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Hoaxing An Audience
Jests Home
COOKE was announced one evening to play the Stranger at the Dublin
Theatre. When he made his appearance, evident marks of agitation were
visible in his countenance and gestures: this, by the generality of the
audience, was called fine acting; but those who were acquainted with his
failing, classed it very properly under the head of intoxication. When
the applause had ceased, with difficulty he pronounced, Yonder
hut--yonder hut, pointing to the cottage; then beating his breast, and
striking his forehead, he paced the stage in much apparent agitation of
mind. Still this was taken as the chef-d'oeuvre of fine acting, and
was followed by loud plaudits, and Bravo! bravo! At length, having
cast many a menacing look at the prompter, who repeatedly, though in
vain, gave him the word, he came forward, and, with overacted feeling,
thus addressed the audience: You are a mercantile people--you know the
value of money--a thousand pounds, my all, lent to serve a friend, is
lost for ever. My son, too--pardon the feelings of a parent--my only
son--as brave a youth as ever fought his country's battles, is slain--not
many hours ago I received the intelligence; but he died in the
defence of his King! Here his feelings became so powerful that they
choked his utterance, and, with his handkerchief to his eyes, he
staggered off the stage, amidst the applause of those who, not knowing
the man, pitied his situation. Now, the fact is, Cooke never possessed
L1,000 in his life, nor had he ever the honor of being a father; but,
too much intoxicated to recollect his part, he invented this story, as
the only way by which he could decently retire; and the sequel of the
business was, that he was sent home in a chair, whilst another actor
played the part.
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