Chapter 9

           Theyputontheplay,anditwasasuccess.Afterthattheycontinuedtoproduceplaysyearafteryear.BecauseMichaelranthetheatrewiththemethodandthriftwithwhichheranhishometheylostlittleoverthefailures,whichofcoursetheysometimeshad,andmadeeverypossiblepennyoutoftheirsuccesses.MichaelflatteredhimselfthattherewasnotamanagementinLondonwherelessmoneywasspentontheproductions.Heexercisedgreatingenuityindisguisingoldsetssothattheylookednew,andbyringingthechangesonthefurniturethathegraduallycollectedinthestore-roomsavedtheexpenseofhiring.TheygainedthereputationofbeinganenterprisingmanagementbecauseMichaelinordernottopaythehighroyaltiesofwell-knownauthorswasalwayswillingtogiveanunknownoneatrial.Hesoughtoutactorswhohadneverbeengivenachanceandwhosesalariesweresmall.Hethusmadesomeveryprofitablediscoveries.

           WhentheyhadbeeninmanagementforthreeyearstheyweresufficientlywellestablishedforMichaeltobeabletoborrowfromthebankenoughmoneytobuytheleaseofatheatrethathadjustbeenbuilt.AftermuchdiscussiontheydecidedtocallittheSiddonsTheatre.Theyopenedwithafailureandthiswassucceededbyanother.Juliawasfrightenedanddiscouraged.Shethoughtthatthetheatrewasunluckyandthatthepublicweregettingsickofher.ItwasthenthatMichaelshowedhimselfathisbest.Hewasunperturbed.

           "Inthisbusinessyouhavetotaketheroughwiththesmooth.You’rethebestactressinEngland.