The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-01-06
A Plea for the Abolition
OF the Christmas Matinee

r HERE is just one thing I want
10 ask before ! forget il. and that
is-Why the Christmas matinee2
The New ear Day matinee may
be worth while. the Christmas matinee
never is. II comes at an hour when
most people are enjoying their Christ
mas dinner. and on day when the
majority wants 10 be at home or with
friends rather than at the theater.
There are not enough people who want
10 go 10 the theater on Christmas Day
10 MI the house once-yet most OF the
managers Try TO MI il twice. There
was not a theater in town that did
enough business at the matinee on
Christmas Day 10 pay for opening the
theater. and yet every one OF them was
open. The employees OF the house were
kept away from their homes, the MEM
bers OF the companies were given day
OF extra work and the result was empty
seats-and or all the disheaTtening
propositions playing 10 an empty house
IS about the worst. Why not abolish
the Christmas matinee?
1T is the custom" THE public eX-
poets it." These seem 10 be the only
reasons for its continuance. The house
managers admit that. in Washington
at least. Il doesn't pay. Perhaps said
one Of them. 1T might pay in Chicago
OF New York where people don't have
any homes" ] don't know anything
about New York. ] have a home there,
and family. and friends, so that per
sonauy i never went 20 a Christmas
matinee there. Pevhaps they pay In
Chicago / went Once-tO matinee or
Sherlock Holmes" when Gillette was
nrst playing fl. That. If ashything.
should have drawn a good house. II
didn't. He played 10 empty seats.
II il is The custom IL is certainly
one more honored in the breach than In
the observance. Why not give the act
ors a chance to have a little bit OF
merry Christmas themselves? There's
certainly nothing in il for the box
Office.
II has been about as frivolous week
Electrically as Washington has seen
This in which an old year has died and
a new one been born. The chorus glFl
has owned the town everywhere hut
al the Academy and. in the main, she
has been good Iooking-even If she
could not sing And in that respect
she was about on a par with the princl-
pals. for the only real voice in town IN
a week Of alleged musical comedy was
that Of an incoaspieuous young man In
the garb OF a waiter in The SpTing
Chicken"
II was the chorus giri who saved
THE Man from Now" from dying OF
neglect al the Columbia. He crept up
and warmed his poor. numb fingers and
blsaed Do her radiance, and though ne
shfveIed visibly and We could hear his
teeth chattering iu the biting frost he
survived At the BelascO Eddie Toys
return seems 10 have been welcome as
flowers OF spring-though heaven II
lzroweth why. The swing song was
really pretty-if one could only have
stopped ones ears. And THE Earl and
TIE Girl" were . del Sh;ful pair of kids,
The real show Of the week was The
Spring Chicken" and the real show
of thai was the choruses-"a fairly
Cooi-look!ng chorus" as one of the
bows told another "frOm the waist up,
and a crackerjack from the waist
down. The bald-head row for mine.'
Even Of the principals-the poor. unim-
portant principals, Richard earle was
scarcely the whole thing. In fact. he
wasn't more than a quarter OF it
there were Emma Janvier, Bessie Nc
Coy. anu Victor Morley.
However. this week we are 70 be a
hit more serious. with Willard, DiXey.
and Olcott az the head OF the weeks
cast. Willard brings I'VE changes or
bin and there be those who want 10
see him in all." Small blame to them
for he is one OF the most delightfully."-
finished and prevaumgly sympathetic
actors on the English speaking stage
today. II one were asked 10 name the
cleVerest comedian on the American
stage ia would probably be a toss-up
between DiNey, Mason-and David War
field. who comes next week. Give DiXey
the play and / believe he would dupli-
cate XVarneld's success In The Music
Master" Which is not meant as a re
Election on THE Man in ;he Box which
IS z pleasant clever. clean comedy, fully
meritins the decided success it has had.
As for Olcott he's in a class by himself.
lie knows that there is one thing that
ne can do better than any one else.
and. very wisely. he does il.
But I'm an these there IS not chorus
eirl-nor vet. If indications count for
ANYTHING. are there TO be any al the
Majestic. or at the Academy They
came all IT, a bunch 20 wish Washing
ton "a Happy New Year.
DIr l. E-NsIs-h4e