"ROMNEY'S RUM 'UN."
London was probably never richer in comic actors than at the present
moment, for not only is W.H. BERRY at the Adelphi, LESLIE HENSON at
the Gaiety, ARTHUR ROBERTS at the Oxford singing his old songs, and
ROBERT HALE and GEORGE ROBEY twice daily elsewhere, but in the Law
Courts Playhouse CHARLES DARLING has been lately at his very best.
Dropping in there last week, during the performance of a new
farce, entitled _Romney's Rum 'Un_, I was again fascinated by the
inexhaustible wit and allusive badinage of this great little comedian,
beside whose ready gagging GEORGE GRAVES himself is inarticulate. Had
not GEORGE ROBEY invented for application to himself the descriptive
phrase, "The Prime Minister of Mirth," it should be at once affixed to
the Law Courts' fun-maker; but, since it is too late to use that, let
us think of him as "The Chancellor of the Exchequer of Mirth."
CHARLES DARLING'S success is the more remarkable because he keeps so
still. He sits in his chair as steadily as another of his outdistanced
rivals, SAM MAYO ("The Immobile Comedian," as he is called), remains
standing. He has few gestures; he rarely, if ever, sings, and I have
never seen him dance; and yet the way in which he "gets over" is
astonishing. "Laughter holding both his sides" is the most constant
attendant of this theatre.
What is the secret? Well, first and foremost it is of course to be
sought in the genius of the actor himself; but contributory causes are
the acceptivity of the audience, which is more noticeable in the Law
Courts than in any other London theatre, and the willingness of his
fellow-performers to "feed" him, as stage-folk have it; that is to
say, provide him with materials upon which (again resorting to stage
language) he may "crack his wheezes." The other day, for example, that
excellent comedian, JOHN SIMON, was his principal ally in this way,
and nothing could have been better than the sympathy between the two
funny men. To CHARLES DARLING naturally fell the fat of the dialogue,
but no one enjoyed the treat more than JOHN SIMON, in whose dictionary
the word jealousy does not exist. LESLIE SCOTT also did his best to
"feed" his principal, and the results were a scream.
If the jokes were now and then a little legal, what did it matter?
Many of the audience were legal too, and that there is no better
audience the reports of the farces played here day after day
abundantly prove. They are out for fun, and therefore in an
appreciative and complaisant mood.
To prove a comedian's genius to the mere reader is a difficult
matter, and one can never hope to re-embody him in all his humorous
idiosyncracies; but quotation comes to one's aid, and in the case
of such a wit as CHARLES DARLING it is invaluable. Thus JOHN SIMON,
referring to Mrs. SIDDONS' unwieldiness in her old age, said that in
a certain part she had to be helped from her knees by two attendants.
Quick as lightning came the comment, "When she was younger she was
able to rise on her own merits." Was ever so exquisitely funny and
unexpected a turn given to the dull word "merits"? Another
perfect thing from this diverting piece, followed also by Homeric
cachinnations, was the mock-serious apophthegm: "If a cloud is going
to support a lady of substantial proportions, you must make it fairly
solid."
I came away with reluctance, filled with wonder at the want of
enterprise shown by our revue-managers in not having, long ere now,
secured CHARLES DARLING'S services. If only he continues to take
his art seriously he has a great future. Meanwhile I am applying
embrocation to my sore sides.
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