The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-04-19

ually demanded. The same is true OF
Philadelphia and elsewhere. The Union
Square Theatre, New York, not great
while ago, materially reduced its price
OF admission. The result was, it is true,
an entire change in the character of the
audience. The "bloods," or toney peo-
pie, who used to patronize it were I'M
willing to visit the same theatre and
witness the same performance because
the price ofadmission had been reduced
about one-half. This is the intelligence
of your fashionable audience, and it
demonstrates clearly that it is moi the
theatre. nor the excellence of acting,
nor the moral nor the merit of the play
that draws, but that the price is the
great attraction. The change, however,
IN prices has been a good investment for
the theatre. If it is this class the critics
| judge for, then one has occasion to
thank anew an allwise Providence that
he cannot be numbered among those
whom the critic represents. For these
people there will always be more in
money than in merit, and it is but an
| other evidence of the wisdom contained
in the old and pungent saying that God
shows his contempt for money by the
people to whom he gives it. The Casino
In New York, without doubt, the pretti-
est and richest Gas to decorations)
theatre in the United States. has gen.
eral admission ticket of so cents, and
this entities the holder to admission
anywhere in the house, but to seat
only in given part. Its performances
are always first class and you can pay
30 cents, $1.00 or $3.50 for seat, Just
as you choose.
Washington City has any number of
places Oh amusement, and perhaps the
widest possible difference exists as to
prices that can be found anywhere. 1
paid 81 to see RiStori as Mary Stuart and
have wished many time since that |
had planted the amount in oysters. or
beer, or wedding ring; or, in fact, any
desperate thing but Rlstori. Now,
Ristori was good; she had a good COM
pany and they played the iecesuperbly,
but 81 was better than Ristori; and yet,
going to see her, one felt he must take
the best seat in order to make his money
of any value by making certain the
whole piece could be well seen and bet
ter heard. 1t has convinced me that,
from Janausrhek, down through Mod
jeska, Rhea, and Ristori they do not put
an English tongue in foreign woman's
mouth. Henry Irving wanted $500 and
pow AOIO Ol LIS cCCcliIIlClllcS, anu
while these people are PLAYING to more
or less full houses, Herzog's Museum
and the Dime Museum were jammed,
afternoon and nightly. Jennie Kim
balls Comic Opera Company played a
repertoire embracing ''Olivette, Pima
fore, the Mascotte, and the Chimes of
Normandy" twice a day to crowded
audiences and the price for reserved
seat was and is 20 cents. / have
never heard choruses better given, nor
the tout ensemble better costumed, nor
better acted. The leading roles were
not as good, by any means. Pauline
Markham, the once celebrated human
form divine attraction, has played two
weeks engagement at this place and
made money. The Dime Museum has
given, and does give daily, as excellent
a performance. if [ may be accounted a
competent judge, as L have often seen
and as one frequently sees now in Salt
Lake for 81. 1t must not be assumed
that only the riff-raff attend these
places. They are filled daily by good. re-
spectacle people. and drinking and
smoking is not allowed. Only the high
" respectable, the eclat, who have more
wealth than judgment, find it degrad-
ing to attend these places. That good
performances can be given so cheap, be
kept thoroughly respectable, and make
plenty of money. while high-priced
people and theatres find it precarious
to keep up, argues that the day of
great prices draweth to close.
WANDERER.