Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-11-08
THE GALLERY GODS.

s No - - -
oUTSPOkEN CRITICS WHO SIT IN TIE
CHEAP SEATS NEAR THE CEILING.
The Kind of Plays and Players That Please
the Habitues Of the "Heaven"-Their
Fondness For Particular Actors and Ac-
tresses-How They Applaud.
This is all because ST. nouisans nave
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 energize sufficiently to formulate an
opinion Of his own. In this atmosphere OF
Philistinism the gallery is stified. Indeed
on the rare occasions on which it has at
tempted to assert its independence, phys
ical force has been employed to coerce it
into uniformity with the pit.
A case i'll point occurred some years ago,
when Mary Anderson brought here her all
English production of "a Winters Tale
Mary was bad enough, but her troop of
transforming cockneys We're too much for
the gallery. The pit and boxes were filled
with the elite of the city, and they We're in
ecstasy over q production that had visibly
charmed the Prince of Wales. But the
goods. could not understand the thick
speech of the Englishmen nor appreciate
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 q relay of scene shutters was final
ly necessary to bring about quiet. There
were u dozen broken heads as the result Of
the evening, and there has not boon u noisy
gallery in either the Grand or Olympic
since.
One of the marked characteristic of the
gallery boy-therc are othcrs-is his fond
ness for particular actors or actresses. The
late Lawrence Barrett was q relhot, favor
lite with the gallery boys from one end CT
the country to the other. This may have
been due to the widely circulated story
that IN early life he was Il ncwsboy, and
his name WAS Larry Brunnigan. 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 a trapper's outfit and
shoots Indians with marvellous indiscrim-
nation. She is the ideal woman to more
oIittu Htsi ellC lt.1lolS DofS III VIC DlS CLUES
Of the country, II her youthful admirers
lie awake at night dreaming Of her mimic
prowess Inc 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 it's superb
scenic accessories and climaxes by mechan-
ical device. He wants action for his adj
mission, and Il play like "Rebellious SUI
a Il would not interest him ten minutes.
It is the show that cali produce the great
est number of happenings to an act that
gets his coin the oftencst. Those are the
kind of shows they put on at Havlin's,
clean, wholesome shows, apt to give a boy
exaggerated ideas of life, it is true, but not
calculated to warp his moral fiber.
One night during the week a Republic
reporter climbed to the gallery Of Havlin's.
1t was packed to the roof, and us bathing
is not part Of the daily curriculum Of the
habitues it was Il triflo trying. The gods
did not seem to mind it. They were
packed in sweitering row 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 II loosened their shirt
fronts. Some chewed tobacco, others ate
fruit or munched peanuts All were in u
happy frame Of mind. There was a Ger
ma knockout comedian holding the stage
while the sensational climax was being
set. All his jokes were given in q personal
turn and hurled 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 a flash the crowd had picked on a
real victim in the shape of q sleepy look
ing youth in q row far down the front.
Seven hundred pairs of eyes turned on the
poor fellow, and as 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 q
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 OH. "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 I
love-" k a 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 the neckl" :.
"Bite him!" -la-sa "
Thus comes the chorus of yells from the
excited spectators. The hero is overpow-
cred amid groans from the gallery and
thrust into IN clubhouse; the girl comes on
and meets a similar fate. The villain then
sets fire to the barn in which his rival il;
locked. The flames lap out. Not a sound
is heard in the gallery. Then the girl APP
pears. She 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 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 q 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.