The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-05-28
WAkEMAN'S TRAVELS.
a Tribute to tho Gentility of tho
British Actors.
THE HAUN1S OF LONDON ACTORS.
Their Home Life mud IIaunts at Ia.
nous Clubs Charmingly Depicted.
Some Pen Pictures Of Interesting
Subjects.
Icorynorr, 1892, ny rpoAn l. wAxrNAy.l

grca! American city wo have some par.
ticular locality constantly ~frequentod
during certain hours OF the day by &c.
tors great and small. Tho casual passer
fingers curiously within tho region.
Even IL less accustomed 10 striking
city phases /, constantly impressed
with the unusual character OF the
neigh borhood and with tho manners
and dress OF its frequcntcrs.
Public houses OF u coy rather than 4
suinptuous sort are characteristic Of the
place. Windows above tnrc filled with
strange costumes. Little low windows
and still timer glass cases or receivers
here and thorodisplay curious examples
OF tho wiginakcr's art. "Noicc Train
I'M" can be secured up this dismal nigh.
OF stair!. "a School OF Elocution' will
be rcacIlel through another dark entry
way. The Legend, Fancy Steps," will
appear wher- the stairs hint oil serious
stumbling instead. Next the roof OF
one building Pupils" will DO gifted
for the Stage" Banjo Taught" has
broken out upon every doorway direc-
tory. And signs OF dramatic Agency"
where the first and pcronnially success
sivo looting OF actors is done. cluster
like b~eacons OF wreckers 10 cnticc the
veteran rs well rs tho youngest skipper
upoll the shoals o! trcaclierols dramatic
seas.
In general and particular everything
ncedful to the profession" and many
things which its members could safely
eschew, arc gathered in and about this
strange little city. 1t is called "The
Rialto." and upon these "I,ialtos," by
day, walk for'plcasure or profit, in idle
ness OF anxiety, in poippous pientitude
or in pit!ful poverty all those hundreds
and thousands who by night charm and
cheer us upon the mimic stage.
Our American "Ria!tos" are more
marked i'll concentration and character
than those OF European cities. This is
particularly true in New York. In
London, where are the hauhta OF probn-
bly, more actorG than exist in any other
four or five OF the greatest cities. there
is no spot which exactly corresponds
with the American actors' "Rialto," cx-
cept one. That one is the greatest re:
sort in the world for music hall per.
formers. 1t il just across the Waterloo
BRUCE from the Strand, on the Surrey
side OF London; is called in local par
lance. Poverty Junction y and OF this
locality and its odd i%requenters I shall
speak at length in my next letter.
But between these folk, who arc called
"prosscrs" or ''pros,"in the vernacular,
and the actors OF London there is an
ever impossible gull. In our country
there is considerable commingling and
association OF these elements or classes.
This almost wholly accounts for tho
characteristic groupings OF business and
loungers forming our "Rialtos." Here
the actor not only scorns the "pros" as
he would Il tramp. and will have none
OF him rs q companion. but he will
drink noliquor, eat no iooI. transact no
business, and ~irrqnsn. no thoronyhiare
or haunt. where the pros is permitted
to come.
MANAGERS MONOPOLY.
There are reasons Tor hi. rln:c draw
Ing OF professional lin:s. an important
one is found in the iact that Tor a long
time London theatrical managers have
sustained an absolute monopoly OF all
dramatic performances. BY law the
proprietors OF music-halls are forbidden
to present my exhibition OF 4 dramatic
nature. Their compensation is in be-
ing permitted to sell all manner Of
liquors by hands OF bewitchins bar
maids; OF itself a great source OF attrac-
ton and profit To the Legitimate"
dramatic performer. any one who has
appeared in "the 'alls." from his stand
point OF! ethics. can by no possibility
ever become = genuine actor or attain
to his social standing.
On tho other hand, you will seldom
find an English, Irish or Scottish actor
who is not a gentleman born and bred.
LIDO not mean that he is always OF the
so-culled British gentry" stock.
But | do mean that tho. stock from
which he has sprun. is usually OF tho
best quality; that he has tho advantage
OF being well bred; has been given OK.
cellent home and school, and very often
university training; that he is 4 reader,
astudent and 4 traveller; and that the
best regime and athletic sports have
done for him, physically, what his edu.
cation has done for him mentally, and
his unavoidable culture, of and on the
stage, has done Tor both his ethics and
his manners.
This is universal rather than cxccp.
tional. He is therefore justly proud oil
his vocation. Such names rs those OF
Shakespeare, Kemblc, Garricl1, Macready
and Mathews, furnish endless pique and
spur to his ambition. His excellent go
cial status keeps him in touch with the
best rather than the undesirable ele-
ments. Ho is well paid and certain OF
employment, il he has ability and OK
perienco; and il lie possesses only the
former, with some learning behind it,
his period OF apprenticeship is one OF
fair opportunity and c~onsideratc treat
ment.
Without leaving his home and his
daily haunts and work, he has before
him the highest opportunities to which
IN actor can attain within the confines
Of London itself. And his every sur
rounding, accessible aid in his profess
sion, and, oven in his hours OF relaxation
which bring him the fine friction of tho
brightest minds OF our time, he is rs an
actor continually unwittinely and per-
force bothered and improved.
Tho latter is as true to-day as it was in
Shakespeare's time. And all this is
why the haunts Of London actors differ
from tho haunts Of American actors
and why, also, their ENVIRONMENT nat
urally produces the ablest delineators
not OF intense and exaggerated character
and situations, as with the French, and
somewhat with u American, school,
but Of those fade.ess good and mellow
comedies, dramas and tragedies which
appeal to the intellect and heart, rather
than to sensation hunger, tho nerves