The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-10

vaudeville has come to stay" said
Edwin Milton Royle in a chat during
his flying visit last week. He and Mrs
Royle were on their way to the coast
where they will fill in season of sew
eral Weeks at the vaudeville theatres
They represent the legitimate element
in vaudeville-"legits'' they are called
in the current professional slang. Be
fore they took this step, Mr.. and Mrs
Royle appeared for several seasons
and achieved distinction, in plays of
which Mr.. Royle was the author, and
with companies of which Mr.. Royle was
the manager. The enormous strain
under which he labored may readily be
imagined. Il had nervous prostration
under it twice" said Mr.. Royle. 1T
was wearing both of us out, and
realized that we must make a change. -
Vaudeville seemed d haven of refuge TO
them, and ever since they have ap-
pear'ed at the high-class vaudeville
houses in clever one-act sketches by
Mr.. Royle. they have been SO success
full in this new venture that they can
obtain all the dates they can fill.
Mr.. Royle's views upon the vaudeville
OF today are most interesting. He says
that legitimate actors first went into il
because the vaudeville managers Of
fered them such enormous salaries that
they could not afford to refuse They
regarded it at first as a mere fad. and
We're inclined to think that they did
not enhance their reputation by the
step, but. they said: 20. well. it is a big
salary, which will be good as long as
it lasts. In this way..s prompted by
purely -mercenary motives. many actors
went into. variety insufficiently
equipped, and nine-tenths were failures.
You can secure a good engagement in
i. H.
says Mr.. Royle. but it will not suffice
TO keep you there. Your work must do
the rest" He says further that the
tone of vaudeville performances is
continually improving. better. and bet
ter things are being demanded of the
legitimate recruits. If one is a sue
cess. he is Immediately recognized as
such, and can get all the time he
can possibly fill. An interesting fact is
that an act of great refinement rarely
wins great applause, but it will draw
more patronage. and will remain at the
theatre longer than an act which makes
the people roar and stamp. This GER
tainly shows a substantial taste for
the good among vaudeville audiences
Regular vaudeville performers are at
q. loss to understand this fact. and the
managers themselves are unable to ex-
plain it.
Mr.. Royle, attributes the great sue
cess of vaudeville in this country to the
fickleness of the American public-that
is 10 say. we are constantly wishing for
something. new in the amusement line
and a vaudeville entertainment affords
more opportunity for constant and
rapid change, than any other class of
amusement-hence its marvellous sue
cess. What keeps the vaudeville
stage improving, says Mr.. Royle. lis
the dramatic element which keeps
coming in. There is a constant re-
cruiting of new material. What was
a great drawing card last season will
not be considered by managers this
year.
stock acting is slavery" he con-
tinues "and the stock actor is bound
TO degenerate. Vaudeville is a haven
of rest after period of stock work.
And yet these two branches of the pro-
fessiou. so totally different, are the
ones which serve to keep the actors
salaries up"
Refinement in vaudeville. concludes
Mr. Royle is the order of the day and
this fact is at the bottom Of its con-
tinual improvement. and its per-
manence. II
Speaking OF the theatrical syndicate
Mr.. Royle says that it is the most seri-
Gus phase of the present dramatic era.
1t controls all the m0ney-nlaking
actors. all who are acknowledged draw