The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-06-02
THINGS SEEN FROM STAGE
Description Of Various People in an
Audience as Viewed by
Performer.

II remember having heard Joseph
Jefferson say once that comedy was
serious business" says Sam Bernard.
comedian, according to the Chicago
Chronicle. Il didn't understand the
paradox then, but do now with all its
force. Comedy is the hardest and most
serious work that know. In comedy
one must always be on edge, You must
do more than merely read lines and
declaim., You must be fit and enter into
the proper spirit of your work.
.:"Oh, yes, it is very pleasant to cause
people to roar with laughter and to know
that you, as an instrument, are affording
them happiness. There is another side
of it, however. Imagine playing to
cold and stony audience that looks at
you blankly all through what you know
is your most effective work.
1T takes whole lot of people to make
up an audience that will fill the average
theater. Consider first the box party; it
comes in with a flourish and sound of
rustling skirts, laughter and half fin
ished conversation. There is always
that little by-play among the ladies as
to who shall sit in the front seats, which
invariably distracts the attention of the
audience from the stage to them. After
the party is at last seated the ladies
belonging to just as likely as not will
turn their backs to the stage and enter
into animated conversation with the
white shirt bosoms behind them.
"The front rows Of any theater are
most prolific Of curiosities. 1t is there
that the first nighter-more often bald
than not-loves to display his keen in
terest in the drama and incidentally his
! admiration for pretty actresses. The
nervous old man, who has got seat by
| the drum and cymbals, is not much bet
! ter off and winces visibly every time a
| point is emphasized with a clash and a
| bang. It is about this time now for the
theater party with seats in the orchestra
| to come in. They are late, of course.
| They have been dining at fashionable
| restaurant and reach the play just at
| the finale of the first act. There are
| eight of them and their seats are in the
center of the row-theater parties seats
|
| that row has to stand up as they slowly
squeeze into their places while the peo-
| ple behind are of course for the time
being cut eff from view Of the stage
IN front of this party is generally to
be found the bumptlous, sanguine man
who delights in everything, laughs i'm
! moderately at poor jokes and claps his
| ponderous hands on every possible occ"-
sion, to the great annoyance of everyone
| near. Yet he is no worse than the
chronic, bilious Pathfinder with his
sbosh' and what rot and what fright
| There is the chap that l like to get at,
for when do get him going he is angry
| at himself for having stepped out of his
! shell and become his real self. Just such
a fellow do l remember during the run
of The Girl From Kay's' at New York
| last year. He seemed to look me straight
in the eye with an expression that said
| as plainly as if he ad bawled it out,
| you can't do it! No one has done it
| vet.,' 1t took me an act and half to
| accomplish it, but l finally made him
| unbend. -.
| 1T is the family man, who once a
week or once a fortnight, visits the
theater, who is a source of joy to the
| actor. This man isn't burdened with
money and always sits in the balcony.
He isn't there to analyze or criticise, but
| to seek enjoyment. He is really your
friend before you get started, and when
| the play is over you feel as if you want
| to go up and shake hands with him =