The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-02
PARTISAN THEATeRS.
Playhouses in the Gay Capital Have Very
Many Peculiarities.

Plays in Paris generally begin at 8
o'clock and never finish until about mid
night. If they were over earlier the audi
ence would think that they had not re-
ceived their moneys worth Of bad air and
good acting Sitting four hours in such
an atmosphere would be uncomfortable TO
an American were 1t not for the long waits
between the acts, when one can walk for
twenty minutes in the large foyer" or go
out and get little fresh air. The orches-
ira never plays between the acts, so there
IS no iIiducement to remain in the hot, gar
lie scented air during that time.
It is matter of some formality to get
into a French theater Don't think that
you can do as in free America throw down
afew silver car wheels, with a goddess Of
liberty on one side and loudly screaming
American eagle on the other, and enter
the theater and take your seats. No; there
rs good deal of red tape TO be unraveled
before that. If you wish good place you
must 90 to the theater few days in ad-
vance, politely take off your hat to the
uglv and cross old female in the box Office
end humbly ask tor the seats you wish.
When she has finished discussing the latest
STYLES from Russia with her assistant, she
will gruffly eXclaim, COMMENT" You
must not reply. as a friend of mine did
who was not well up in French; "Come on,
COUNSEL" but say your polite sentence all
over again
If the spectators and the ugly old wom-
ans friends have not reserved all the
places, she will write out document on a
large sheet of green or red paper Gor they
never have printed theater tickets hereh
stating your name, the title of the play,
the chief actors name, the date and official
number of the performance, and after dust
ing it well with sand flor they are too con-
sentative TO use blotting paper, and de-
manding two cents extra for the govern
ment stamp, she will hand it over to you
in exchange for French gold. On the even
Eng of the performance you purchase a
programme of a man at the door, and walk
mp to the desk where three Frenchmen in
dress suits preside.
Your troubles then begin. These
'judges" act as ticket takers. One of
Them examines the green or red document
that you procured with so much trouble,
TO see that it is not forgery, and that the
date etc, Is all right, and then passes it
on to one of his associate judges in this SUI
preme court of united French red tape,
who looks it all over and tears off one cor
ner and cries in loud voice, "DeuX per-
sonnes a couch" or words to that effect
Perhaps you think you are in the theate,
then. Oh, mol You have yet to pass the
Cerberus who guards the inner door. This
is an ugly old bag, with white cap, who
takes your ticket and insists on your leav-
ing your coat with her. If it is summer
and you have nothing to leave of that kind
she will then ask you for her little bene-
fit" as she calls it, in advance, before she
will let you go to your seat. You must
pay up or fight, and i advise every one to
pay cash, as it is cheaper in the end.
These ugly old women, who are known
as "ouvreuses" (openers), and who keep an
eye well open for half franc pieces Tor whole
ones If you have pretty girl with YOU,
really run the .theater, OF at least all that
portion of it in front of the footlights.. II
you go often TO the same theater it is best
TO fee them well, no matter how much you
may dislike the custom. They always in
sist on furnishing a dirty little footstool
(Which is always in the way) to the sweet
girl who is with you, but they call her
Madame" in such natural way that you
conclude it is worth an extra half franc
piece. Finally, when you have uncondi-
tionally SURRENDERED to the "ouvreuse !"
she will permit you TO occupy the cushioned
board for which you have paid dearly, and
will only occasionally disturb you to ask if
you wish an official" programme or an
opera glass.
Although the theaters here are very I'M
comfortable, the entertainments are always
enjoyable. The acting mere is the best in
the world.-Paris Cor. Boston Journal