The herald., 1897-08-08

T.
The form of entertainment with which
the playgoers of this city have been
surfeiting their theatrical appetites for
several days past is certainly not of a
kind that appeals to any power of intel
ligence, neither does it satisfy any crav-
ing for merely aesthetic enjoyment.
A comic opera, burlesoue, or fairy
extravaganza, may be so written, sung
and acted as to afford vast amount
of pleasure of kind that is simply SEN
suous, and on that account may be COM
mended, because it affords what 90
many patrons of the theater require in
this busy working world, form of en-
tertainment that gives enjoyment in re-
Taxation without the cerebral excite
ment that is brought about by the ne
cessity of unraveling the intricacies OF
a problem play, or of following the sus-
tained measure of Shakespearean verse.
1t is this desire for fun of the bright
est kind that is at the bottom of the res
olution that brings patronage to vaude-
vile houses. And here comes the diff
Guilty of the managers and entertainers.
The supply of the desired article is new
er equal to the demand, and, according
ly, sort of theatrical oleomargarine is
constantly palmed off and readily swal-
lowed by an unthinking public for the
real article
Good songs are scarce, so poor ones,
with vulgar embellishments, are work
ed in. Good music is also hard to be got,
so the eye is appealed to by scenic en-
bellishments. and attention is distracted
by gorgeous colorings in costume and
lavish display of female charms. Clever
variety actresses are scarce, but the fact
is not admitted, as every woman in the
business is advertised by adjectives of
the superlativel flattering kind. Those
who have no talent are successful by
their brazenness, either in the wearing
Of indecent costumes, or in the singing
of suggestive songs with the accompa-
ninent of winks and gestures that are
self-explanatory and which afford in
tense delight to the front rows from pit
to gallery.
Such show as 1.-THE Twelve Tempta-
tons" as it was given here last week,
affords at least one temptation, which
is to compare the popular taste of today
with that of thirty years ago. "The
Black Crook" was the progenitor of the
leg show in this country and in 1867
!. Fanny Davenport was playing the
part of the Fairy Queen in
that delectable production. The
piece, when it came out in the early
sixties, caused the greatest sensation,
but it was not considered good form for
ladies to witness it, and it was ranked
one level for indecency with the French
Poses Plastiques' as the Living Pic
lures" were first called.
But when curiosity once broke down
the barriers, and women, after some
hesitation, at length gave their counten-
arce to such exhibitions, the first shock
of outraged modesty being recovered
ment grew by what it fed upon, and
then the race among the managers be-
gan in efforts to outstrip. The ballet
girls made some feeble protests at first,
some of which appeared in the news
papers of the day, but if the girls were
not willing to appear in the scant COW
ering demanded, there were others who
would, and their places were filed.
Dancing as once practiced by a com
petent corps de ballet" is an almost for
gotten art, the demands of the theater
patrons being exclusively for shape and
bountiful display of the same, Mat
ters arrived at climax with thous,an ds,
hocking to see the "altogether," which
consisted of a pink szin-tigh covering
to woman's complete form in "The
Clemerceau Case" which made i'm
mense sums for its managers and pro-
prietors simply on account of the brief
exposure made in this one scene.
Safety has resulted from these con-
tinued efforts to excite the popular mind
and so capture popular dollars Today
may be seen upon the stage vulgar and
: indecent displays of the female human
form, displays which if made only thir-
ty years ago would have brought the
police in force to close the theater ard
impriscu the manager for permitting
them but which are couutenanced now
by the women of the land, and in fact
are regarded only with a sort Of Gull
critical curiosity on the part of the men
and women, too.
1t Is now bad form to affect prudery at
the anatomical exhibit made at the
up-to-date theatrical SHOW" Other
times. other manners. The things that
shocked our fathers, not to say our
grandfathers, are today strictly permis-
sible. To the pure all things are pure;
even a racy extravaganza.
Vive la bagatelle.
4 + 4
Z The Elizabethan Stage Society in Lon
don is engaged in reviving some of the
so-called doubtful" plays of Shakes
peare, and recently gave presentation
of ARDEN of Feversham,' one of the
earliest of domestic dramas written in
blank verse. Concerning the author |
!, 49, ~