The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
POOLING THE AUDIENCE.
A New Development or an ola Theatrical Plan
70 Have Fun with the House.

to Have Fun with the House.
The builders of burlesque long ago discovered
that the New York public get an immense
amount Of pleasure out OF seeing a man made
ridiculous. Five years ago, in a farce which
was produced in this city, a variety actor used
to stop in the middle of his turn" and appar-
emily hold q ' whispered conversation with some
body in the wings. Then he would step to tho
front of the stage and in q rather anxious voice
inquire whether there was a doctor In the house.
It's hard to find a New York audience which
doesn't include at least one physician. and the
actors inquiry and evident anxiety invariably
brought at least one man to his feet.
I'm a physician; what's wantedf' was the
usual form of response. and the spectators would
glue their eyes on the doctor. who would be I'M
dergoing the sensations that usually come to o
man who hears his own voice raised to q high
pitch in a theatre for the first time. Then in tho
dead silence the star would make some such re-
'"Well: we're glad you're here, and hope you'll
stay for the next act. because it's good.
sometimes he would stick it out. but the trick
was always regarded NJ a mean one. and was
finally abolished by managers.
Then n travelling variety company conceived
dience by running electric Wires through differ.
emit chairs in the body OF the house. AZ n quiet
period of the performance they would turn on a
switch behind the scenes and tho audience
would have the pleasure Of seeing a dozen peo-
ple spring out of their chairs simultaneously.
where this trick. was played on him. and
recovered several thousand dollars danages.
The wires weren't utilized again: Finally came
verses, descriptive OF all sorts and conditions Of
people. From her repertory she could draw
verses to at people In the audience In range
'iS Se% YORK rs "fai 1ail sHG Tsevolted against this
sort Of thing and then came q London singer
smusement OF concert hall habItues, Then the
custom OF singing at some individual in the au-
rost and IL has been revived on a different plan
in a burlesque which is now running at an up
town theatre. .Hcre a, young woman In tights, q
U gsry on Pr ,hs . aas shHi dcis s around TS %ish a T foriOpa
expression on her face, finally fastens
her, eyes on Q light.haired young man
third row, left-hand side Of tho ~houseal9oks
To n kim. "Ssshi" She is quite mild in / the f1rst verse, Spt
simost falls over the footlights in her efforts to
get near the object OF the outburst. The young
man meanwhile wrisgles around In MS seat
able al, he can. Tho audience r9ars at
him; other young men feel sorry for hin
and get q little lowor In their own
ditty on them. Just before the last verse the
young man gets up from his seat. runs up tho
aisle. and disappears. The spectators howl
victim, finishes her song, and trips of the stage.
Night after night this goes on, and each nights
audience Is certain that II has seen something
That same young man does tho uncomfortable
wriggle and disappearing act every night and
matinee. and the Joke is on the audience, not on
him. He Is the singers husband and tho son OF
a well.known comedian. AS he puts it: New
York audiences are easy