffuperstition.