Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-17
AMERICAN AUDIENCES.
Impartiality Their Dominant Character
istic, According to MIR. Irving.

1uparClhl1Ly 1nelr lJOILanauC CnaraCCCIs
istic, According to nIr. Irving.
The dominant characteristic of the
American audience seems to be impair
TALLY. They do not sit in judgment
~resenting a positive offenses lack OF
power to convey meanings or diver.
gehce c. Interpretation of particular
character or Ger 1 understand that
when they do not like a performance
they simply go away, so that at the
close Of the evening the silence of a
deserted house gives to the manage
ment a verdict more potent than audi
BILE condemnation. This does not APP.
ply to questions Of morals, which car
be, and are, as quickly judged here as
elsewhere, On this subject1 give en-
tlrely the evidence of others, for it has
been my good fortune to see our ALL
diences seated till the final falling of
the curtain. Again, there is a kindly
feeling on the part Of the audience
toward the actor as an individual, es-
pecially if he be not a complete
stranger, which is, Ipresume, a part of
that recognition of individuality which
is so striking a characteristic in
American life and customs. Many
an actor draws habitually a
portion of his audience, not in conse-
quence of artistic merit. not from ca
pacity to arouse or excite emotion, but
simply because there is something in
his personality which they like. This
spirit forcibly reminds me of the story
told of the manager of one of the old
"Circuits," who gave as a reason for
the continued engagement of an inn
possibly bad actor that che was
kind to his mother" The thorough
enjoyment of the audience is another
point to be noticed. Not only are they
quick to understand and appreciate,
but there seems to be a genuine pleas
ure in the expression of approval.
American audiences are not surpassed
in quickness and completeness of COM
prehension by any that I have yet seen,
and no actor need fear to make his
strongest Or his most subtle effort, for
such is sure to receive instant and full
acknowledgment at their hands. There
IS little more than this to be said of
the American audience. But, short
though the record is, the i'm
preston upon the player himself
is profound and abiding. To de-
scribe what one sees and hears over
the footlights is infinitely easier than to
convey an idea of the mental DISPOSE
ton and feeling of the spectators.
The house is ample and comfortable,
and the audience is well-dlsposed to be
pleased. Ladies and gentlemen alike
are mostly in morning dress, distin-
guished in appearance. and guided in
every respect by a refined decorum.
The sight is generally picturesque.
Even in winter flowers abound, and the
majority of the ladies have bouquets
either carried in the hand or fastened
on the shoulder or corsage. At matinee
performances especially, where the
larger proportion of the audience b
composed of ladies, the effect is not
less pleasing to the olfactory senses
than to the eye. Courteous, patient
enthusiastic, the American audience "a
worthy of any effort which this actor
can make on its behalf, and he who has
had experience of them would be On
Enthusiastically chronicler if he failed,
or even hesitated. to bear witness Ia
their intelligence, their taste, and their
generosity. Henry irving, in Fort
miohtiu Reuiew..