A little liverish

Wednesday, October 1st., Cadogan Square, London.

I took Sissie last night to "Fata Morgana" at Ambassadors. Jeanne de Casalis, Tom Douglas (American boy - very good), Reg. Bach and others. A fine ensemble of acting and a good production. House full. The play did not seem to be anything very important. Rather shop-girlish. Untrue. Sentimental. Still, the woman was well and harshly drawn, and there were touches throughout that were 'continental' in the sense of 'free' handling of situations. I thought, contrary to general opinion, that Acts II and III were quite as good as Act I.


We sat in the front row of the dress circle. What a dowdy - and untidy haired set of women. Very few people in dress circle in evening dress. What is the point of having a dress circle if there is no expectation or enforcement of evening dress? Provincial. A bit stupid. No style. This seems to me to be a considerable change from pre-war. I feel a little put out, but why is that? Just another symptom of advancing years. Why is it that people as they grow older want to cling on to how things 'were'? It doesn't bear scrutiny of course - simply silly to believe that there was some sort of 'golden age' when one happened to be young, and now everything is going to the dogs. Intellectually this is self-evident, but can one help one's feelings?


"The Great Adventure" played to £1,610 last week - its best week so far. Ironically it is coming off on October 18th. because the receipts fell for two weeks earlier (in the run) to less than £1,200 a week. Harrison had the right to give me notice to terminate the run. And he did so, not believing in the chances of the play. He was justified, though to my mind a little panicky. He made contracts with McKinnen and others for Galsworthy's play, "Old English", and he must keep them, or it pays him better to keep them, or he thinks it pays him better to keep them.

The Manchester Guardian have been trying again to persuade me to write for them. I pointed out, to Monkhouse, that I currently have more journalistic work than I can easily manage and am paid at a rate of 2 shillings a word, or £200 for 2,000 words. The M.G. were offering me rather less than two pence halfpenny a word - it wouldn't do and I told them so. Why, I asked, should I make this wealthy journal a present of £180 over one article? There may be a reason but I can't think of one!

I am feeling a little liverish!