Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-16
DISGUSTING CONDUCT AT THE
THEATRE.

me conduct OF Il number of persons
during the progress OF highly arts
tic performance Mt the Academy OF
Music last Monday night calls alton
tion again To the highly improper and
disgusting actions of some OF the pat
rons Of that playhouse. a large por-
tion of the audience was there to
thoroughly enjoy performance that
was highly pleasing In every respect
but their money and time was waste,
by the actions of lot of clouts whose
scnse Of the artist died aborn-
ing. In scenes where the ...ghest his
trionic ability was required and in
acts full of pathos, the work OF the
player folk would be greeted by loud
and coarse outlaws. The shock on the
finer scnsibilltics of those who were
possessed of an artistic temperament
was SO great that enjoyment OF the
play was out OF the question.
Perhaps there is no remedy for tms
unfortunate condition. for which New
port News is ~ unsavorlly known
.AiiltNklVNA VIZ Nl'NNiiNhl NOll wv
II is none the less disgraceful and GER
tniniy is not Il credit to the city's re
putntion 1t is n condition that the
great majority of citizens deplore. but
they soc no way to correct the evil
unless a close watch is kept on those
who make a practice of spelling u
performance by their remarks and
iests, and after they have once been
fused them And yet this is hardly
practicable. The management has In
years past made efforts to have those
who enjoy an attraction of merit to be
allowed to see it in peace. but all ef-
forts have proved unavailing. No
doubt ii person who is in the habit
Of laughing in the scenes that appeal to
the sad side of nature of Il normal and
healthy person had the case presented
To him in a reasonable light, he would
not see where he had done any harm.
1t is case of simply where the ar
tistic sense has had no Development;
where the lower and coarser senti,
inent is master over the better and
more refined sense. 1t most absolute
ly is not human nature to laugh at
the beautiful and sad things in life
and while the inclination of nearly all
OF us is TO do something violent when
the artistic in us Is rudely disturbed,
still, upon second thought, there
comes feeling OF pity that some great
big brute of man or some coarse wo.
man has been born utterly devoid Of
he finer scnsibilitlcs of life and whose
idea OF an enjoyable stage production
is confined TO the heavy william who
smokes cigarettes and wears Il slouch
hat; the horso play OF an alleged como.
dian and the antics of woman who
is pprtraying the character of an Irish.
woman who takes in washing for a
living.
u is unfortunate that Newport News
has such Il large class OF this sort OF
people for patrons of its one theatre.
ana that they are in position to ruin
splendid piece of acting by their I'M.
timely and coarse Interruptions hut
The question arises what are You going
Ito do about it? The natural molina.
lion OF the patron is to fight
ana create IL scene, but that. OF
course would not do. but it would
seem as if an ejectmcnt or two
on the part of a husky usher
might prove wholesome lesson. This
is just suggestion ana might be well
worth trying. If the artistic sense can.