Hoaxing An Audience


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--y
nder 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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