Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-08-12
SPANISH roRr AND WEST END
CHANGES.
The Death of the Combination 81 stem
Predicted.

The sigrs Of the times all point 10 the de.
cline and fall of the combination system" lid
Mr.. Tillotsou, Of the Grand Operahous' 10 a
New York Tribune reporter recently. 1t
not DOLLY has worked badly rs regards the
artistic standar d OF the profession, but IL has
alsl resulted in the loss of what in the sg-
gregate would BE- a lsrge sam, which mas
come out Of the pockets oil the profess on at
large. 1t is death to the existence OF com
psnies of medium repute and good, solid
merit. You see il works in this ray: A
company or star Of acknowledged merit and
exceptions popularity sweeps The board, and
cleans out, ss it pass 8, the spare cash oil The
small towns; then comes q good company,
which ought to have q fair support, and fails
utterly even 10 meet its expenses. This again
is followed by what VIZ call a snap combi-
| nation, whose salary list is almost nominal,
for it ia only rarely paid, and whose mana
| ger has sunk all his small capital in paper,
| that is to say, the cheap and often meretri-
| cious photographic poster, which are often
the nearest approach to art the entire COM
| biualion can boast OF. Well, the advance
agent makes good sharing terms with the
local hall or iheater proprietor, and, though
business may be small, enough is made to
carry the troop OF ham-fatters on TO the next
town they ~viciimize."
out now 10 lucJ mnudSc W ECs even NHS
poor actors they have to submit 10 such
treatment"
That is one OF the mysteries OF theater
management. 1t is not the exception but
the rule for one of these ~scoundrelly mana
gers who has left his people stranded not
once but a dozen times, who OWES money 10
every actor and ACTRESS who has ever been
unfortunate enough to have bis or her Drrne
Inscribed on Whist for forms sake is called
the salary list TO come on 10 the Square
during the summer and pick up just as many
people IS he wants at a lower rae OF salary
than they would take from a respectable
manager who would be sure OF paving il.
A manager Of Acknowledged repute makes
overtures to enc Of the seediest hams hang
ing about the door OF the Morton House and
is staggered by the terms that are dem snded
and suck 10. A manager Of equally &C
k~Bowlsdged rsscality comes directly after
and bis offer OF fifty per cent. less than the
Terms just asked is snapped at gresdily.
"Now it strikes me tina; the coming sys.
TEN will be a SORT OF compromise between tbs
stock COMPANY and the clmbination. AL
The large cities will have regular stock com
panies attached to the principal theaters
and the msnagsr. will make use OF the aux
iIiary members Of these companies 10 form
temporary travelling companies that will play
the theaters' SUGGESTS through the smaller
towns.
Two leading New York ihsaiers have tc
some exten. adopted this plan, spd with sue
GEES. The result will BE- that 'ouf-nigb
stands will have fewer attractions, but ihos
will be far above the standard they have beef
accustomed to. Toe managers will make NOR
money, for they can coEnt on moderated.
good houses, and the actors will not only gsil
by beirg sare OF their salaries, but The youn
will have q chance to lesrn their business b.
being attached TO good stock conpsnies, an
learning a round Of paris, iDdesd OF playing
the same trivial character month sitsr mont
and sometimes seasou after sesson."