A LADY'S AFTER DINNER SPEECH.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2591, 27 April 1877, Page 3

A LADY'S AFTER DINNER SPEECH.

At the 21st anniversary festival in connection with the Dramatic, Equestrian and Musical Sick Fund Association, held at Willis' Rooms on February 14, Mrs Stirling, in replying, to the toast of the evening, with which her name had been coupled, made the following speech :— As spokeswoman for my sisters of the .stage, how can I begin better than with Shakespeare? On a field of Shakes-, peare's, too, which has been lately reclaimed for the owner from that old trespasser, ColleyCibber. Of course I mean Richard 111., at length " himself again ! " (Cheers.) I seem to see in that monarch a personification of the stage at the present day. You will remember how bis crook-back Majesty appears between two clergymen before a Lord Mayor. The stage has improved upon the King. It has- lately appeared between a Lord Mayor and a bishop, and each in the exercise of his proper function—the Lord Mayor as the &iver pf a dinner worthy of the Mansion House, the bishop as the dispenser of counsel worthy of the pulpit. That counsel was delivered from the stages of the two principal theatres of' Manchester

to all engaged in those theatres. (Cheers.) All honour to that enlightened prelate for his courage iv braving prejudice when lie chose such a pulpit and such a public ! All dishonour to ns if ihove should be felt to be any incongruity between such words and the place where they were spoken 3 He claimed a high function for the theatre as a refining art, and as a wholesome and elevating amusement. It rests not ontirely with us, but certainly between us and the public to make it so, to prove our calling one—to use the bishop's own words—" of which no man of conduct and no woman of character need be ashamed." (Hear, hear.) It is well that the Church and stage should meet on such terms as those inaugurated between the bishop and the theatres of Manchester. Let us lay the lesson to heart, but, more important still, let the public help us to apply it. It lies even more in their hands than in ours. (Hear, hear.) Well, the bishop came to us with his discourse, but we went to the Lord Mayor for his dinner. Had he come to us we could have given, him a " property" banquet to an unlimited amount—canvas fowls stuffed to repletion with sawdust, and the most delicious liver wings ("practicable") of toast. We should have sent round our loving cup freely, if with nothing below its brimming wool. But his welcome gushed in real turtle, and his loving cup brimmed with something stronger than toast and-water. The gracious act of hospitality ushered in our first performance on civic boards, andXam glad to have this opportunity of thanking him who so kindly—well, " Cottoned " to the " poor players." (Cheers and laughter.) Looking around, I think I see, in the Drama's own home, signs as encouraging as even the hospitality of a Lord Mayor and the countenance of a bishop. Yes, like Sister Anne in the fairy tale, I think I see something if not somebody, coming. I see managers more sensible of the importance of completeness in casts, carefulness in stage arrangements, .and thoroughness in rehearsals, and a public more ready to appreciate the result of " all round " excellence in performances. (Hear, hear.) There I take it, you hare one of the first conditions of stage progress, for one great aotor or actress can no mpre make a play than one swallow can make a summer. " The stars in their courses have fought against" the. stage, and no one thing is so likely to bring it back to health as good stock companies, and, that which you can never have without them, carefully studied and complete performances., (Hear, hear.) 'it is something" that we have now in London many theatres in which this completeness is aimed at, and some in which.it is obtained 5 and these, ladies and gentlemen, are the steadily prosperous theatres. " That's the way the money comes." How it goes let those say who trust to scratch companies, haphazard performances, and brainless show. And now for a safe prayer—May all the bad managers turn good, and the good ones go on and prosper ! May Our Boys never grow old while they have a hearty laugh in them! May all Peril be far from the Prince,,of Wales and the Prince of Wales's. May the New Men be as old. as 'their own acres before they are banished from the Court which they now adorn; and may my dream of a newlife for the dramatic muse have a longer run than Pygmalion's! But here I am, running on until I havegot involved in prophecies and preachifications, and wholesome truths, until it is as hard for me to find my way out as for an audience to get out of Exeter Hall. (Laughter.) Alas ! I have no Lord Chamberlain to provide me with sufficient means of exit! True, you may say there's no danger of fire ; if so, at all events L shall be saved from the chance of cold water from you; if, indeed, lam not myself all this while figuring as the wet blanket, which, by regulation is hung up at the wings. (Laughter). The purpose of that is to put out fire, mine is to kindle it, to warm the cockles of your hearts till they sing again to the tune of " Give, give " ; for, whatever I may say for the stage of hope in the future, the needs of the present and the debts of the past are as heavy as ever. " To-day, it is St. Valentine's Day, When hands with hearts should chimed ' . And I, at every portmonnaie, ■ •To hint that now's the time..- : As this is the day of Eastern Questions;, let me put one. ■ Shall .we resolve ourselves into, a Conference? 'Not like the late diplomatic performances, although I do hope that " Much ado about nothing " may be followed hj " All's well that ends i well," and not by " Tempest; " but a conference how best to " Eaise the wind " for tais chanty. One thing, we know, came of the Conference at Constantinople, the making of an Imperial " Hatt." They tell us now it has led to the unmaking of, another " Midhat." At this bur conference, let me play Sultana and send round my hat to you all; put into it handsomely, send it back to me, and I'll tel\ you what I'll do—l'll be painted in it, as the missing Gainsborough. (Prolonged cheering.)