CHAPTER LI 



OLD THEATRICAL FRIENDS 



Comfort of English Theatres — Gerald Du Maurier's Shoes — Arthur 

 Playfair wanted a House — Marsh Allen — Turf and Stage — George 

 Graves — The Prestons — Gambling Houses in London 



The theatres seemed so much more comfortable after 

 America, and the fact of them having a hcence was so 

 refreshing. It did not mean having to go out in the 

 snow or rain or blast to get a drink. Drink is like 

 tobacco ; if you have a pocketful of cigarettes and a 

 big cellar you may read the paper without smoking 

 and drink Apollinaris, but once being without things 

 h hitherto accustomed to creates a craving. It was so 

 gladdening, too, in the theatres to see everyone in the 

 stalls, boxes and dress circle make the theatre a 

 function and refresh themselves by that very hygienic 

 idea of changing raiment. 



Several of my old friends I found marching forward. 

 Gerald Du Maurier had gone into management and 

 established himself in the position which I always 

 knew he would attain. Success has followed him 

 artistically and financially, and all the time most 

 deservedly. He will never get into a groove, and has 

 a discrimination about plays and casting them which 

 is so happy. His triumph is that he is always the 

 same Du Maurier in face and figure, only moulding 

 himself to the character he has to play. There is a 

 little attention to detail also which shows careful 

 thought. In Jelfs he was supposed to come from 

 some never-never country, and therefore wore the 



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