Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-06-02
MUSIC HALLS 40 YEARS AGO.
Songs That Attracted Without Aid of
 Scenery or Costumes.

In the palmy days of music halls there was no curtain, not the bar est suggestion of scenery. scarcely a platform. The music hall forty years ago was much simpler home- Her place. Space did not matter, you sat about at tables and drank at your ease from pewter pots, as fashion then demanded. It was a great honor to drink with the "chair- man." the president of the assembly, an honor to which only a regular guest could aspire. The performers did not rush on for a turn" at a flicker of number dial, but were announced with solemn majesty by the autocratic chairman, after he had rapped for silence with his mal- let. It was more of friendly smoking room concert than a show, says the London Daily Mail. Our music hall is becoming overcivilized, and loses it's grip.
 At the old Canterbury the perfor- mers all used to line up on the plat form and sing a rattling opening chorus, while the audience applauded with pewters and sticks and boots with unrestrained ardOr. It was the same sort of thing as the Christy minstrels, and the comic man used to take the side, just as the corner man."
 Makeup was scarcely ever attempt ed. A song stood or fell on it's own merits and the skill of the singer. The great" Vance, who introduced the "howling swell" to the halls, used to swagger about the platform, drop ping silk handkerchiefs to show his illimitable wealth. The comic man would wear little bijou hat on the back of his head, but that was all The impression of reckless prodigal- ity, moreover, in the great" Vance was rather damped when his little page followed him picking up the priceless handkerchiefs. There was no drop curtain then.
 How many songs of the last ten years can one recall? There are very few, and those are perhaps the most stupid. But the comic songs of twen- ty years ago have almost taken a place in the language Some of them are household words. Half century ago such classics as "The Blue Bells of Scotland" and "The Last Rose of Summer were sung at the music hall; that the Shakespearian lyrics were still regarded as national songs and performed on the nightly pro- gram to an enthusiastic music hall audience.
 The old music hall songs had one advantage over the modern, which might easily be remedied AS a rule they were set to any old well known tune, so that there was no tricky air to be mastered before a song came into favor. A man wrote song, say, "A Trip to Brighton" He took no trouble about the music. but just wrote it ITO the air of An Old Cork Leg" and the job was done.
 Salaries have been revolutionized since the early days. When the new Canterbury was opened thirty years ago George Leybourne, the Robey of the day, was offered the princely sal ary of G 20 a week. At that time the Canterbury was the chief hau. in London. All the town straEaleduo the water to see the ballet, and the Great Vance. Arthur Roberts, Nelly Power and Phyllis Broughton were the stars of the day.
 Now, when most artists have car riage, 1t is curious to recall that Ley bourne was presented by the man. ager of the Canterbury with a car- riage and pair on the express under standing that he drove about in 1t "by way of advertisement"