STAGE IMPROMPTUS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 419, 29 April 1870, Page 3

STAGE IMPROMPTUS.

‘ Let them that play your clowns, speak no more than is set down for them : for there are of them, that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too; though, in the meantime, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered, that’s villainous ; and shews a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it.’ True, O Shakspeare ! Gagging is a pitiful vice; but it has kept the stage, and will keep it, protest as we may. Some of the funniest bits iu the “ Critic ”as aetol, are not to he found in any printed copy of that admirable burlesque ; and we are va-tly mistaken if that popular nobleman, my Lord Dundreary, is not almost entirely a creature of gagWhen O’Neill’s company played at Dundalk, an influential patroness commanded Pizarro, and the manager was compelled to engage a Rolla from Dublinlforthe occasion. He (iid not think it necessary to make the ‘ star ’ aware that the state both of treasury and wardrobe forbade the employment of the usual force of supernumeraries, so, when the representative of Ataliba’s army appeared on the scene, Rolla was paralysed with astonishment, and stopped short in his invocation. Quickly recovering himself, however, he exelaimee : ‘What! all slain hut thee ? Come, then, my brave associate, & c’—a piece of gag pardonable under the circumstances.

Hardly so excusable was that perpetrated by Emery in the same play at Drury Lane. The rising of the curtain had been delayed beyond the usual time ; the audience grew impatient, and Kemble, in no very good temper, informed the house, that they were only waiting Mr. Emery’s arrival to go on with the performances- ha being the sentinel of the evening. At length the tardy actor came, and easily made his peace by explaining that he had been detained at home by an interesting domestic event. The well known prison scene came, and the following colloquy took place between I Rolla and the soldier : ‘Hast thou a wife ?‘ : ‘ I have.’—‘Hast thou children? ‘ I had ■ two this morning,;! have got three now !’ Exit Rolla in a passion, amid loud and prolonged laughter. For that night at least Emery was the hero of the play. Equally successful .in bringing down the house by illegitimate means was an actor who, r playing Barbarossa at a seaport, appealed to the symyathies ef his nautical listeners by exclaiming:

Did not I, By that brave knight, Sir Sidney Smith's assistance, And in conjunction with the gallant Nelson Drive Bonaparte and all his fierce marauders Irom Egypt's shores? ' Let me play Oatesby to your Richard,' said a country tailor M-ith a soul above buttons, to George Frederick Cooke, ' and I will make you a coat for nothing.' The bargain was struck. Catesby got on well enough till he came to the tent scene; but rushing on the stage at Richard's challenge of ' Who's there ?' he was so startled by the great actor's glance, that he stood transfixed, only able to stammer out: ' Tis 1, my lord, the early village cock ;' and there he stuck fast, while the people shouted with delight, and Cooke growled out :'Why the deuce don't you crow, then !' An interpolation of Quin's brought him into serious trouble. Playing Uato at Drury Lane, Williams, who acted the messenger, in delivering the sentence : ' Cassar scuds health to Oato,'gave such a peculiarly ludicrous pronunciation to the last word, that Quin indignantly replied :'Would he had sent a better messenger!' This so much enraged the Welshman, that he challenged Quin, who tried to laugh him out of his passion. Williams, however, was determined to revenge his outraged dignity, and attacked Quin as he was leaving the theatre. The latter was obliged to draw in self defence, and the hot-headed Welshman paid for his folly with his life.—" Chamber's Journal."