The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
BYWAYS OF THE DRAMA.
SOME ODD PHASES or THE1 TRICAL
LIFE IN ENGLAND.

LIFE IN ENGLAND.
The Portable Theatres That Have Replaced
the Travelling Van nrdships of the
Wandering Player-Gratitude Expressed
in AdNcrtiSinE-An Auctionecr's Want.
Theatrical life goes on in England in much
more elementary fashion than in this country,
The companies playing in the smallest towns
OF the United States are not so modest in
equipment as those which visit the provincial
towns OF England The humblest troupe that
performs in village usually finds an opera
house or at least town hall. Otherwise the
artistic life of the community would probably
be compelled to languish without the elevatina
influences Of the drama. In England. whore
the profits OF the theatrical business are uni-
formly smaller than here. even the towns
unprovided with theatres do not escape the
manager in search of small profits. SO he car
res his theatre with him. Thus the portable
theatre survives in England. although it has
long gone out of use here. These theatres ara
no more the large travelling vans in which the
manager and his family might live in the
transit from town to town. The portable thea
ire of to-day in England is dragged about in q
wagon usually from one place to another. and
the stage. surrounded by canvas tent. Is set
up on a vacant lot in the village The actors
no longer live in the wagon. as they pre-
sumably did when George Sims wrote The
Lights Of London" They travel to these small
towns on railroads when there are any near
enough. They ride at other times in any
available vehicle. and this is an advance over
the days in which old Charles Couldock and
Nine. Ponisi began their theatrical careers.
They were both accustomed to tell Of their
early struggles in the profession. and walking
from town to town was one Of the most mr.
duouS. The actors n o longer have to walk. hut
in most particulars their lives are hard enough
and they endure privatons which American
actors in the least ambitious companies would
never undergo. They are more to be com;
circus performers that visit the small towns.
play in them during the afternoon and even-
ing and are then off to the nearest village to
rereat this round.
Curious evidences OF this life are to he found
in the advertisements Of the theatrical news
papers. 1t is never referred to elsewhere.
One characteristic example of these ADVERTISE
merits is the following
w roof, Barnard Castle. Full Comn,nyi to open
Monday. June I'm Couples preferred. GOOD shop
10 steady people.-LoVest summer terms to above.
Pass Player write.
The mercantile as well as the regular charac-
hv that notice None Of the conyentiona free.
dom dom and ., careless ;r Gaiaty o. the wandering
hnsnesslike is this one
WAITED for r cs%n p P2 IN sns
do Single Turns and Parade at FAIR time only.
10 uo, Mo-, uset"i Lady Lady may s Wftte. oo, ,.,r,.
Salaries low but sure. old friends write
One duty OF the humble American actor Is
BY the to the , natSSdc
street parade. although the women rarely
figure in them. An itinerant Uncle, Toms
Cabin " outfit sometimes shows Little Era and
Eliza when il marches through the town with
the dogs. Mnrkss donkey and the band. Pages
in English theatrical papers are sometimes oc-
cuped by advertisements OF which the follow
ing is an example.
WANTEn- For Good Portable Gent. FOR First
w Low Comedy. Sing between Money sure.
| Open all the year round.
The head1uarters Of these companies are
H a e S1n sriy n fss IN
| the small towns to which their efforts are usu-
| ally confined some Of these advertisements
acquainted with technical terms and their
mysteries. such as this. for instance:
| WANTED Engagemept by Violin, from Theatre;
w will join for Boat or good Pitching.
into some Of the Dictionaries TO describe the
ment Probably means That he IS Wiling to play
Not ali these advertisements refer to the
darker side Of the actors lie. Sometimes
moments. Such notice rs this. for instance.
was never heard of in an American paper;
MSS: BOOTH Mrs, j: H. c!yndes,, will ronei H
Haansnsd 10 ZONES, at Prince Of wales's Theatre.
D'"AS from rom three is:s night! of, Tour, s ,'
ss s and @ 9' hs '' Ss.'s
sss srse @ 9th
| bark the So. ThermOpyla," en- route for Cape
Town.
The same amiahle purpose seems to have
| inspired the man who paid for this acknowl-
| edgment Of his feelings:
| MR. j. W MARSHALL,
| vi Carpenter, Thanks Miss Emma Hutchinson for
| comfortable engagement with Liars South and also
| for re engagement.
Less closely connected with the actors art Is
| the demand of the auctioneer who wants an
assistant such an advertisement as this is
| unfamiliar in this country:
| WANTED. smart Young Lady who can Play
w MAndolinc Amateur or Professional as Assist
| ant to Jewellery Auctioneer. summer engage
| ment. open air. travel United Kingdom One willing
learn face large audiences by side Of advertiser
when selling. Salary to commence, EOS. weekly.
| Living, travelling expenses paid. Also Required.
smart, tan Ydlng Man. to Maze Himself Useful
One that Plays Mand"linc preferred. Join at once.
| 1t might he mentioned that the salary OF IS
| a week offered here is probably more. with It's
| accomplishments Of living and travelling eX-
| penSes. than the actors in the portable" would
| ever get.