A Decided Hit. George Gatcombe. Source: Fun (14 September 1887): 118. Click on image to enlarge it.
Mr. Irvington: — “The only thing that keeps me from going on to the Stage is the Rehearsals which have to be attended, I'm told.”
Miss Footlight: — “Oh! — couldn’t you pay someone to go through all that drudgery for you? In your case, I should think it would do quite as well.”
The wordplay here pivots on hit, which can mean both theatrical success and an effective witty strike or touché. In this case the woman whose name suggests that she's a professional actress scores a hit by suggesting that it wouldn’t make any difference if the wealthy young man to whom she's speaking rehearsed or not. He's just not any good.
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Last modified 28 April 2016