Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-12-26
A Talk with the Comedian. Mr Clarke,

AMERICAN AND ENGLISH AUDIRSCBs CON-
PAEED-ooNFAEATIvK THEATRICAL PROF
ITS.
A STAR representative on Yesterday paid
visit TO the celebrated comedian, Mr.. John s.
Clarke, who has recently returned to America,
his native home, and who has met with euch
extraordinary success among our English coas-
ins, and had an interesting interview with him
in relation to the comparative natures OF Eng
lish and American audiences, and the c0mpar-
ative profits or the theateTs Of the two countries
Mr.. Clarke received oUr representative with
great courtesy, and at once entered into the
spHlt OF his inquiries, giving him, with evident
interest, the Information sought for. He WAS
asEeC: Have you ever noticed any great differ
ence III the character OF the audiences in Eng
land and in this country
~ Oh, yee; there is a curious Inference in this
respect; The Americans, though they 90 to tue
tbrateT IN an ott-handCd way, without having
gwen The matter much previous consideration,
al q Without thinking IL necessary to 90 in fuli
dress, are really more attentive than the Eug
lish. The English decide upon going some t@O
OF three GAYS beforehand, and give the matter
OF thestsT going the same Importance as ttsI
would formal invitation 30 a dining Oat. They
come in in fun dTess; they get il some time be-
fCTe The performance commences, and dsvo,s
more attention to the promenade aud refresh
nerf saloon than they 90 10 seeing the play, II
has not been very long since 1t WAS common ~
have C01ee anu other refreshments p2sSei
around among the audience. Now, the reTrees-
me- rts are kept IN the front part Of the theaer."
- Is there not a lack Of enthusiasm among
ETGESh sudiGnCes2''
1t is great mistake to suppose this. and |
believe that most or our people think that Eng
lish audiences are cold. They are slow 10 t4Ee
10 an artist, but with theiT faTO!ites they are
very enthusiastic. With all the kind tdinE>
thai had been said OF me- IN this country aiAi
the TIse reputation that had preceded me, !
had struggle 10 est2blsG myself, but a;S5T I
RAD succeeded | found as many warm friends
a. have at home. They are people who 10 nor
taxi CtEer peoples opinions. rney mIst ses
Tor themselves
chek, who has - wonderfully mssteret sue
English language, would taAe vIJu the people
Of III gland
.She would have almost the same trouh,. .,
"A d>bat1rie, bur alter her merits had been an
precisted she would become Is 70 Ich q "a YOrlt5
~ sh5 il here"
"How have you been pleased vita yoar re-
CerflOn III tbs country Gu your Teturu.'
II have been delighted with my reception,
and much struck with the rapid pTOgrss-
everywhere apparent. Washington especially
has improved almost bcyCnt recognition. f. >
now enc cf the most beautifully laid Ous c.tie4
III the world. hATa beeu especially nasarel
here, because duJin- tbIs week 0; my engage
menJ have been more successful than IL
almost any OhTistCI4s wssk in INV experience.
You know Christmas week IL = hard onS ror
theatIcsl msi, and Jss! financial success -
rare daring that Ss2eyu, as people generally
nLd IAoTs Teom foT eBjH1meut 81 their happy
hresIdes than ST tbea.ers."
How are the TqOn,. OF American thsatsrs "a
compared with English theateTs2'
.'Tnsy are decidedly bsttaT. It is VERY rare
that you would HnG such prc8t4bls engagements
upon TIE English dramatic records as 10 sff,:ri-
ed II Ne" To1x, Philadelphia, and Ia the wess-
EN- cltisE Of America"
"Can you give ms some f5ures, Hr. Clarke,
in relation to your own engsgements?"
"We!, yes tbO8gH We dOH't Ike to speak very
freely UpOn this, especially when we csn report
gTsat atsRecssess as IL would SAVIOR q little OF ego
tEm. In London l rev yc1 CnlmAn's comedy OF
The HeiT-2t Law" ana had o ran OF ISL con
keCstiv6 n Shts, At the strand Tksster, AID also
"Ths Poor Gentleman" which had e ran OF G1
lights 81 the same p'aes This was the fFsy
Of tia Tecsnt rsviTsis OF Legitimate old comedy.
and thssS were ths longest ''Tzns" on record uy
.othEt time. subsequently played Bob AcVes
al my own LcHdon thsstsr tthe Charing Cross
fCT l2I nights IN succession, zLC again revived
The E:ir- stIaU" At the HaJmArket for G
nights. Jy IE&rC for this last IXsgemsnt wa
th ,Oce, which Is Al eItrsordinaIy amount On
star during London engagement. St Wal
nEt 2tleet fSe2teF in PAiade!p ph!a, my srsfGs
during eleven nights OF last November amount
al to oTs- Sll ,0g0 | hSve s7sry real0n 10 be
grateful 10 tha people OF sn2lsud FOR their gen
eTCssy, and L am proud 10 have proven that
tlGy are net 40 Jealous Jr foreign artists a. has
bean SsseTtci. could not Lave been more sue
cessfsl lad se5H G0rE aud reared in tae cosn-
Try
AfaT some further COAveTEat0n o. genera
2IC soCIai tOPies, oar repEdsent1tive bad, xi.eu
10 TIC genial geLtism2u WHO las done 80 mgcu
l. DO ASay with melancholy on the part oil 50
nSIg psy-gOeEs.