The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-06
Bah Sits in Judgment Upon "The Conquerors" Society
at the Empire Theatre.

| uteIhotIeu as a little Cllllu VINO mas Dcen
retained by the best actors We ever
have had-Booth and Jefferson-whO
never makes mistake, and whose
name-and to me many another this is
most beautiful-is as pure and free
FROM the black touch of scandal as the
snow when it first falls from the heavens
above. The applause surges like the
waves Of the ocean. The action of the
play is stopped, for the New Workers
know and appreciate not only the clever
actress, not only the talented woman,
but the charming girl, and it is to her
| that they are Offering their tribute. a
| little later, when the story is older,
| there stands upon the stage a figure
clothed in the dress of a Breton peasant
| girl-t.hat wonderfully picturesque get
up. The face is tragic one, expressive,
| and with eyes that flash wonderfully
| as the few words are said that hint of
the intense feeling of the woman. a
| newcomer in this company-yes, but an
old New York favorite-handsome
Blanche Walsh, woman in appearance,
girl in years, a child of the city, and
one whom the theater-goers watch with
interest as each years improvement is
noticed. Tonight she gets her greeting
as do the others, and her greeting seems
to say: I'VE are glad to see you sur
rounded by good actors in a theater
where only good acting is allowed"
COMEDY AND TRAGEDY.
And so it goes ON, the story of the
conquerors and the conquered, and there
are the tragedy and the comedy, the
scene of death and the scene of love
making, and, last of all, love triumphs
over death. But underlying everything
else. there is the consciousness that be-
tween the people in the audience and the
people ON the other side of the curtain
love these stage folk we'll enough and
sincerely enough 10 wish that they may
be successful in their work, and when
it is all over and we drift out into the
wide corridors and stand chatting and
waiting for the carriages, it Is invariably
of the coed points that we speak, be-
cause we know the clever manager will
Tomorrow make the play strong where
ever it is weak and intensity all that
which is best. 1t is good when among
hundreds of people so strong "A feeling
of loyalty toward those who make
an evidence that among a nation so
tickle in its regard as we are such 10y.
atty as is known among the English
and she French is growing. 1t is such
loyalty that incites the painter to do
better pictures. the writer TO do better
work. and the actor to play his part
better 1t is this feeling that is go
ing to make the right in art triumph
over the wrong,
You laugh about there being any
right or wrong in the playhouse. Why,
look at the right and wrong actions
merely among the audience. There are
so many things tIat nothing will excuse.
Nothing excuses a loud criticism of the
play, especially an unpleasant one. II
is true that you may have paid your
money but you can take your choice,
and if you do not like the play you
can go home
ETIQUETTE OF THE THEATER.
Nothing excuses the overwhelming OF
a delicate woman with the strong per-
fume Of cigarettes and possibly some
thing else. You have Il perfect right to
smoke and drink whatever you desire.
but not fifteen minutes before entering
the theater.
Nothing excuses the incommOding of
UEe's neighbor with Il big cloak and
troublesome hat, and nothing except
news of Il sudden death or illness OK
cuseS the going out between the acts
Nothing excuses the quoting III a
loud voice your acquaintance with an
actor. The world at large doesn't care
who you know 1t only wants you to
behave yourself.
Nothing excuses loud yelling for the
author or manager or pounding with
umbrellas or sticks. Applause, properly
given, is due to the artist, but that
should be limited to the usual quiet
bringing together of the hands.
Nothing EXCUSES ungloved hands,
yelled faces, untidy toilets, or bad man
ners at the theater, for unless You know
lust how you ShOul look and just what
you should do home is the best place
for you until you have learned the
veriOus "Gon'ts' Of social life. You
think am hypercritical? No; am very
forgiving, but | know how hard the ac.
tor works. | know how eager is the
play-writer to have every word properly
understood, and how a badly behaved
audience can make the actors work
good for nothing and the writer's words
seem as naught. Therefore, / never
excuse bad manners at the theater. They
are counted among the objectionable
sins on the very short list of things un-
fortunately given by Bah.
The last instance of boiling to death
took place in Persia in 1890. The often
der. guilty of stealing State revenues
was put into caldron of cold water
,,,h;ah was slowly heated TO the bOilin
noint His bones were distributed as a
warning among the provisional tax col
lect0rs.