I took my seat, the house lights dimmed the spot light came on, and Mr. Charles Lawton, the director, came out on stage. "Please bear with us, Mr. Massey is under the weather tonight and will not be able to appear. I am going to read his part, and please bear with me, I have only directed, and never played the part."
The play started, Tyrone Power and Judith Anderson appeared, as did Mr. Lawton, with script in hand. It came Mr. Lawton's time to enter the scene, he glanced at the script, read his first line ................. and never looked at the script again, and the play is all dialogue. It was remarkable, and the audience, Tyrone Power and Judith Anderson all stepped back, and gave Mr. Lawton a standing ovation. I have heard from a few people who read my earlier blog and were familiar with the incident.
I think it was recalled by Power, Massey and Anderson in books or in conversations they had in later years. It was a "once in a lifetime" experience, one that I have never forgotten, still very vivid in my memori.
