Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-12
THE GALLERY GODS.
ouTSPoKEN CRITICS WHO SIT IN The
CHEAP SEATS NEAR THE CEILING.
The Kind Of Plays and Players That fiease
the Habitues of the "Heaven iheir
Fondness For Particular Actors and Ac'
tresses-How They Applaud.

tried by the fire of eastern CRITICISM Inc
local theater ooer. most INDECENT appre-
ciator. accents the dicta of others rather
than epergize sufficiently TO formulate an
opinion of his own. In this atmosphere or
Philistinism the gallery is stified. Indeed
nm tho rare occasions on which it has at
tempted TO assert its independence, phys
ical force has been employed to coerce 1t
into uniformity with the pit.
case in point occurred some years ago,
when Mary Anderson brought here her all
Epciisb nroduction of ga Winters Tale.
Mary was bad enough, but her troop OF
transforming cockneys were too much ior
the gallery The pit and boxes were filled
with the elite of the city, and they were IN
ecstasy over production that had vlslbly
charmed the Prince of Wales. But the
"eods'' could not understand the thick
sneech of the Englishmen nor appreciate
their stilted action. Undaunted by the
display of fashion, they boldly guyed the
narformance. Four uShers were pretty
badly beaten for attempting to restore or
der and a relay of scene shutters was final
" necessary to bring about quiet. There
were a dozen broken heads as the result f
the evening, and there has not been noisy
gallery in either the Grand or Olympic
since.
One of the marked characteristics of the
GALLERY bov--there are othcrs-is his fond
ness for particular actors or actresses. The
late Lawrence Barrett was redhot favor
tie with the gallery boys from one end OF
tbe country to the other. This may have
been due TO the widely circulated story
that in early life he was a newsboy, and
I ,,,,tr
WAS food for hope in this for every stage
struck youngster in the land. long way
off and in another direction is Sadie Has
son, who wears a trappers outfit and
shoots Indians with marvellous indiscrim-
nation She is the ideal woman to more
than half the factory boys in the big cities
of the country, and her youthful admirers
lie awake at night dreaming of her mimic
prowess and wondering why their own
mothers and sisters cannot be nodded
along such heroic lines.
The persistent fad with the gallery boys
is the modern melodrama with its superb
scenic accessories and climaxeS by mcchan-
ical device. He wants action for his ad
mission, and play like Rebellious Su-
sam would not interest him ten minutes.
1t is the show that can produce the great
est number of happenings to an act that
gets his coin the oftenest. Those are the
kind of shows they put on at Havlin's,
clean, wholesome shows, apt to give boy
exaggerated ideas of life, it is true, but not
calculated 10 warp his moral fiber.
One night during the week o Republic
reporter climbed to the gallery of Havlin's.
1t was packed to the roof, and as bathing
is not part of the daily curriculum of the
habitues it was u trifle trying. The gods
did not seem to mind it. They We're
packed in sweltering rows from the railing
to the seats at the top, in which, when ono
is seated, he must bend forward lest his
head strike the ceiling. Nearly all hal re-
moved their coats and loosened their shirt
fronts. Some chewed tobacco Others ate
fruit or munohed peanuts. All were In
happy frame of mind. There was Ger
man knockout comedian holding the stage
while the sensational climax was being
set. All his jokes were given in n personal
turn and hlred back and forth among ac-
quaintances. The raillery was keen and
intensely personal, but seemed to arouse
no i'll feeling. Suddenly the actor began
guying an imaginary person in the gallery.
Quick as fash the crowd had picked on a
ing youth In row far down the front.
Seven hundred pairs of eyes turned on tho
poor fellow, and as many tongues she's
pointed remarks at him. 1t was the cruel
wit of thoughtless youth.
Then tho scene changed, and every one
Strengthened out and leaned forward, for
the climax Of the play was about to come,
The villain rushed on and climbed up a
telegraph pole and tapped a wire only to
learn that the police were after him and
had been notified by his rival. The mere
tapping incident was heartily appreciated.
Then the hero comes on. "Why have you
pursued and betrayed me?' asks the vii
lain amid impressive solemnity. Slowly
comes back the answer, Because you
have come between me and the woman /
love" Like a sharp crack of thunder
comes "a roar of glad appreciation from tho
gallery. Then the pair clinch. In an in
slant the whole gallery is in an uproar.
Every one id on his feet.
kill him.
'fGrab him by the neck ~
"Bitc him!'
Thus comes the chorus of yells from the
excited spectators. The hero is overpow-
cred amid groans from the gallery and
thrust into an clubhouse; the girl comes on
and meets q similar fate. The villain then
sets fire to the barn in which his rival is
locked. The flames lap out. Not sound
is heard in the gallery. Then the girl ap-
pears. Sho has climbed out on the roof
and is making her way through a network,
of telegraph wires to the burning shed.
The faintest suspicion of cheer rolls
across the gallery at her appearance, but
il quickly dies, so mighty is the suspense
Step by step the girl draws near the end of
her journey. Inch by inch the gallery has
pisen to its feet. Not word is spoken,
hardly breath is drawn. The girl reaches
the opposite pole, climbs down and with
an ak chops her way into the burning
building and drags her lover out. Not I'M
til the heroine has reached the center Of
the stage does the gallery let go, and then
II mighty cheer breaks loose. After the
first shock of the collapse it comes again.
The yelling is kept up until all the pont
up energy accumulated during the prog
ress of the climax is worn off
A moment later they are all in tho
street, reveiing in breath of fresh cir.
and everybody discussing tho tremendous
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