New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-28
ACTORS AND 4 UDIENCES.
THE EFFECT OF APPLAUSE.

| THE EFFECT OF APPLAUSE.
Theatre goers who are sometimes disappointed by
the efforts Of WE'LL known actors frequently fall TO
realize that the faults In the performance are qnitc
as likely 10 he due to the audience as 10 the actors
| II Is an axiom in the profession that good parts
make good actors and to this might be added, with
almost equally true foundation, the corolary, good
| audiences make good acting" An unsympathetc
and irresponsive audience will strike chill to the
heart of The best actor and the better he Is the more
likely he Is to be affected by the frgidy Of those whom
he seeks TO amuse. The audience Is an actors In
strument and his art Is the bow that must set their
heart strings IN vibration. There is, probably, no
greater low no greater sense OF power ever felt by
man. than that experienced by the actor who knows
that he has full command over the intellectual and
emotional feelings Of his auditors lie Is supreme
ruler for the moment over 1900 or perhaps 1000
people, and while his power lasts It Is greater Than
that of any monarch The hereditary ruler may have
authority over lives and fortunes, but the ACTOR Yields
SWAY over souls. At his VIII he can bring tears 10
eyes and smiles to lips and as he watches the erect
OF his work. he grows proud and elaied Inc grea'er
the effect he and feels he Is producing the more
* he urged on TO sustain and II possible. increase
that effect II is not always that he Graves applause
There IS a more close and subtitle feeng between the
actor and his audience than that which finds Its
expression in ouburss OF approval. This. Tor want
of better word, has been termed magnetism
Almost the instant he upon the stage the actor
can tell whether he will be able to establish mat
current OF sympathy between himself and his AUDITORS
Sometimes II VIII flow from the first, and AT DINERS
he will during the entire evening be unable 10 set
It IN motion.
MANY actors cannot act al all they do moi receVe
a,plauee These are the persons who possess the
most sympathetic and emotional natures ana VINO, as
A rule are those who give the most pleasure. Inc
purely mechanical actor, whose every movement anu
desired effect have been carefully calcula'cd anu
ronooted tnl they are almost automatically produced,
| will naturally be less affected; but even MS WORN
will be lacking I'm the warmth that insensbly' Out
s,,,clv comes with the conviction OF appreciation
several stories arc told OF Forrest being unable 10
art before cold audiences, and on ono o'easoh VINO"
nlaying Othcllo he Obliged to come DOWN 10 inc
| footlichts and say TO the audience. II you don't
applaud me. cannot act'
Magnetism is not necessarily the result OF ART
nor II IS necessarily independent thereof " Is AWAY
strongest when allied with art. though 1t has geherahy
more power 10 please than art has by iissf EheIca"
.odicnces unlike those Of Great Britain very seHohl
! - hut occasionally even good actors Will here
no ,reatrd 70 an unpleasant doso OF an audience cO-
nt for either their efforts the tenor OF the play.
ON certain holiday night In San Francisco "hen tue
rihts NJ London, was first played In that CITY, the
,bcatrc was crowded and I'm the gallery the auuence
was evidently uncomfortable and inclined TO De noisy
tn ="
vile were scarcely allowed to be heard and the same
treatment was extended nearly all who appeared III
| the scene At almost the end of the act a young
! actor Of no special fame had TO play reIiarAaoS
tickish7 pathetic scene which he began win rear
and trembling lie listened to In silence DtoAen
only by occasional applause, and at the emu goo'
" ,nund, rewarded his dcath-scene. From that time
! out the play proceeded smoothly. The young actors
magnetism had put the audience In sympathy WIN
the story
1t is usually much easier to play comic shan
| scrIois paus The author gives bright lines ana
amusing situations to his comedians-that Is supposmg
| he is an author OF abityand the actors OF comedy
have at the start everything In their favor Audiences
at least those Of the present day, would rather ausn
than cry An exception must. however be noted win
| regarl TO matinee audiences, which are necessarily
| mainly composed Of Comedies seldom draw
| we'll at matnees Even Colonel Sellers, when at the
| height Of his prosperity, was not a good matinee
| card The majority Of women who go TO matnees
| enjoy themselves in proportion to the quantity OF
| tears they she'd The story Of tho girl who had en-
loved herself much because she had wept till she
had ruined handkcrchlcfs Is not much exaggerated
| While as was Just now written. the comedian almost
at once establishes himself with the audience. the
serious actor has develop the situation before he
| becomes particularly interesting IL the au-
dlence Is especially cold, tho comedian
has, however, the harder row TO hoe
! lie has been accustomed ~ laughter and applause
carly I'm his Scenes and at frequent intervals there
after, and when these marks Of appreciation are not
forthcoming. he, to professional phrase, sinks
into his boos.7 The serious actor, on the Other
hand. doe, not look for app TIL he reaches certain
crucial situations and he can work well for longer
lime without re,cving encOuragemcnt. hvoi,ualy,
II 1t doe n9t come, he will however, join his associate
IN his fOocoverlng retirement.
An amusing tale is told Of s9theru playing Lord
! DundTary before provincial audience, which pnded
Itself on It, eriSiOcrahc bchav r. some OF IFS mem
| Der, who had VISITED Ncw-YOfk brought back wOr
that not fash onaj de 10 laugh or app.ard at
the theatre. The hint was pissed around aud caro-
fully observed. sothrrn played the first act amid
dead silence. lie could not unders and IL, but he
called The company t0g'th before the curtain was
again raised. and lmplored all hands 10 pitch In
drs red waking up did not Ie-nlt and tho curtain
fell without hand Sothern. I'm utter dependency,
sought his dressing room There the local manager
as-ur,d him that the audience was delighted Int.r
objected sothern. they don't lar'hH The manager
should hopr MOI There was ore man snickered
and put him out.'
An cd actor the other day said "The public
doesn't guess what often loses by being cold Look
Al a professional matinee! Did you ever see the
they are encouraged they warm up, they
neIved to do their best. and they do 1t, though they
know there perhaps hundred people IN the audi.
ence VINO cOhm pay we lalS a. Wpn or bclIef iahc
even first night at city teltrn. when. DESPITE
ioTmS &C. han cv,r after WY ecaI,. the Tor.
are inii,i lualy encouraged from the II you
little more generous IN giving receptions 10 we'll.
established actOr- and not 10 be afraid OF ouirsenI
good form by laughing and applaudlng; \ ilthS
Generous cucourlgcm'n. gwen ea'y In The evening
vii surrey enla ncc twOfod the gvers noy mont and
will make the actor happy
Literary Lady, know scores Of NewYork ladies
Chicago Lsdy-HoTon Why, in Chicago We won't