Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-22
GOING OUT BETWEEN THE ACTS.
What an Habitual Theater- Goer has {,
Say In Favor Of it.

What an Habitual Theater-Goer has to
Say In Favor Of It.
81 see that the newspapers in other cities
have been agitating for the abolition of the
custom of going out between the acts" said
confirmed theater-goer last night If the
Washington papers think it worth while to
take up the subject at all, I hope they will in
inject little common sense into the discussion
and give both sides hearing 1t was in Phia-
delphia, think, that the papers demanded
that the managers should take summary meas
ures to stop the practice. and I'm not sure but
one autocratic manager undertook to refuse re-
turn checks to those who went out after due
warning. don't think he succeeded very we'll
however, in his attempt to reform the habits
of his patrons in this high-handed way.
~. las far as can see," the speaker continued
''the only consideration involved in the whole
question is whether your going out causes you
and your neighbors in the audience annoyance
and trouble greater than the pleasure afforded
yourself. For my part, invariably go out be-
tween the acts when can possibly do it, I
seldom find theatrical performance so good
that don't enjoy it more by getting breath
OF fresh air and stretching my legs between
the acts, than by sitting cramped up during
the whole evening in narrow, stiff-backed
seat, with several hundred other people SINH
larry packed in all around me. Ibelieve that
frequently, and large proportion of the wo-
men feel Just as do on this subject, They
would all like to get up and stroll about while
the orchestra plays if the theaters were so ar
ranged that it could be done conveniently.
TIRED OF SITTING.
SIT seems to me it would be the natural and
sensible thing to do. Here in Washing ton a
large majority Of the men sit at desks all day
and when they 60 to the theater at night it
comes rather hard on them to put in two hours
and half or three hours more sitting without
moments relief. know plenty of men like
myself who prefer seats away back near the
door, where they can get out easily to the best
orchestra chairs where You have to climb over
elght or ten persons, treading on their toes and
disarranging their clothing and your own, be-
fore you can get out. And the fact is. as you
will see by watching the audience a few even
ings, hardly half dozen men who are packed
away In the middle seats ever go out between
the acts. however much they may desire to do it.
1t gives them just as much annoyance to climb
over their nelghbors as 1t does the latter to
have them do it. So they stay in and suffer,
but swear to themselves it will be long time
before they are caught that way again. The
consequence is they go to the theater as seldom
as possible. and when they do 20 make sure of
end seats In advance, or simply buy admissions
and take their chances Of getting seats on the
outskirts Of the orchestra circle. OF course
If man has ladies with him he can't 20 out
although L know some sensible and thoughtful
ladies who always insist on their escorts going
out between the acts if they desire it. 1t seems
to me, the speaker continued, that all the
talk about the intolerable nuisance of rushing
out between the acts is mostly bosh, for. as 1
have shown, those who do go out. provide in
nearly every case against annoying fellow
auditors by obtaining end seats
IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED.
"Now. the whole trouble could be obviated il
our theaters were built as they should be built.
with view primarily to the convenience and
safety OF audiences Instead of being jammed
up so close together that men of more than
medium height have to sit sideways to avoid
skinning their knees on the backs Of the seats
In front OF them the rows Of seats should have
a space between them SO wide that those who
desire to go out before the performance is over
may do SO without trampling on others who
remain seated. Then, no theater should be
built without some sort of foyer or prone
nading place where ladies as well as gentlemen
may go to chat with friends or rest themselves"
Then you think the practice of going out
between the acts should be made permanent
institution instead of being abolishedY' THE
STAR representative inquired.
That's precisely whatI think" the old thea
ter goer replied. "A person doesn't come to a
theater as he goes to church or to a funeral.
He comes to a theater for amusement and
relaxation. and the less cramping and cribbing
there Is the nearer the theater serves the pur-
poses for which it was designed. 1t seems to
me good many people are inclined to take
their amusement too formally-in too BUSH
ness like manner. They want to have all
their social usuages hardened and stiffened
into severe and dignifed ceremonals instead
of keeping them good naturally and graciously
flexible. Some of these people sit in theater
as if they thought it Quaker meeting, and if
anyone dares to whisper to his companion. fold
or unfold program or shift a leg, they fidget
querulOusly, glare around at you in a threaten
ing fashion, and generally contrive to make
themselves appear like curmudgeons. People
of this kind, 1 honestly think, are more OBJ ec-
tionable in an audience than those who persist
in talking in loud voice all the time, and al
most as bad as the man who knows the song
and sings or huns it with the people on the
stage"