Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-07
Henry Irving OF the American Audi.


| From the FOrtnightly Review.
| Two other things are notceable-first. that
| the audiences are sometimes very unpunctual,
and to suit the audiences the managerEeome-
/ times delay beginning. The audience depend
| Oh this delay, and the consequence frequently
| is that first act is entirely disturbed by their
entry; secondly that after fhe play it is custom,
| a degree unknown i'll any European capital
! o adjourn 10 various restaurants Tor supper.
As the audience zen bloc" remain seated so
Z the length OF the performance must be taken
INTO account by managers and commonly two
hours and halt is considered the maximum
though must say that we have at times sinned
b. keeping our audiences seated until eleven
o'clock, and ii has been even later. OF course
IN this branch OF the subject must be also con-
sIdered the difficulty of reaching their homes
experienced by audiences in cities whose liberal
arrangements of space and absence of cheap
cabs, renders necessary a due regard to time
In matter of duration, however, the audience is
not TO be triiied with or imposed on. have heard
OF q case in a city of Colorado where the mama
ger Of Il travelling company, on the last night of
an engagement, in order to catch a through
train, hurried the ordinary performance of his
play INTO an hour aud Il hall. When next the
company were coming to the city they were
met en- route, some nifty miles out by the sheriff.
VINO warned them to pass on by some other
way, as their coming was awaited by large
section of the able-bodied male population
armed with shotguns. The company did not
| am informed. on that occasion visit the civ
may mere mention that in America The dra-
matte season lasts about eight months-from
hot weather begins.
The dominant Characteristic of the American
audience seems to be iInpa1 TALLY. They do
not sit in Judgment, resenting as positive Of
ien>es lack of power to convey meanings or
divergence OF Interpretation of particular char
acter or scene. understand that when they do
not like Il performance they simply go away, so
that al the close OF the evening the Silence OF n
deserted house gives to the management the
verdict more potent than audible condemna-
ton. This does not apply TO questions of
morals. which can be, and are, as quickly
judged here as elsewhere. On this subject l
give entirely to the evidence of others, for 1t
has been my good fortune to see our audiences
seated till the final falling Of the curtain.
Again, there is a kindly feeling the part of
tine audience toward the actor as an individual,
especially If he be not complete stranger,
ton of individuality which is so strik-
ing a characteristic in American life aud
customs. Many an actor draws habitually
portion OF his audience, not in consequence
OF artistic merit, not from capacity 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 reason Tor the continued engage
ment OF an impossibly bad actor that "he 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 APP
preciate, but there seems to be a genuine pleas
ure ill the expression OF approval. American
audiences are not surpassed in quickness and
compile te0eSS of comprehension by any that
have yet seen, and no actor need fear 10 make
his strongest or his most subtle effort, for such
Is sure OfecelNe instant ana 1ull acknOWIeOg-
ment at their hands.
There is little more than this to be said of the
American audience. But short though the
record is, the impression upon the player him.
self is profound and abiding. To describe what
one and hears over the footlights is inf
nitely easier than TO convey an idea OF the men,
tai disposition and feeling of the spectators.
The house is ample and comfortable, and the
audience is welldisposed to be pleased. Ladies
and gentlemen alike are mostly in morning
dress, distinguished in appearance, and guided
In every respect by refined decorum.
winter flowers abound, and the majority of
ladies have bouquets either carried in the hand
or fastened ON the shoulder corsage. At
matinee performances especially, where the
larger proportion OF the audience is composed
OF ladie@ the effect is not less pleasing to the
olfactory senses than to the eye. Courteous, pa
tent. enthusiastic, the American audience is
worthy ofany effort which the actor can make
on its behalf, and he who has had experience of
them would be an untrustworthy chronicer If
he failed, or even hesitated to bear witness to
their Intelligence, their taste and their gener-
osity.