The morning call., 1890-04-13
LONDON'S PLAY-HOUSES
Their Number-Prices and Rules
That Differ From Ours.

Is@SHE price of seats in our theaters has
KIN often been commented on, and a
oAkO' complaint by many that q figure too
nigh Is placed upon them, and yet they are
exceedingly moderate compared to those of
hrst-class theaters In Europe, especially in
London. Ten shillingS and SiXpence-S2 so
is the general price to nearly all the lead
ing places Of amusement, while to witness
representation by Terry, Irving and
Bernhardt the writer was obliged to pay
Tor seat one guinea, trhe over So,
at the box-otfices of the different theaters
where they appeared. This for the best
seats, certainly, while in the dress-circle six
and eight shllings is the price. When one
ADDS slxpence Tor stool that is almost
forced under ones feet, and sxpence or
threepence Tor programme, siXpence to
the carriage opener, and the same price for
glass OF wine which Is passed through the
audience. 1t makes visit to such place of
amusement rather an expensive luxury.
The rules and customs of the London
theaters differ in many respects from those
OF America. For instance, no lady is ad-
nlltted In the best or even second class por-
ton OF the auditorium with bonnet or hat
on. No matter how elegant her head-cOY-
erlng may be- nor what persuasive argu-
ment she may use, she will be obliged to
leave her hat in the dresSlng-room and pay
siXpence to get it back. This certainly is
good rule for any theater to adopt, a fair
view is thus allowed every member of the
audience and much discontinue averted.
Again, those theaters open their evening
performance with farce, which, if one
does not arrive in time to see, it is not much
loss. But by the time the principal play,
which Is the attraction of the evening and
which is put on about o'clock, begins one
Is not annoyed by tardy Corners. The rat
Ting of seats, the brushing past one and
obscUring ones view has all taken place,
and quiet audience In the proper time is
the result.
Then, too, the English managers give a
greater number of matinees than the mana
gers of this country, which is great bene-
fit to ladies and children and in fact to all
who live in the suburbs and cannot get
home after II or l O'Clock at night. 1t is
not uncommon for a theater to give
morning performance" both on Wednes-
day and Saturday. Drury Lane, one of the
most fashionable theaters, gives a perform
ance on Monday, Wednesday aud Saturday,
beginning at 80.
In some theaters the box-office is open
from in the morning until II O'Clock at
night, and seats can be booked six and
eight weeks In advance, for one play often
runs 200 nights, aud sometimes much
longer, without q change. 1.-The Bunga-
low, at Toole's, is now approaching its
two hundredth performance.
Yet, with the high prices, all the inciden-
twenty-fOur or twenty-five leading first
class theaters that are always well attended,
which includes the following: Drury Lane,
Haymarket, Adelphi, Princess (where
Robert and Bella Pateman, formerly of the
old California, are playing), the Lyceum
lHenry Irving'S Theater) st. James (where
Mrs. Langtry is the manager), Court Thea
ter with Mrs. John Wood as proprietress),
Crystal Palace, Strand, Gaiety, Globe, Sa-
yoy. Vaudeville. Comedy. Criterion. Az
enue, Prince of Wales, Opera Comique,
SALISBURY, Terry's. Lyric and the Garrick
There are also several theaters devoted es-
pecially to the ballet and spectacular
pieces, the most popular of these being the
Alhambra and the Empire, which are di-
rectly opposite each other on the same
street, both of which are extremely snowy
buildings, and when lighted up at night
present indeed gorgeous and inviting ap-
Appearance. The dazzling light Eliminates
the locality for great distance. The en-
tertalnments. which contain mixed pro-
gramme, at these two theaters generally
continue till nearly l o'clock in the morn
Ing. The second and third class theaters of
London are numerous, and far exceed in
number the first-class, all of which goes to
show the drama is more appreciated abroad
than with us of the United States.
c. p. Drike, Mayor OF Prescott, Ariz, died
on Wednesday from the effects of wounds
received during the war.