The record-union., 1892-06-04

llves, wholly forgettul of their slavish
labor and slaves wage-until the wife
Nemesis. "missus," finds them out, and
yanks them and what is left Of their
hobs" to the home-hovel; or they are
tossed from the closing doors to the stones
OF the street for the final picking Of Lon
don yultures and nighthawks.
Inc great London muSic-hall is simply
larger and more insidiously hurtful type
OF the free smoking concert-roonl," i'll
the hands OF stock company which
profits TO the extent OF % and 30 per
cent, instead of single publican who is
satisfied with 10. 1t is practically gil
gantlc bar, or series of tiers of bars, sur
rounding an auditorium where thousands
instead of scores can be admitted at
merely nominal entrance fee; where
stage with speciality performers supplant
the platform, the pianist and the v0lun-
teer; and where the same classes, or
more vicious ones, with "Arrys and
'Arriets" of London I'LL the pit, while
every manner of cad, fast fellow OF the
gentry anu nobility, including a good
sprinklng OF London Bohemia, saunter
IN the promenades and fill the boxes and
stalls.
You can bring along your pipe and
smoke 1t just the same as at the other
place. The constant explosion of scratched
matches is OF the same deathly odor and
familiar sound. There are the same sort
OF barma1dS, only more of them, more
bewitching and dangerous. The demi-
monde, quiet but alert as falcons, are
here i'll hundreds in search Of quarry.
Dozens of gold-laced lackeys and inspect
ors give semblance of refined order and
strict propriety. But all the elements Of
mischief are here. Though the mirrors,
decorations and all appointments are
gorgeous, all the opportunities for max
ing beast OF ones self are provided
without stint. You can become maudlin
and Sing the performers ballad all your
own way. And the whole audience, by
mld-eyenlng, is roaring along with the
orchestra at the lines, choruSes and
retrainS.
About twenty different acts called
turns" are done by as many different
performers in one evening, and each
actor" will have from one to four
turns" for the same evening, each at
different halls, to which he speeds in
every sort OF conveyance, from coster'S
donkey-cart to a brougham. Programmes
are furnished on payment, and huge
numeral, slid into the proscenium sides,
corresponding with programme numbers,
Indicate that when the deafening clang Of
the stage managers gong is next heard,
the turn" is to be done by the Renowned
Slgnorlna SpllttavOce, Spaghetta Siren to
the Italian Court, by the Climax Of Clog
gists, by Nell Nellwood, Unapproachable
Delineator of Dukes Dialogues, by the
Slug Brothers, Kings of knockabouts, or
by Mile. Padshanks, Queen OF Aspiring
Heels. Applause is ungrudgingly given,
and the pit, ever insisting upon it's
moneys worth Of screeching, wriggling
and contOrtion, always vociferously de-
mands as many 'hencoresp as the man
agement will tolerate.
These shows, with few exceptions in
favor of individual performers, are ut
terly pointless, mirthlesS, inane and
beastly. There are perhaps in all this
host of London music-hall factors" a
half-dozen who have demonstrated that
true art may lind reward even in so hope
less a field. Such are George Beau
champ, comedian; Jenny Hill, imper-
senator Of the coster-girl, ''the lodging
'ouse miSsuS'' and female characters of
that ilk, and Albert Chevalier, whose
studies and representations of the London
costermonger should give him rank as q
really great actor and man of positive
genius.
But between all these odd folk and the
London actors of the dramatic stage there
is endless emulation mingled with tantal
izing attempts at "freedery" and airineSs
on the one side and fadeless dread and
contempt on the other. The music-hall
actor, pros or "proSSer'' as he is known
in London, is in nearly every instance a
product of the lowest London life AS a
rule he is a costermOnger, waterside
character, stable e-boy, "boots," starveling
from the travelling booth shows, Billings
gate crate-carrler, or from somewhere out
the East End slums.
If he be of as good quality as from the
humbleSt labOring classes he still, as
well as all other muSic-hall performers,
graduates into his profession through one
unvarying school Of low and often vile
training-from the penny gaH" the
worst of all London shows. or from the
''smoking-concert"d den where he has, as
volunteer" sang, danced, contorted, or
slugged, for the free entertainment of the
beery and foul gutter hosts of London
Many ofthese favorites command salaries
of from 9l00 to $50 per week. But about
all of them reach their affluenCe and
often responsibility, out of the same orig
inal depths, and along the same vicisSi-
tous road.
The only time when dramatic actor and
'proS" ever meet is at the annual Christ
mas plays and pantomimes. Then the
pros" is in demand at the theaters to do
specialties. The lofty scorn and the airy
| defiance between actor and pros Is
then something wonderful to behold.
Whats Hdt?" is the contemptuous
query of one actor to another, as pros
is espied in the stage wings at Christmas
time, waiting to do his turn" as his act
or speciality is called.
"Oh, its only thing from the 'alIs
! (the music-hallS)''; his companion will as
witheringly answer.
''Gor bli meW retorts the "pros' with
an angry snort, shit cawn't be hts on the
| sta-ige''; referring to his prosecutor.
''They wouldn't ave sech bloomin' hob
! jecs i'll the 'alls ~
To describe the hauhts of the 'spross-
ers" would require a description of the
! entire lowly of London. But every day
many of these curious folk may be seen.
and between IL and 2 O'clock every Mon
day from 500 to 600 can be found, if the
! day be pleasant, at the intersection of
! York and Waterloo roads, just bevond
! the south approach to Waterloo Bridge,
on the Surrey Side.
In language, speech, manner, dress pc
culiarities and characteristics it is one OF
/ the rarest assemblages one can find in all
( London. They resort here to ''book' en-
] gagements with dramatic agents who
/ occupy all accessible ground apartments
/ for nearly square on either angle OF
each OF the four corners; to pay to their
/ agents the regularly required 10 per cent.
1 commission on their weekly salaries
! TO exchange greetings, coSter oaths and
/ choice Biliingsgate, and to keep posted as
/ to the movements of rivals, city, pro-
vincial and American managers.
/ After the managers have arranged their
/ business affairs with the agents. both adj
4 journ to the parlors OF the York Hotel
/ for wine and lunch This ancient hos
1 telry is the real headquarters of the entire
/ throng. On Mondays policemen are sta
! toned at its front To clear the sidewalk
/ Tor paSsers. Star favoriteS drive up to il
/ in dog-carts or broughams; managers ana
/ agents always come in their own car
4 riages, with liveried footmen. and while
4 the ''prossers'' who have come on foot
/ are always on the surface respectful
enough to these superiors, their under
/ tone of comment, eplthet and grotesaue