, 1876-11-17


A BOOK OF TIE PLAY.
A r,-s,f A,.+-,ct ~ . 1.o,,n. A,,..,t H..
"nr'er c,,ron'o'e' of tho Time "-',ut.on
COOKE now y nnok. ,e
Mto fore Eetntn1 INT.
MIR. Dutton Cook. who has Tor number Of
years been favorably known rs writer upon
,,nor ,tror,o,tc ,1eftcra whi,, ho co,Ia uA r1o,t
"po uin".'s u.a.le's' ""is u. su,'s 's,'h s,'
OF inc riay: sti!a'ea anu l''lasFatlohs OF Il's-
trtonlc Story, Life, and Character" This ro!-
tl,cm), the American booksellers have not yct
sIr -. 49,. ..,ss,. :. ..,,,.,a, ~,
,ccelVcu. !" ho''aon tut VOTE ID Puonsneo ny
A'eesfs. sampson 10" q 70,
btr. Cooks scope In his Book Of the Play F."
ts a wide ono; and Ids cl,apler-,,cals cover al
most cyervtl,inr connected with tl,e theatre.
.oet .se.J ."s .on'sea ] Wv. ~. 'Isn..e. 1n
foE 'ns'a ., v'aps1's ~. >, ans NJ u"toteu ~ at
xoess ~ .ne is, !, T,la a1. ,,a anu oa9vas ;
houscs,n "Ths Examiner Of Plays" "IIali
p,;cs a. Nino 1,c1or1,,n Hpov 11a,nn ustaoa
,vis,s ~ II ,.Tn. AZ. -, u.r,,,, r., ;, ua,asa
WEs :, ~ In, M 1ta" VI Ng ~ s.ase
Danqusts," md "GaV.n
ELlzADEr1IAN AUDIENCES.
Tho conduct Of piaygocrs during Ellzahcth'b
time furnishes TIC . theme for teS, a1nusiny
aud apples during tlu performance, but, Mr.
Cook relates, 'tobavco Wus freely smoked by
the upper class Of spectators, fur It was hardly
yet common to all conditions" Rcaders of the
Esenin1 I'ost will remember recbnt article UPON
tho old-tima theatres In New York, In which IL
was shown tint smoking. during the perform
aucc was pastime with New York gentlemen
much later thnn tho time Of Queen Elizabeth.
Beside smoking tobacco, to which the wu1t,cn as
we'll Us the nle1l were Indicted In the Elizabeth
an cra, theatre-goers amused themselves with
gambling during the 'twaita.h Another peculiar
habit ot British audiences of tlWsc days Is re-
called by Mr. Couk. Frequently wien the
spectators did not like the play announced, they
detnaudc. the performance ol nnutller. "5otnc..
tllncs 'Tamerlaug,' sometimes 'Jnyurtlla,'
sometimes THE Jew Of Malta,' md sometimes
parts Of ail these and ut last, lone Of the three
put 81 thcir traglc habits alld conclude With
MArrEns or ETIQUETTE.
Managers of theatres used to bo more par.
their audiences. In book BY Atr. Ebcrs,
was published iu 1898, letter OF gentleman
ts included wllo wus refused admission 10 the
opera on nceount Of hts apparel, although. ar-
supcrnnc bluc coat with gold buttons, white
waistcoat, fashionable tight drnb pantaloons,
white silk stockings, aud dress shoes, all worn
but once, a few days before, at q dress conerrt
at the Crown Anrllos Tavern" This manager
who refused to admit thts gentleman must have
been Indeed fastidious. a manager OF to-day
would give HIN y prominent position In pros-
ccnlntl-box, and ndsertase his presence as M at
tractlon. ihc opposite u thss case Is iound lu
ager, Eliston, protesting against the admission
Of cllimney-swcepcrs to tho playhouse In the
costume oi tiiels calling.
THEATRICAL CENSORSHIP.
abused Engllah public o!llcer, the Examiner Of
Plays. In Amcrlca,n he says. "there Is
no Lord Chamberlain, Examiner Of Plays, or
any corresponding 1ungtlonary. Ille stage may
be no batter Tor tue n1senee Of f'icl' an officer,
the principal abs1rdliies q ING theatrical ern-
sorship In England whcl1 Alr. Cooi1 points out
!as been often rtdicuied bcfots; that is, tue re-
fasal Of license fur "tu Dame Aux Camel
llas ;, and tho approval ol LA Trasiasa." lle
recalls also The nppointtnont OF Ga!u'an tie
younger ns Examiner OF Phys. Column was
onc ot the snarecst writers of Ills time, ~ IL
prrusal of "The Poor Gentleman will testify:
functiOiis with Puritanlral stcrnness.
lie would hot allnw loTcr to de.
scribe Ills mistress rs On angel, ilc ovowc1
that an angel Tas character III Scripture, ami
not 10 be proiaueMd q on the stagr ey beng aHnl!el
denec !, was rot permitted. The words taeay-
en- aud hell ho uniformly expu,gcd: On,
ludP au Ol, 10 = were condemned TOR irrcVcr-
cnce: Outl.s H. nnI nll Violent explctiscs were
strictly prohibited"
STAGE Ll111rs AND STAGE DISCUSSES.
Eurly III the lust century tic disadvantage Of
lighting thu stage from the bottom, and thus
cauaing the light to throw tho shades Of !hc
cussctl; aud thu subject Ias been considered
frequently until lust now Wagner, ut his
uayruuth playhouse, has taken Tho opposttu
course, and liked Ills stagr-Iights above tnu
stage. With the Introduction II g:.s-lishta ut
the theatre tho difficulties of the sirt Of '.mnk-
inC-up +, we're }prreascl Says s[r, Cook; "Iu