The Saga of the ageing Irish actor
There was once an Irish actor who did Shakespearean plays, but had aged and
could no longer remember his lines! After many years, he finds himself in
the Halifax Theater in Canada, where they are prepared to give him a chance
to shine again.
The director says “This is the most important part, and it has only one
line. You walk on to the stage carrying a rose. You hold the rose to your
nose with just one finger and thumb, sniff the rose deeply and then say the
line: “Ah, the sweet aroma of my mistress.”
The Irish actor is thrilled. All day long before the play he was practicing
his line over and over again.
Finally, the time came. The curtain went up, the actor walked onto the
stage, and using just one finger he delivered the line “Ah, the sweet aroma
of my mistress.”
The theater erupted, the audience was screaming with laughter and the
director was steaming! “You bloody fool!” he cried “You have ruined me!”
The Irish actor was bewildered “What happened, did I forget my line?
"No!” screamed the director. “You forgot the rose!"