The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-07

There must have been reasons why
the attendance at the theater iaet week
fell short of previous conference
houses, and one need not he clair
voydnt to divine some Of them.
In convalescent times like these,
which have scarcely recovered from a
long and severe attack OF melancholia,
the public needs nursing and must lave
its appetite whetted with something
very attractive. 4 lachrymose pay
like Saints and Sinners" even With
Stoddart, was not fetching enough. Tie
piece lacks humor.
We no longer so to the theatre TO
have a good cry. Many of us have
been enjoying that luxury at home dur
ing the past year or two. People now
adavs want something 20 brighten them
up; they have had enough to depress
them. With hope of better times they
are lifting up their heads, and every
smile seems welcome.
IL is being said that farce-comedy
controls the American stage today.
That was true, but now farce-comedy
is being refined upon In the best thea
tres, and bright, sparkling comedies
with real wit, fine scenery and lively
situations, such as Butterflies" and
the Masked Ball." are taking its place
in high-priced places of amusement, and
they meet with abundant patronage.
Laugh, and the world laughs with
you,
Weep, and you weep alone"
People do not now go to the theatre
to weep bucketfuls Of tears over THE
Stranger" The Hunchbacll," or East
Lynne" but comic opera and light COM
edy hold the day and suit the public
pulse. We are glad of it, We are now
engaged in the pursuit of happiness,
and don't care to have misery thrust
upon us at dollar head.
Too much reliance was placed on the
drawing powers of Mr.. Stoddart and too
little on the modern means of drawing
the public to a play. No attractive
pictorial printing was used, and no spe-
cial attention given to mounting the
piece. 1t is true that the same scenery
was used as at the Palmer production
of the same piece; that is, there was
nothing but the old stock scenery, much
of which needs replacing. Then the piece
was new. and in the hands of an inn
ported company. With such mount
ings as "Old Kentucky" and "Shenan-
doab" on the road, the Home company
must do something unusual in this line
to keep up interest and to compete
The theatre has competition. The
fair has been full of attractions every
mission to 25 cents. The Lyceum has
been playing "Charley's College Chums
Aunt" at % cents to crowded houses
There has been low-priced amusement
for the people, and they have found it
TO harmonic with their depleted wal
let's
These are some of the reasons. why
the Home Dramatic club failed to make
pot OF money out of the conference
season. They played Saints and Sin
ners' exceedingly well, better all
round, than anything they have previ-
ously done. They never made a more
devoted attempt to give a good per-
nance, and in this respect they have
! r.eved themselves from some previ-
Gus shortcomings. They are also en-
titled to great credit for the courage
they showed in bringing Mr.. Stoddart
from New York to add strength to the
performance, but still a little more
nerve might have stood them in good
stead. More attractive printing, some
new scenery, say in the Rodimore
Wood scene, and perhaps a reduction
in the price of admission to rs cents.
might have yielded more profit in the
end.
The plot of Friends Edwin Milton
Royle's comedy-drama, is familiar to
our theatre-goers, and has been de-