The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-29
MODERN LECTURERS AND READERS

D Of late years there has been developed 8
species Of stage mania which threatens to be.
come an intolerable bore to capable actors and
the amusement-loving public in general; we
refer to the great rush of public lecturers and
readers which has set in all over this country
within the last three or four years. The pub
} lie have been surfeited with an overdose of
bad actors and worse plays, and that they
have stood the imposition, is more credit to
their charitable endurance than to their taste
or Judgment
Almost as consequence of this forbearance
on their part and of the great love for popular
applause and notoriety which obtains so
strong bold upon the minds of many peo-
pie, we have had launched upon us perfect
torrent Of worthless lecturers and incapable
readers Unsuccessful and worn out actors
seem to think that at the readers desk they
may obtain that renown which elsewhere thew
failed to achieve, or regain that popularity
which they have lost; and strange to say they
seem to have no trouble in finding managers
and theatrical proprietors who aid them in
their undertaking by making engagements
with or for them
Half the lecturers now travelling could not
write respectable essay, and their delivery is
simply pitiable They select subjects which
they think are popular, and then either string
together lot of garbled speeches, conspicu-
Gus for their lack of grammar and rhetoric,
or respectable paragraphs, borrowed without
the authors permission, and then recite their
efusion to large audience in manner that
would reflect discredit upon the average |
school boy orator. One of these would. be |
famous lecturers is thus spoken of by an ex-
change
Now the fact is that, notwithstanding
Coughs success, he is incompetent to write
short page Of good English. While he may
outline some OF his lectures, it is we'll known
that he depends upon others to give them
symmetry and such rhetorical finish, a very
little OF it usually, as they possess. He then
commits them to memory, and recites them
He Is not an orator, in true any sense, but
depends for his success upon his capacity as
an actor-second-r at best and he never
could succeed upon the stige.
But public readers are hardly less of fail
ures, as rule, than public lecturers These
readers select standard dramatic plays, in
which good manager would not permit them
to play the most subordinate character, and
then have the eff;ontery to court popular favor
and criticism. S)me few there are who
have been persuaded by well-meaning but
friends that they are actually pos
sessed of talent, and they, having their full
share of ambition, are readily fattered into
The belief that they have but to make the at
temK t to gain certain success.
For this latter class we have deep feeling
IF sympathy; but for those who will, with !,
malice aforethought endeayor to delude the
public into the belief that they are readers,
We entertain the most hearty and sincere con-
empt The idea of hearing man read
g Othello who would not be allowed to play
he smallest part, or to listen to woman
cad "Hanlet" who could not obtain an en-
,agement as a page. is so absurd that the
blenders should be Kissed off the stage by P
very respectable audience before whom they
ppear. See to it, managers, that you keep
Ar from US all such deep infections.