The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
A rs THE 10 WERY LIKES.
They Must Have Realistic Effects or Else
NE OF Gingerbread Elegance.

Tho leading Juvenile in a wonderful make
up played the part OF q ubiquitous detective
in a realistic drama at a Bowery Theatre
one night last week. The gallery was with
him to u boy. He really gave them more than
the part demanded. Tho dramatist had as
signed to him the task of exposing a double
deck villain Of great ingenuity. and that In It.
self was no easy Job. The hero was simply o
come-on, though his sentiments were noble.
and If it hadn't been for the detective his
career of usefulness would have been ended
before the curtain fell on the first act. But
his detective wasn't content with Swallowing
the villain, and saying at intervals, "Hist!1
know ALL" When work in the detective line
was slack and the villain was off the stage,
And how the gallery did hate that villain.
They Missed him when he came before the cur
Admiration for his cleverness and disgust for
ais wickedness swayed them alternately. When
the Villains wicked past had been exposed to
the. stage and accused the hero of a crime
which he, the villain. had committed. 1t was
haa taken Off his coat. that he might enjoy
the play the more. and who leaned over the
gallery rail at the imminent peril of falling.
relieved the situation by shouting earnestly
You lie! You done 1t yourself!".
Even this friendly warning was unheeded by
the hero. and he went stumbling into one mis-
fortune after another until the last act. where.
by ,he aid Of the gbiquitops detectiye, he
The two classes of drama that never fail on
the Bowery are the plays Of realistic effects and
produced chiefly by travelling combination
COMPANIES now, and they are calculated to
t tiriii the 'P boso smee Of Three ee R srs%soi Mich hal Th "ae
is Just as much thunder in the realistic Bow
cry !,6 drama !, nov as there was 5 in a.. the days when
but the grandiloQuent speeches are toned down.
The gallery wouldn't enthmse over, Title D"e.s
scene with the villain in "Nick.o'-the-w Woods"
"Back, perjured wretch. Lay but a finger
on me. and ! will send thy coward soul to
bradford and Three Rivers may have it
If they choose. but the Bowery wants something
in this good old play that could be counted on to
work the house up to fever pitch Theatre,
them. Tanks and sawmills had not. at that
time, taken their Legitimate place in the real
4 runway from right to left at the back of
the stage represented a raging torrent. The
f heFG' held IN a bt sf%Ssi H Him and a Hf the sS SaR9s care ds.
scended this raging current with a property
torch in his hand. and arrived on the scene
times the truck would stick in the middle OF
the descent, and then the gallery would shud-
iievio the awkward situation, and the hero al:
ways did up tho villain. This was considered
a very realistic ldS n o, feet then he. ~ The Characters
w I' "a u NAN'N eAA NiiiiS III
hsbited no known sphere. Even the actors
who portrayed them were not like other men.
They wore fur on the collars of their evening
coats, and they differentiated themselves In
other ways.
4 change has come over their methods, and
now the Rowcry doesn't want anything queer
about its realism. II II boat Ia to be- used on
the stage. II must DO n real boat or an excel
lent imitation OF It, else the gallery will ieer.
The audience Is not quite so sure of itself
when it comes TO n play Of gingerbread ele-
ciety drama. the results, are awe Inspiring.
The play itself usually begins Act /. The
House OF the Merchant Prince" \ ball is
bound TO be In progress. The dancing Is off
stage, but people come on and talk about II.
Then In queer evening coats that started In
life as frocks. and women who wear the sleeves
and are ablaze with paste diamonds come
on the stage and address each other "a M.
In Barong'' or Madam Ln Markees." while
and give II bad imitation Of a large orchestra
distance away. Papier mache refresh.
ments are served Mt irregular intervals. and
tho leading characters drink pale. blonde tea
from champagne glasses. When this company
goes Ia Three Rivers. Mich, to reflect New
York's best society. the costumes OF the women
are attributed On the programme 10 M. Worth
NJ Paris" Their style suggests the best fash
of Division ST. Get TO a Howery audience.
The wealthier the characters Of this kind of
play and the more titles they have the better
N the best plays of the season have short en-
on the Howery now, they don't draw
4 typical BOwcry audience.
ITO hit tho box Office" said a Bowery mana
ger. 1--WE want n play that has effects or a play
hat Is dead elegant"