The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-11-08
THE GALLERY GODS.
OUTSPOKEN CRITICS WHO SIT IN THE
CHEAP SEATS NEAR THE CEILING.

The Kind of Plays and Players That Please
the Habitues of the "Heaven"-Their
FoEdness For Particular Actors and Ac-
tresses-How They Applaud.
This is all because St. LOuisans have
their dramatic opinions made to order.
Attractions before reaching here have been
| tried by the fire of eastern criticism. The
| local theater goer, a most indolent appre-
ciator, accepts the dicta of others rather
| than cnergizo sufficiently to formulate an
opinion of his own. In this atmosphere of
| Philistinism the gallery is stifled Indeed
| on the rare occasions on which it has at
tempted to assert its Independence, phys
iGal force has been employed to coerce it
into uniformity with the pit.
! A case in point occurred some years ago,
| when Mary Anderson brought here her all
| English production of ga Winters Tale"
| Mary was bad enough, but her troop of
transforming cockneys were too much for
the gallery. The pit and boxes were filled
with the elite of the city, and they were in
ecstasy over u production that had Yisibly
charmed the Prince of Wales. But tho
goods" could not understand the thick
their stilted action. Undaunted by the
display of fashion, they boldly guyed the
performance. -Four ushers were pretty
badly beaten for attempting to restore or
der, and relay of scene shutters was final
ly necessary to bring about quiet. There
were a dozen broken heads us the result of
the evening, and there has not been noisy
gallery in either the Grand or Olympic
since
One Of the marked characteristics of tho
gallery boy-there are othCrS-iS his fond
ness for particular actors or actresses. Tho
late Lawrence Barrett was Il redhot favor
lite with the gallery boys from one end OF
the country to the other. This may have
been due to the widely circulated story
that in early life he was newsbOy, and
his namo was Larry Brannigan. There
was food for hope in this for every stage
struck youngster in the land. A long way
off and in another direction is Sadie Has
son, who wears trapper's outfit and
shoots Indians with marvellous indiscrim-
ination. She is the ideal woman to more
than half the fdctory 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 climaxcs by mochan-
ical device. He wants action for his ad-
mission, and play like "Rcbollious Su-
SAM would not interest him ten minutes
1t is the show that cali produce the great
est number of happenings to an act that
gets his coin the oftenost. Those arc tho
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 to warp his moral fiber.
One night during the week q Republic
reporter climbed to tho gallery of Havlin's.
1t was packed to the roof, and Us bathing
is not part of tho daily curriculum of the
habitues it was u trifle trying. Tho gods
did not seem to mind it. They were
packed in sweltering rows from the railing
to the seats at the top, in which, when one
is seated, he must bend forward lest his
head strike the ceiling. Nearly all had re-
moved their coats and loosened their shirt
fronts. Some chcwcd tobacco, others ate
fruit or munched peanuts. All were in
happy frame of mind. There was a Ger
man knockout comedian holding the stage
while the sensational climax was being
set. All his jokes We're given in personal
turn and hurled back and forth among &C
quaintances. Tho 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 u flash the crowd had picked on q
real victim in the shape of Il sleepy look
ing youth in row far down the front
Seven hundred pairs of eyes turned on the
poor fellow, and rs many tongues shot
pointed remarks at him. 1t was the cruel
wit of thoughtless youth.
Then the 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 u
telegraph pole and tapped IL wire only tic
learn that tho 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 solcmnity. Slowly
comes back the answer because you
have come between mo and the woman
love-" Like sharp crack of thunder
comes a roar of glad appreciation from the
gallery. Then the pair clinch. In an in
slant the whole gallery is in an uproar.
Every one is on his feet.
"Kill him.
"Grab him by tho neok!'
bite him.
Thus comes the chorus of yells from the
excited spectators. Tho 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. She has climbed out on the roof
and is making her way through network
of telegraph wires to the burning Shed.
The faintest suspicion of a cheer rolls
across the gallery at her appearance, but
it 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
risen to its feet. Not a 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
a mighty cheer breaks loose. After the
srst shock of tho collapse it comes again.
The yelling is kept up until all the pent
up energy accumulated during the prog
ress of the climax Is worn OF.
A moment later they are all In the
street, reveling i'll a breath of fresh air,
and everybody discussing the tremendous
advantage of wire walking sweetheart.
ST. Louis Republic.