The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-09-05
The Trick Played Upon . Paris Thea.
ter Audience.

The Trick Played Upon . Paris Thea.
ter Audience.
The visitor to Paris may witness a
kind of theatrical performance which
is strikingly different from any that can
be seen in Great Britain. We refer to
q theater in the Boulevard dc Stras-
bourg. Part of tho entertainment here
consists in certain of the actors and
actresses criticizing the performances
which are proceeding upon the stage,
from seats in various parts of the house
pit, circle and gallery-which they
have quietly got into, unobserved by
the audience. They assume the role of
ordinary spectators, who find them
selves compelled, in the interests of lit
erature and art, to demonstrate, in u
rather extraordinary manner, against
what they see and hear upon the stage;
and the surprise of the uninitiated,
when the ball is set rolling, is consid-
cradle.
The manager comes upon the stage
and begins modest speech, upon past
successes and future prospects; but he
has not far advanced in his speech
when a gentleman rises in the stalls,
with hat in hand, and, in the most re-
spectful manner, corrects him with re-
gard to word which he declares to be
ill-chosen and misleading, at the same
time obliging the manager with the
correct word. Here another gentle
man introduces himself into the dis
pute and complexities matters by u new
suggestion, which involves the subject
in incxtricablc confusion and absurdity.
Both gentlemen are extremely polite,
but firm, in denying the right of the
manager to that word, and the latter is
driven frantic and retires from the
stage, glaring at his antagonists.
Silence for a few seconds succeeds
this scene, when suddenly a man in the
frort scat of the gallery starts up from
his seat with wild cry, throws one leg
over the gallery, hangs forward sus-
pended from the railing, and gazes to-
ward the pit entrance of the theater.
He sees something of absorbing inter-
est, and with another cry he is about
to throw himself over the gallery. The
people scream, and then he finds he has
been mistaken; he resumessSa normal
position, and looking round upon the
audience with a kindly smile, which
strangely contrasts with his late look
of anxiety, he asks pardon for unneces-
sarily disturbing their cOmp0sure, and
resumes his seat. A tenor singer now
comes upon the stage and commences
a song; but the two critics in the stalls
are particular, and take exception to
his style; they do so with manifest re-
greet, but the principles of art must be
attended to. With profuse apologies.
and an expressed hope that he will pro.
coed with his song in the corrected
form, the critics resume their seats.
The tenor, ut first exasperatcd, be-
comes Modified by the courteous man.
ners of the gentlemen, and begins his
song again; but almost Immediately a
lady sitting in the front seat of the cir
Gle tells him that he is in danger OF
dropping his mustache. This last is
the final straw on the back of the
vocalist, and he retires in high dudgeon
By the side of the lady in the circle
there sits a meek-looking old gentle
man, who being naturally shocked al
the conduct of his wife, puts on his hal
as if to leave the theater; but the better
half is equal to the occasion, ant
knocks his hat over the meek old gen
tleman's eyes and the meek old gen
tleman himself back into his seat
Presently several actresses appear upol
the stage, and one of them commence
to sing, with probably pleasing sym
pathetic voice; but such is not the opin
ion of the lady, who holds the SINCE
up to ridiculc. The vocalist then stops
and engages in 4 verbal and violent en-
counter with her prosecutor, who from
her place in the circle returns the badi
mage with interest, so that soon the 9th
er retires from the stage vanquished
The victor is now asked herself to sing
a request with which she readily com
plies, singing with abundant action an
in good voice an exceedingly catchin,
song, and at the chorus igiving a roya
wave of the hands toward the CALLER
to join with her at that point.
The stranger will be surprised t
, learn that this disturbing element il
the audience in reality comes from be
hind the scenes; the lady who just sun
,, is the leading member of the company
. and the gentlemen critics are well
,, known and highly appreciated come
dians. And though the stranger ma
think that all this is an impromptu di.
turbance, it is quite certain that all
rehearsed as carefully rs any play tina
is put upon the stage. How long sue
performance would secure the favo
of a London audience is doubtful; here
bo,yox,o,. II 10 an abiding SUCCESS is re
ceivcd with immense applause-th
claQueurs or professional applauder
being apparently altogether dispense
with-and the audience is kept in cor
tinual hilarity by the humorous attac
and by the instant and witty reply
Chambers Journal.