The Columbus journal., 1881-04-27
AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.
Joe Emmet Relates an Amusing lncident---HOv
.fritr" Mstinees were PatrOnizec
at Columbus. Ohio.

.Fritr" Mstinees were Patronizec
at Columbus, Ohio.
Joe Emmet, the popular "Fritz"
of the stage, happened to be in
Wall street brokers Office, relating
some amusing incidents of his life as
a player, when a New York Sun
man dropped ia and caught the fol-
lowing on the fly:
"The smallest audience | ever had
was in Columbus, o. The managers
had been trying to Introduce matt
nees, but without much success. Joe
jefferson, Denman Thompson and
other big stars had gone through the
nill, and the audience had been
so small that they had SHE'D, and
refused to take the gate. The money
had been returned at the box-office,
and the disappointed ticket-buyers
had departed, determined never
again to ps.ronize a matinee per-
formance in Columbus. The after
noon business wss at its lowest ebb
when | struck the town. After two
or three performances the posters
announced matinee. went to the
theatre at o'clock that afternoon,
and found my company sky-larking
behind the curtain i'm their everyday
suits. I looked out in the sudito-
rum. There was just one man in
the theatre. He sat clear back in
the psrquet. Ii was as much as |
could do to outline him in the dark =
ness. | went out to the box-office.
Did that man pay for his ticket p
asked. Yes, so cents the treas
urer replied. The manager told
me to return his money and close
the theatre No, you won't said.
4 have never disappointed an au-
dience when I'm sober, and | don't
propose 10 do so now. Wen play
for him. went into the parquet,
introduced myself to the man, anG
thanked him for his attendance.
told him that as he had tho't enough
of me to come and see me, and pay
80 cents for the privilege, he should
have as good performance as tho
the house was packed. then went
behind the curtain and requested
the company to dress. Great Cesar,
joe one of them said, you amt a
going to play to that one man are
YOU? Yes | am, / replied. He's
paid his money, and he shall have
his moneys worth oh, the devil,
broke in another member of the
company, 'I'll pay his 50 cents and
you let him CO. | told them that
the performance must go on as usu-
al, and | warned each one that any
attempt to guy the audience, or any
failure to play q part in full would
be the signal for discharge.
We'll, the orchestra played an
overture and the curtain rose Fritz
continued. Il walked down to the
footlights. | invited the. audience
to come forward and take q front
seat where he could see and be seen
He thanked me and settled himself
in the front row. ! suggested that
little general applause thrown in
where he thought the actors de-
served it would serve TO inspiril
them and warm them to their work
He seemed to appreciate the situa.
ton, and agreed to give us all the
encouragement that he thought we
deserved. The performance began.
I don't think 1 ever played better.
threw myself heart and soul into
the character, and sang the Lullaby
so tenderly that the entire audience
was in tears. He called for an en-
core. I told him that we rarely
gave an encore, but as this was 81
extraordinary occasion he should
have one. He applsuded liberally
at times where no applause was de.
served. At such times | called biz
attention to the omission, and asked
whether on reflection he did moi
really think that he had made a mis-.
take. A hint was sufficient. He
would clap his hands as though per,
fectly enchanted and shout Bravo
like an Italian over Salvini. The
company paid no attention to him
but went on with the performance
as regular as clockwork. Between
the acts, however, one or two o
them evinced g disposition to go ou
into the auditorium and mingl,
with the audience. | set my fac,
against it, and they refrained. A
the close of the second act the man
age. entered the theatre. He ha(
been out for a walk. He seemed
dumbfounded at seeing the hous,
brilliantly lighted, aud the orchestr,
playing soberly to one man. Blu
he was more astonished when th,
curtain rose and the Performance,
was resumed as much unconcern q
though there were q thousand dol
lars in the house. But he had al
eye to business. He sent word t
the newspaper reporters, and hal
a dozen of them arrived in time 70
the last act. No actor ever receive
better newspaper criticisms. Som