Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

16 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

- FISHING AND WRESTLING.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

FISHING AND WRESTLING. TWO FUNNY STORIES BY HARRY LAUDER (The Great Scottish Comedian). The average Scot up North does not really know what Boxing Night is, and I'm safe to say that very few out of every dozen could fceJl you what particular night of the year is re.ferred to by the designation. To tell you the truth. I didn't know myself until I came up to England to spend the money I earned in Scotland! (What's that, Harry? Ah, we see; it's just your little joke.—ED.) Even now Boxing Night holds no special significance for me. I only know it is "the night the pantomimes open." The first pantomime in which I took part was produced at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow, and it began early in December. In Eng- land, however, the general opening evening is the day before Christmas, and for the pur- poses of this wee article I will tell you an amusing experience I had at Newcastle three years ago. when playing Rab McGuffin in "Cinderella." Of course, first nights have a habit of turning out slightly contrary to the "boot —sometimes for the best, frequently for the worst. Well, in this particular pantomime the bold, bad. impecunious Baron (played by a comedian of the name of Richardson) was supposed to go fishing in the first act, in order to provide a meal for the Prince, expected at the Baronial Hall that evening. Rab McGuffin," the Baron's page (myself), was supposed to come on the scene and shew the Baron how it was done, because the Baron was a very poor fisherman, and couldn't even catci. a, train. We had the whole incident nicely arranged. and at the dress rehearsal everything had gone well. The property man behind the hedge at the waterside had a fine supply of stage-fish all ready to hook on to my line whenever I "cast" it. Here's boo to catch fush. sir I yelled, »3 I dipped the line and almost instantly pulled up a monster trout." But the trout was nHleh bigger than the ones we had been using at rehearsal; the line broke, and the fish fell back with a dull, hollow thud—not at all the sound that a huge fish would make falling plump into a stream. The audience tittered, and the fish-catching joke seemed like going exceedingly flat. But I managed to pass it off by remarking: We've lost that yin, Baron. By jings it was a thumper We'll hae anither "try 9, So I patched up the line as fast as I could and "dipped" again. Fortunately, the property man put on a very smaJ! one. and the line stood the strain all right, but I had been expecting another monster, and gave the rod and line such a jerk that the" fish walloped out round my head and hit Richardson a terrible thump on the jaw. The audience screamed with laughter, and so did I. But the Baron didn't. He said things-- ON, his breath All through the run of the pantomime my fish-catching ex- ploits never raised such a yell of merriment as they did that opening Boxing Night. Now that I come to write of this incident another little adventure of the same evening comes baok to me. My friend Dan Crawley played Widow Twankev in that pantomime, and after the first performance Dan and I walked round to our lodgings together. Somehow the conver- sation got oh to wrestling, and Dan jocularly said he would like to wrestle me for my week's salary—something over a fiver! I was in a sportive frame of mind—I don't mean what you think, dear reader !-and in- stantly seized Dan round the waist just for fun. Dan, however, thought I was going to put the half-nelson on him, and just as promptly closed with me. Both bursting with laughter we went at it, forgetting for the moment that the snow was lying inches deep, and we neither of us came to our proper senses until we found ourselves rolling over and over in the snow. "Here, Dan!" said I, wriggling clear, we'll call it a draw—my lugs are fou' o' snawba's All through the run of the pantomime, on the stage and off it, Dan and I were always saying to each other, "I'll wrestle you for your week's wages

ROGUES AND VAGABONDS.

THE LANDLADIES—BLESS'EM!

WERE WE AFRAID ? RATHER I

-----ON AND OFF THE STAGE.

THE WOULD-BE BRIDEGROOM

I.A FEW EXPERIENCES.

-_..------" G RI ML IA ''…

I AN EXPERIENCE ABROAD.

---------MY MASCOT CELLC

--_.__---------Footballer…

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