Omaha daily bee., 1892-06-05
SEEN IN LONDON MUSIC HALLS
Description of Vile and Inexpressibly In
ano Form of English Entertainment
PEN PICTURES OF THE 'sRFoRMERS
Drink the Main Attraction of the Halls
Tho "Free and Easy" and the "Penny
GaT"-wherc the Workman Meits
His Wages Poverty Junction

LONDON, May ~. Correspondent OF THE
BEE. lit Is impossible TO imagine greater
contrast than exists between London actors
and London variety actors; between tue
legitimate LONDON stage aud that vast anu
various collection of amusement estaoiisn-
ments known as music halls, in which music
has never entered, and between the audi
ences at London theaters and the throngs
which gather at "the halls"
11he London actor, as shown In my last
letter, is a man of good birth and breeding.
He has had the advantage Of the best oil
early training and environment. HIS voca-
tion is one which requires many years OF APP
premiership and study, and conduces 10
high moral and intellectual ambitions He
is a home lover, builder and keeper. HIS
social status Is the best. His associations
are with men aud women OF talent ana
achievement. And, In most cases, ne passes
from his days of activity into long and mel
low evening OF life, In which he is still OFTEN
public favorite, and Is always sought aIter
as companion and reminscentialist.
Tho London dramatic stage and 1ts
audiences are credit to any nauon. AS
whole tho morale, atmosphere and results are
good. l believe that, as rule, Engnsh
PLAYERS, plays and audiences together repre-
sent tho best expression and receptivity OF
genuine mirth aud sentiment which can any.
where be found. And on the large lines OF
whatever may be presented, comedy, drama
b. or tragedy, upon the stage of London and
has met with public satisfaction, has been
the product OF dramatic authors having no
superiors, has been given interpretation by
the ablest and most conscientious OF actors,
and has reached the magic realm OF success
through as cautious and severe criticism and
purgiugly healthful iuggard approval, as are
necessary to give something OF real value TO
the entire amusement world.
o., The Inexprcssibie Music Hall.
But good as all this surely is, what can bs
the secret Of that strange ana inexpiicable
national taste which not only makes possible
but stutbornly cings u and continues to de-
velop with giant strides that incomparably
greater and mex pressibly inane and beasty
form Of amusement found in the London
music hallsi
A reputable English writer once gave from
the English standpoint pleasant cue TO the
secret In the proposition that ''the greater
height q people toTch in their development
the lower mostly are the depths OF their re-
coil. Unhappy then, the nation that has no
appreciation of hopeless vulgarltyW
There are at present in London score or
more of great music halls into each OF which
nightly crowd from 1000 to 5000 people.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of lesser
affairs, ranging from the old time free-and-
easy, from which the modern music-hall has
sprung to the "penny-gaffs," where audi
ences of from 100 to 800 persons may be
found. Besides these, would almost ven
ture the assertion, there are thousands Of
'pubi" or public houses, drinking places
with assembly rooms behind the bar, where
free smoking concerts attract permanent
nightly audience OF from q score to 100 work
lngmen and the foul rabble that subsists
upon their generosity and weakness.
Where the Viiest Indecency is Perpetrated.
Indeed Gny one who knows this great city
at all In that wan andering, vagrant, observant
N cD n
sions would have no hesitancy in saying that
a quarter of million human beings may be
found any weekday night in these places
''cheery.' or more so, from liquor, and from
Jhese sources securing their odd ideas OF in
ternational contrasts; feeling their beery
patriotism as the bravest OF Britons dellr-
iously prompted; gathering from vile
mouthed performers quips the news and
scandals Of the day; increasing their con-
tempt of order aud law from their endless
SATIRE and ridicule; gsining in general and
particular deeper hatred of English society
above them; and hearing, often with their
wives and daughters beside them, tho most
sacred relations Of men and women never
spoken or sung of save as perennial play
ground for cunning ana inhdelity; until the
hoartiesL British laugh is in response to the
broadest British entendre, and The loudcst
British roar rises from these great seas OF
upturned faces when the vilest music hall
indecency Is perpetrated.
OF all these places the 'penny gaff," or
outrageously ridiculous pantomine, or voice
less melodrama or wordlesS tragedy, in
which there is indescribabe murder, high =
way robbery. and other lurid crime, but all
enacted without spoken word to evade the
law governing dramatic representations, Is
the least harmful, for 1t has no bar; and to
get his penny 'orth'' OF play the White
chapel barhsrian is kept for at least two
hours away from d public house. Drink Is
the real attraction OF all the others.
without Let or Hindrance of Law.
The wise lawmakers of London will not
permit any dramatic representation at any
place where liquor is sold. Something
which would appeal to the intellect might
lessen the demand for drink. So they make
II easy to debauch the masses with comb
nation OF sensationalism, sensualims and
drink; ana from the lowest free smoking
concert' to such music hall palaces as the
London Pavilion, Aihamora, Tivoll, Royal
Oxford and Trocadcro, not one in one hun.
dreo could exist fortnight on tho merit OF
its performance alone.
The vast and debasing system has grown
without let or hindrance of law, or effort al
redemption by religionists, out OF tho ancient
British custom, for which right the British
classes and messes would any time have
fought Parliament and king, of singing ant
roaring when at drink. By and by II becam,
The custom OF putting those OF their com
pantons with the best voices upon their feet
and willy nilly, making them sing or recite
Then eaMe volunteering" at these assem-
blages. Pubcans saw their advantage ant
gradually enlarged their premises building
q raised dais or platform TO toaccommodate am
bilious spirits, In time added piano and &C
eompantst and bevy OF barmaids ana femal
beer-seryers to ogle ard wheedle among tn
crowds, and another British institution
wss established among the people who never
neyer Will be slaves.
In the Free and Easy"
Today, lust as an hundred or more year
ago, yon cannot pass the distance of Mt
yards IN certain localities OF all large Englis
cities. without hearing u pandemonium O
song behind some door which bears th
legend: Free Smoking Concert Within.
On Saturday afternoons and evenings ever
one OF these places Is thronged TO suffocatio
with workingmen. With their ten TO fiftee
"Dob" (shilings) in their wallet, empty din
ner pals In hand half OF them unwashed {
the CRIME Of honest labor, by scores
thousands, they stream into this "smokin
concert' and TO that There with their fe
low workmep; with the precious pipe
mouth or hand; u mug Of "bitter' or '.fcl
ale' before them; perhaps painted barmai
on one knee and a Rip Van Winkle-like somn
leuoe as TO their families and their need,
they shout "Hencore ep'-"Hencorew 10 II
volunteer soloist, tho plmply pianist or II
Ruggy little cloggist and sll The other meag,
freaks OF their "'Alf 'oliday 'oavon:n roI
bravey In choruses; are at peace with q
the world, and without an inta OF yiciou
ness In all their pitiful lives, wholly forge
ful OF their slavish labor ana slaves wage