The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-27
NO PLACE LIKE HOME.
Even In the Matter Of Fine Vaudeville
Entertainments.
Miss irlng's Opinion After Seeing Them
From Boston 10 Ssn Francisco.

away from home; and then II does one
IA sight more good u get back home
again.
Within the past three months have
enjoyed an opportunity 10 see vaude-
vile as II is from Boston TO san Fran
cisco, taking In Chicago, New York and
other hamlets en- route. 1 have become
a vaudeville crank since that mod
ern form OF entertainment-to my
mind about as near the ideal as one
can expect to find in this Imperfect
Wcrld-was established beneath the
shadow OF the dome Of our nov
capitol l suppose Roger Williams
wonld look down upon il if he were
perched in bronze up on that dizzy
height but that Is because ne would be
behind the times.
And the result OF my peregrlnations
Is that i have learned to apprec ate
home, or rather the comforts and en-
Joyments OF home, for nowhere else
have l seen theatres that for comfort
and beauty and the courtesy of at
taches compared with our local home
OF vaudeville; and ! have learned 20
appreciate, also. that nowhere else is
the public treated TO entertainments Of
higher standard or excellence or more
remarkably even character, while in
very few is the record as good. We can
hardly expect TO get the great dramatic
productions of the season at first hand;
we must necessarily take them p sea-
son old; but In vaudeville we get the
very best the market affords y~iille yet
the article is I'm season. and i'm many
cases actually get the first bite at the
apple
We are privileged 10 see the great
dramatic headliners the "grdduat ties OF
the legitimate. as they are some
times called. when tempted by the al
lurements OF big salaries they UNDER
take To entertain us IN "playlets" and
"comediettas' and ''playettes" and all
that sort OF thing; aHi the best of those
actors who are content to style them
selves simply 'vaudevillians" contrib
ute To our pleasure. And. yet. some
times II their combined efforts don't
happen to produce quite as smooth A
result as those OF some other cOmblna-
ton Of performers. we are wont to set
loose the tongue OF criticism.
The truth is. however. that ave get
more and better than the theatre-goers
in the majority of the cities If this
country and We get 4 for less money
than those of any other city
| have learned another thing about
NaudeViile ana that is that YOU can't
always tell by the reading of the bin
precisely what YOU may expect. from it
in the way OF enjoyment. It is safe to
say that there will never be any lack
OF enjoyment. that the entertainment
viii always be of the higher class; but
not infrequently the list Of attractions
that may strike one as least promising
proves 10 be quite as satisfying as an
ether that promises more.
Many a so-called Legitimate" actor
has gone into vaudeville carrying with
him a famous name and a reputation
made IN the other branch NJ the pro
fession,' only TO prove a "fros q or
course. the managers can't fCresee that:
and because OF his nam ana reputation
hey pay him a big salary. only TO be
as much disappointed as the public
Starting with this heavy handicap OF
4 big salary. necessarily they can hard
v be expected 10 place i'm the ss,ne list
With this "heldliner' ether acts that
ire in the high-salary class, for therein
must be a limit 20 even their Croesus-
Ike expenditures. In many cases. the
star does actually make good" and
lnder both conditions by good luck i'm
,ding able to secure other acts OF mod
rate cost but real merit To couple with
lim. the managers are able TO give us
| thoroughly enjoyable entertainment
outside of the star" but this cannot /
lways be, and sometimes the result is
therwise.
ON the other hand frequ ntly, with |
lo really strong legitimate hcadlner !
wa liable, ana SO with no handicap as !
% salaries, they are abb 10 gather to- |
either The vsry best acts in the strictly |
'audcviIe ranks. every uns OF which /
'ossesses real merit, and give us. as a !
esut, an entertainm5 mt that sets the |
own talking and crowds the house |
throughout the week And yet ten !
'hlncas 10 one. that bill as w. have 1
cad II i'm advance because Of the ab- |
crce of any famous name. may have I
& med 70 us arythinC but tempting I /
ave Ser, his demonstrated most ef- !
ectiVelv right here IN Providence. and /
his sea son too. when a combination OF /
audevi'le acts WIS offered that prom /
sod litt'e O. us s'rDlv because We |
new practically nr;hnC OF them but 4
which proved 10 b. one OF the most
venly balanced and most thoroughly I
leasing and satisfying entertainments !
'e have ever ha I.
II all comes down 10 this that we are
earning by experience that Il is. as a
ule safe 10 trust tho mana gers whose
wn irterest mus, } tat tha ~. senta-
ion 80 the best thet is avqiable. We
re learning that tha famous namps,
'hi'a often worth J th-v cCst. are not
ways So. and on the other hand that !
he absence of f1mous parneS Is no IN
ica'ion of irforio~ity. We are learn
~ that even without looking ov the
81 of gttra cti ms 've are always sure
T getting more than orr monev's
'ou'h. " see'1g a clean. high-class and
riOygbl epteIto inmCnt. and we arc /
.arrng that. while of necessity there
'ust be some nuctuatiou I'm the r. spec
va morits OF any two hils when COM
AIRED by = amselveS the cvenness of
irrit is indeed remarkable
Dut IN ord r 20 learn som OF these
lings and 10 fully appreciate what we
ave at nome ! had - 90 away from
ONE Probably you are bright enough
, do Il without. Won ou~ht 90 he
AfII .TlIlI I'D IRNING