"Oh, that don't worry me much," he
said. "I'm used to forensic outbursts,
but I'm afraid of that quiet business
before my wife's portrait bust. That
calls for some real acting."
The regular members of the cast did
not disguise their nervousness. "I'm
afraid 1 can't go through with it." said
Miss Olive. Tell, who plays the leading
woman's part. "I am so nervous. Think
of playing next to the author!"
There was a half hour rehearsal of a
few episodes of his tragedy of modern
social life with an extra ten minutes
given to the murder. Then the play
wright said he was ready for the reai |
business of the night.
An announcement was made from the
stage before the first curtain that be
? ause of the Wne. s of Mr. Corrigan
.Mr. Thomas would take the actor's part.
The playwright received a hearty recep
tion when he took his place in the play
In the first act. He appeared to be
much more at ease than the other mem
bers of the cast, to whom their various
parts liave begun to take on the aspects
of second nature. In the murder scene
he was excellent, giving the picture of
a man who had coolly arranged to kill
his wife and yet appeared stunned after
the ghastly deed had been done.
