Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-04-08

voiceless melodrama, or worldlsss tragedy,
in which there IL indescribable murder,
highway robbery and other lurid crime,
but all enacted without spoken word to
evade the law governing dramatic repre-
sentations, is the least harmful, for It has
no bar; and to get his "penny'erth" of
play, the Whiteohspel barbarian is kept
for at least two hours away from public
house.
The great London music-hall is simply
larger and more insiduously hurtful y ype
Of the free "smoking concert" room. 1t
is practically q gigantic bar or series of
tiers of bars, surrounding an auditorium
whore the thousands instead of scores
can be admitted, at merely nominal en-
trance fee; where . stage with speciality
performers supplant the platform, the pi-
anist and the volunteer; and whsre the
same CLASSES, or moro vicious ones. with
'"Arrys and 'Arriets" of London hIl the
pit, while every manner of cad, fast fel-
low of the gentry and mobility, including
good sprinkling of London Bohemia,
saunter In the promensdes and fill the
boxes and stalls.
About twenty different acts called
"turns" are done by ss many different
performers In one evening, and each actor
will have from one to four "turnsn for
to which he speeds In every sort of con-
veyance, from a cosier's donkey cart to
brougham. Programmes are furnished
on payment, and huge numerals, slid
into the proscenium sides, correspond
with programme numbers.
These shows, with few exceptions In
favor of individual performers, are ut
tsrly pointless, mirthless, inane and
beastly. There are perhaps in all this
host of London music hall "sctors" .
half dozen who have demonstrated that
true art may and reward even In 60
hopeless field. Such are George Beau
champ, comedian; Jenny Hill, imperson-
ator Of the ooster girl, ''the ludgipg-'ouso
missus," and female characters of that
ilk; and Albert Chevalier, whose studies
termonger should give him rank as 3
really great actor and q man of positive
genius.
But between all these odd folk and
the London actors of the dramatic stage
there is endless emulation mingled with
tsntalizIng attempts at "freedery" and
siriness on the one side, and q fadeless
dread and contempt on the other The
"pros" or "prosser," as he Is everywhere
known in London, is In nearly every in
stance q product of the lowest London
life. As q rule he was originally q cos.
termopgsr, stsble-boy, "boots," stsrveling
from the travelling booth shows, Billings-
gate crats-earrier, or from somewhere
out of the East End slums.
If he be of as good quality as from
the humblest laboring Glasses he still, as
we'll as all other music hall performers,
graduates into his profession through one
unvarying school of low and often vile
training-from the "penny-gaff," or from
the "emoking concert" den where he has,
as "volunteer" sang, danced, contorted
or slugged, for the free entertainment of
The gutter hosts of London. Many of
these favoritss command salaries of from
fifty to one hundred pounds per week.
But about all of them reach their sfhu-
enee, and often respectability, out of the
came original depths, and along the same
vicissitous road.
The only time when dramatic actor
and "pros" ever meet Is at the annual
Christmas plays and pantomimes. Then
the "pros" is in demand at the theatres
to do specialties. The lofty scorn and
the airy defiance between actor and
''pros" is then something wonderful to
behold.
"Whst's thatW is the eontemptuous
query of one actor to another, as a
''pros' is espied in tho stage wings at
Christmas time, waiting to do his turn
as his act or specially is called.
"Oh, 1t only thing from the 'alls (the
music-halls);" his companion will as with.
eringly answer.
"Gor bn mel" retorts the "pros" with
an airy snort ct his prosecutor, chit
oawnt be hits on the sts-ige;" they
wouldn't ave sech bloomin' hobjecs In
the 'allsi"
In American there is considerable
friendly oommingling of actors and vsri-
ETY. performers. This makes possible the
''Risltos" of our larger cities, which are
really noted as hsunts of all manner OF
stage folk, and which are the resort, at
certain hours of every day, of all theat-
ricsl people. The casual passsr fingers
curious1y within the region. Even one
least accustomed to striking city phases
is instantly impressed with the unususl
character of the neighborhood and with
the manner and dress of its frequenters.
But between London actors and Lon
don music-hall performers the gulf is i'm
pss,sble. The London actor Ia q gentle
man bred and born. He has been given
the best of home and school, afsAn Of
university, training. He is s11ndent;
frequently q traveller. His oultnss has
bssn persistent, sequential and unavoida-
BILE. Aud bis excellent social status keeps
him permanently in touch with the best
rather than the undesirable elements.
The "pros" being the product Of al en-
tirely different set of conditions and en-
vIronment, 1t is necessarily the endlessly
fnpingIng element. He Is believed by
the gentleman actor and gentleman vo-
salist to be ever on the alert to rssoh
his station; push into his place; secure his
honor and emoluments; just as the boot
blacks, butcher boys and newsboys of
great oities, with special gifts and daunt-
less energy, surpass trained business men,
and at last, with prestige and wealth,
force the barred doors of aristocrstic So
ciety. Therefore the London actor scorns
the London "pros" as he would tramp.
Not only will he have none of him as q
companion, but he will drink no liquor,
eat no food, transact no business, and fire.
9uent no haunt or thoroughfare where the
latter Is permitted to come.
These observations have marked Illus
tration In the close lines drawn in the
daily haunts Of the two classes. The act
ors chiefly retire behind the inviolsbls
protection of their clubs-hke the Gar
rick, the Green Room, Savage, Arundel,
Lyric and Beefsteak clubs-snd their coy
suburban homes, of which they are inor-
dinately fond and proud. Should they 90
another, they would be found at noted
places like the Wellington, Darmststter's,
and perhaps Romano's and Gstti'e, known
In local parlance as "La Gorgonzol ,
but would retire permanently from thu
profession" before they would be seer
at Miss Barnes, Q former barmaid of ths
Criterion bar, or at the Gaiety bar, nhict
is christened "Prossers' avenue"
So, for many years, indeed for greater
part of the present century, these ostra
oised music hall performers have gradual
ly merged their business and social inter
ests In one large and interesting resort
known by theatrical people throughout
the world as "London Poverty Junction.
This 1t now Is and will ever remain. 1t 1.
outside the old city borough, and the act
ors are glad of It. If you were wandering
in the Strand and came to q region, alonl
by Waterloo Bridge approach, of old bool
stores, your haunting of these would lead
you almost to the bridge itself. Then tn,
Thames and Its picturesque scenes would
bring you upon the great structure; sn6
your vagrsnt fancy, playing about the sun
ny lavender fields of Surrey and the hop
fields of fruitful Kent, would lead yor
southwark to the Surrey side of London
Should 1t happen to be Of Monday morn
ing, about eleven O'Clock, you would hav,
scarcely passed the Surrey approach to tn,
bridge when, at the corner of York ant
Waterloo roads-each great city street
you will have come upon as curious
scene and study as may bs found By trave
in any land.
In olden times this was o region of 70
sort for the ruddy farmers of Surrey ant
Kent; of yards where wagons, carts anS