This is a very unusual comedy by John Galsworthy, who was not generally known for his side-splitting sense of humor. It was, nonetheless, an extremely valuable learning experience. Acting is a more ephemeral art than we can imagine. I was a callow youth who believed in my heart that hard work could conquer all. In fact, I was quite good as the ancient of days Professor Calway, but, I of course wanted to be the best I could possibly be. I remember I had an entrance in which I tripped over a huge cabman who was for some reason I don't remember passed out on the doorstep. I made my pratfall as real as it could be flying headlong into the room with my umbrella flying to the center of the stage; and as the little Professor was very dignified, the prat was very funny. And then one night early in the run, one of those delightful accidents happened. As I entered, my umbrella flew up and caught on the top of the door jamb and swung elegantly, a little pendulum. It brought down the house. That was all I needed. I came in the next day and worked for hours perfecting the pratfall so that it looked absolutely real AND I hooked the umbrella on the door every single time. Of course, I never got another showstopping laugh on that entrance. The laugh wasn't mine to begin with. The stunned (and honest) reactions of all the others on stage were what made the umbrella pendulum funny. You can't force a flower...