Evening star., 1901-02-02
SEES PLAY FROM THE PIT
JAMES YOUNG DESCRIBES A LONDON
THEATER.


From the Baltimore Sun.
MIR. James Young of Baltimore. who is a
member of Sir Henry Irving's London Ly-
ceum Company, writes as follows:
.SThe Dit ia an old-estabished Institution
of the stage, and decided that my first i'm
pressons of an English pantomime should
be gained from this part of the theater. L
wanted to be near those who enjoyed and
applauded and to extract some pleasure
from their abandon of enjoyment. SO
stood In line with some hundreds of others
waiting for the doors to open.
at seemed to be more in keeping with
the event to be in this happy, expectant
crowd than to endure the blase Indifference
manifested by the occupants of stall and
box. swelldom must give no evidence of its
emotions on such an occasion. 1t would be
bad form. and the inexorabe laws Of con-
ventionality will not permit applause. APP
piause must be reserved for grand opera.
the only place where enthusiasm among
the smart set is permissible. And there
they must applaud vehe mently, because II
is the proper thing whether the perform
ance pleases them or not. Frallty, thou
hast more names than woman!
80 l stood In the crowd to gain, II pos
sible, some flavor of Dickensesque atmos-
phere-a scarce commodity nowadays IL
was an orderly crowd, too and by no means
l.
who find the greatest pleasure in living. 1t
was a typical English pit audience There
was paterfamilias. with all his family. VINO
had been in line since . o'clock. Ihey We're
ali happy and contented, especially after
they had been refreshed with bite TO eat
which had thoughtfully been brought along
what the Pit Is.
"A word about the pit II disappeared In
America about a quarter of century ago
but the English have clung to 1t with the
usual tenacity that marks the preserva-
ton of most of their ancient customs, and
resent it's abolition, which has been tried
unsuccessfully by several managers. Inc
seats in the pit are really desirable FOR see
ing and hearing, and. under different ar
rangement from the present order, could
he sod for a much higher price. fou must
Know there are no reserved seats in the
pit; FIRST come. first served. Hence the
long line and hours Of waiting. ,-
All one time the PIT LOJk w the entlre
lower floor OF the Jheater, corresponding
to our orchestra The more exclusive pa
irons occupied the dress circle and boxes
At present the pit is confined t. two-thlrds
of the lower floor. there being ABOUT Ten oi
twelve rows Of seats in front known as the
stalls for which ha.f 4 guinea is the price
paid for a seat Half a guinea means ten
shillings and sixpence (S2 JO. Just PACK
of these expensive seats ana separated D9
a railing the pit commences, anu taxes III
all the balance of the lower part or the
theater. These seats are long rows of
upholstered benches. and though not as
comfortable as the luxuriant chairs OF the
stalls, they are by means undesirable
especially to those who have waited hours
for the privilege. The extremely high price
Of the seats in other parts of the house
and the innate love of the English for the
theater are responsible for the large
crowds that can nightly be seen at any
theater In London gathered long before the
hour of opening about the entrances OF
pit and gallery.
"The pit will eventually disappear: but
during its reign 1t has established itself
In history. 1t the opinion and ap-
probation Of the pit audience that were
most desired by the players in the oiden
days. Their success depended upon the
approval Of the pit. The great Kean. who,
half starved. trudged homeward through
the snow after his first triumphal night
to his anxious and waiting wife, was So
eager TO impart the good tidings. so choked
with emotion, that all he could say was:
THE pit rose at me- But it enough.
Both knew that his fame WAS assured and
suffering ut end
.'At the door of the pit we see whole
families, from grandpa to the newest ar
rival, all joyous in the thought of the full
fillmeut of a long anticipated pleasure"