The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-11-19

M AfNNAiHA NlANFNf aANH AANAkNNt has lhNlhneM
a"Dictonary Of Slang in which, however, the
Londcn Rertsts thinks that justice is not done to
thtau ical slang. Ia proof Of this, the reviewer
gives the following instances Of the use Of French
and other foreign phrases in current theatrical
criticism .-"1heatrical slang, tccbncali,ies. and
6VaFEer are not CoUtucd tu professionals and
professional journals they creep INTO theatrical
notices. Re- oit, of performances, hurrielly
written late az night urt not generally pure models
Of turlth cuupOsiGOn. Ihu first word Is chosen
"a her than the best word, and the whole phra,cy
mo lWl ui.d from the rr,cn-rI0m A sue.
| ct'siul performance IS described as "a hi'
hbey to citsir t.yOr' or the p ccc is sal 10 De-
70 gn,. " iu have w n, we'll Ortu be % sensation
| though ttuNtion Is au Old slang torn frr o
hss OF E'u. a lUdy who iOrgOt hcf par is sud
20 have 'ttuCh, or 70 DC o ds5,paate Dc she made
/ her ulsl Jpp,haucc, it The applause ia 10 great
'LAi iu' t'i'Fs "hlh before he curtain, they arc
| .ald io have been 'hOnOr,d WI d calls; IL the
utyt i' yuisldtr,d good, Il Is said 10 Do likely
tu draw or To tC "a draw ift.o Cl0 .utlh Of
a'N 4vitr is somewhat pOmpOs, he rs said o.
nave Uonlh'd i,i' tthc Iiccv is short and funny,
10 lh tllrO "A screaming htucj aud II t is short
and stately, ii is called 'romtdisHd' or petite
,,m,tv'
"Wtep mongrel language like this is used by
Journalists, We can hardy wonder that mtua-
ltrs are encouraged TO use 10 The wtrmcl-up
French dishes presented 90 most OF our theatres
are seldom dlsguis, d IN the cooking. Ourdrlm
rs not only FteLCh in origin and construction,
nut us characters genera ly retain their French
tutS. These titles are OfiUn tCrribls stumbling
blocks % the actors. We have hciTd fourteen
different prOnuu, iatOus of The word Monsieur in
onv piece, DO one night 40 one theatre. The chcnp.
ness OF Oad Transactions may partly account for
IBIS sltNtnly tanhp anling # dramas but the
B. me tCttrminatOn % use Anglo French. Arglt-
slarg is shown In every corner of our plav.
bills. IL three or four female dancers come ON 10
CaIcr lew minutes this is cal cl 'dircrtisyc-
n,hf. % % hurupipe, q comic song and a solo on
klN lUtI zone thrown a "A m L ttrHf
bttNttn the pieces, they are called collectively
'mtUHoc,' and sometimes, by way of variety. an
'rit mE.'o.' A gentleman is never addressed
us sir he Is ulWaNs 'lfrSOD' or N1gy51 according
Co. ne fancy OF The speaker, and lady is always
'HyWu1U,' 'hudUOyeIc,' or 'NlUfNRg'- the
latter being Uu abbr Walton almost as yulrar gs
mum or NAM Grtrtrtc pronounced John
\CNcD is the SARAH JANE of such half tran lated
dramas, and H,ur was never known 10 bc written
liENhY, or pronUuuCcd otherwise than Hongyi.' A
hag-pipe CaunUt DC introduced on the sulfe with.
ont beng called 'coy7,I muSa,' aud u peuny
whistle in the same slang becomes n 'DIyy VA
hhiG.' a ihmblC-riggcr is A '8reyjRiyitqtpyr
CunJuiiuR confederate |, a medium, or an 'om-
li,ci,nt slirtuulist > successful entcrtanm mt
J. never visited by crowds, itisawnys 'pltroui1nd
by the tttc of society," n singing head, as vulgar
and obvious a. the old bartholomew fair dc. 1.
tTCk, Is called an 'iiRbroyOg'Dsgoy.' a youthful
ac' or is sometimes called an Infant nrodiry
tmeiimCS Juvenile Roscius;' tawny actor
hOm the West Indies, or from the Southern States
of America, is called an African RJ.Cius. 4 man
who plays upon the banjo and dances, is called a
negro dtliucator;' and a woman Ike Mss Men.
Ken, the I, male " Mazcppa, who trades upon her
imPudIcc, is called a gifted creature rb,;
language is common hOIh with managers and
Journalists. A manager is either "a popular
caterer, or a daring rHirsDysUrlU. . an old actor
Is sometime, called "a veteran. /, is fashionable
20 say that ShakesPCaIa's plays keen the STAGE.
and that the colleen Baum bad a long run Ii
ICC. Is not very brisk 60 is said To drag n IL
is long, 10 is said to want cutting
"Acors will think nothing OF calling 'Hamlet','
great soliOQUies bits Of tat, or speaking OF King
Lear as a heavy flther' Any action ON the
LtgEe is known as business, sometimes shortened
TO bus Painting the face tOr any particular
character is known making up and the paint
is gen rally called war paint Ii the theatrc
or house as it is more technically termed is
b dly attended, his is Clcd frost; : or n II is
bllGd win orders or bits Of paper as they aro
termed, il is said 10 be well papered.' me
II or duipg geniuses take n higher hight IN IN
SaN cTs' Champion Circus, in which Il was said the
fabric Is Caily and nightly warmed by not less
than four thousand delighted spectators, consist
ing OF rank, wealth, and beauty
~ he tCChniCG'it,es proper 10 the stage--tho
terms used in speaking of the various paris of
tht atrc, con hardly be CaSsCd as slang until they
are used unprocssonally. 1t is very necessary
that theatrical workmeu should have fixed names
for tie materials they are called upon 10 work.
When they speak Of sky.bordoTs,' flats 'wlngs,
floats 'cuun Cr-wcights, dies, 'yampy re-traps'
heavy sets, &c, they are only using the rec1g-
nlzcd language of their craft Toe call boy who
says Oyertutc's on, guntCmen,' and fho mannger
Who tells the prumptCr to ring up are not
creators Of slangthgt task is left for the audience
TO perform. The audience is generally very will
ing to perform it, When the uDper scenery intpr.
fercs with the gallery visitors, there Is always
some shaTp youth TO shout out lower the blue;
and the tcchniCalitCs about the prompt and the
%. r. side OF the theatre are supposed to be |
iami lar to every body. A penny-a.lner, writing |
a uP. .l.V
a witness as "A gentleman who sold fried tish on
Il c prompt side OF the house,"