The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-17
Women at Theatres.

Tho first experiment Of the dramatic
benevolent association for presenting plays
which do not commend themselves to the
trained judgment of the regular theatrical
caterers to tho tastes OF the public does
not seem to have worked very successfully
on Thursday evening. People do not 90 to
the theatre for the purpose OF encouraging
unsuccessful playwrights. but to get
amused.
One innovation made by the Theatre of
| Arts and Letters, as this new association
! is called, entities it to praise as II philan-
thronlc enterprise. however its attempt to
reform the theatre otherwise may turn out.
| Its management required the women spec
tators 10 remove their hats or bonnets and
sit barcheadcd during the performance.
Convention compels a man to take OF his
| hat in theatre out Of respect to tho wo-
| men present, If not also to the artises on
| the stage. No one except u boor would de-
part from that rule Of civilization. A man
removes his hat as q matter Of course and
| puts himself to some Inconvenience to stow
! ii away under his chair. A woman may be
under no like conventional obligation. but
her moral obligation to consider the rights
of others is the same. She keeps on
her hcadgear. though fashion or bad
taste may make it far more offensive to
both the actors on the stage and the audi
crcn who would observe them. This she
does although there is no more necessity
for her remaining covered than there Is for
him to keep on his hat. Both OF them are
better off. SO far us health goes, for barring
their heads inside crowded house. It is
true that the construction Of the feminine
hnndgcar is frazier, SO that women's hats
and bonnet5 cannot usually he thrown
under the seats or even hung to them with
the Indifference men show to the fate of
their derbys or stovepipes: but women
| need not wear such delicate specimens of
millinery to the theatre. or If they do. they
can remove them in u dressing room before
going in to the performance. That is, they
can do at all theatres and always as they
were required to do on Thursday by the
law Of the Theatre Of Arts and Letters.
Even if they do not go as far rs that.
they can at least choose for theatre wear
hats ana honnctS which do not obstruct the
view Of people who sit behind them. 1t is
not necessary for them to show or tower
ing hcadScar which destroys the enjoyment
of Others. Waving pompons may delight
the eye Of man in their proper place. but
when he phys to see u play he wants to
see the stage and not the feathers
of womcns honncts. But bonncts are
not SO bad as the grotcsque hats
which so many women insist on wear
ing To the theatre in these days. Tho test
of taste in dress is appropriateness. A
sAcphcrdcss's hat may be n fitting orna-
mcnt for youthful feminine beauty in the
fields or perhaps in the streets. but it is in
intolcrablc taste in n theatre. not merely
because 1t obstructs the view but because
ii is not adautcd for such indoor wear. A
girl might n appropriately wear her ball
gown in the streets or go to n ball in her
bathing costume. beautiful! as both are un-
der Ill circumstances.
HE letters Of many Of our correspondents
SHOW that there is growing up IL very deep
feeling oI resentment against this bad taste
on the part Of women and the scltishness
involved in its display People have got
tlr'' OF craninS their nccks to get n sight
Oh the stage by po"rinG around these huge
constructions Of millinery. They cry out
justly that because of such feminine head
gear thny are cheated out Of tho amuse-
inrnt Tor which they have paid. getting irri
tati"h lhiher than pleasure in the theatre.
suppose if tho example of Thursday even
ing Is not followed in tho other theatres.
men should take 1t into their heads to give
the Offending women an object lesson in bad
taste and oppression by keeping on their
own mats when they go to tho play?