The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-11

vancement OF the vaudeville stage as
there has been In musical matters. he
thinks IL great pity tnat performances
should be OF such a character that child
rem have To be denied seeing many things
which otherwise might be greatly enjoy
able and instructive. When Mr.. Keith
began there were many vaudeville enter
tainments, but he says you will rarely
find ladies present. Bot he has done
much TO alter that state OF things, and
people OF all clasHes. When II IA remem-
bered that Mr.. Keith's greatest success
has been In Boston, the extent of the rev.
oiCtion will be realized. "Some assume"
said Mr.. Keith, "that one cannot success
fully do what has been done. But these
very men would think you where insane
II you were To 90 into their houses and
say before their families the things that
are allowed to be said on some stages.
Because they are mnay PEOPLE TO hear,
they seem 10 think that 1t does MT mat
ter"
"The nearer theaters and music halls
can esemble our homes, or what they
should be, the better ii is, IL seems to
me, for all concerned, and L want Ii
understood that in this, as in all else l
have said, | speak from my business view
OF Che case, and not from any impracti-
cable, sentimental idea. l mean by this
that believe that the extra rev.
enues supposed TO be derived
from the undesirable features of
some theaters Is wholly IN imaginary
one, which Is In no way offset by the
legitimate revenue otherwise possible.
In proof OF this | am most happy to refer
to my own houses, by way OF compari-
son, with any in America, in which the
patron hes no opportunity TO spend one
penny other than for his admission and
seat, and the restrictions OF which are
greater than any other know. l do not
say this in boastiul spirit, but solely
in proof OF my argument, and am most
happy in being able TO refer TO hundreds
of written and verbal expressions not only
at home but abroad from those whose
recognition is in ny Onion. the greatest
compliment that can be paid.
No smoking, drinking OF spirituous
liquors, or wea ring OF hats by gentlemen
is for a moment thought OF IN any Of Mr..
Kelth's theaters neither are there any
bars in the buildings. Ice water Is con-
stantly handed to the entiro audience by
neatly uniformed ushers, having no other
duties. All applause must be shown by
clapping the hands only. Should this
rule be violated, or any one SO far forget
themselves as too expectorate on the
floor, he is Immediately handed card
which contains a polite request not to do
SO, thereby greatly obliging the manage
ment, and this simple request has never
yet been unheeded.
When questioned as TO his opinion OF
our theaters and music halls, Mr.. Keith
said he was most agreeably impressed by
the general business management dis
played, as we'll as the artistic merit of
the performances. "Of course" he said,
"we are engaging more and more Eng
lish artists yearly, but those whom we do
not get-the always-at-home talent-are
in my opinion superior to ours OF the
same class, from purely artistic stand
point. l was simply amazed at the smok-
ing, wearing of hats, and splitting in
the presence OF ladies noticed in the
music halls. But the character OF the
audience in these same places, notwith-
standing all this, seemed TO me far su-
perior TO my anticipations-going to
prove the fact, think, that the best
citizens everywhere are quite as anxious
to be entertained by the vaudeville as by
the dramatic.'