Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-10

black up and sings so delightfully."- that
he has to take four encores.
A skilled specialist who makes the suf
ferer say "Ah-a-a-a" and charges him
$40 is not in it for a minute with old
DR.. Primrose and his magic throat cure.
Several weeks ago 1 called attention in
this column to the annoying hubbub
created by the men who pay the drums
and similar cacophonous Instruments in
Los Angeles theater orchestras. Since
then word has come from New York an
nouncing the abolishment of the drum
from Daly's theater. 1t is to be hoped
that local managers will follow this lead.
Whatever may be its value in a brass
nand, or even in a symphony orchestra,
the drum has no place inside theater.
II renders entre-act conversation difficult;
oltentimes almost impossible. It's, on.y
possible service is to drown out the inef-
ficiences of an orchestra. and surely local
musicians will not admit that this is nee
essary.
At the Burbanks Ibsen matinees last
week there was no orchestra at all, and L,
for one, enjoyed the rest However, 1
have no intention of arguing against the
theater orchestra in its entirety; though
believe you will agree with me when l
say that entre-act selections should be so
chosen that the music may serve as an
aid to conversation rather than proht-
bition. We have one or two good theater
orchestras, notably the very competent
organization under the leadership OF Vic
tor Schertzinger at the Belasco; but the
drum, indoors, is a musical misdemeanor.
That fatal fascination which is supposed
to SINCE many human moth in the flame
of the amusement business is probably
responsible for the presence 'in our
midst" of one Early c. May assistant
supervisor of the department of publicity
for Gentry Bros dog ana pony shows
which are to cause the youthful heart to
leap each afternoon and evening of No
vember IS, 10, 20 and q.
1t is stated upon the authority of those
who know him that II. May tried hard to
be good, and for several years was a near
newspaper man in Minneapolis the town
where the Scandinavian dialect stories
come from. That species of mental aber-
ration which places him in advance of the
'chiidren's perennial favorite" was mani
fest many years ago, however, when (.
Chaplin was wont to while away the unusu-
ally dull moments of a legislative session
by routing circuses on the reporters
table.
1t is also on record that no story was
strong enough to hold him at the desk
If brass band happened to bray outside
the office, and there was distinct under
standing with all city editors for whom
he worked that all the circus assignments
came to him.
Thus 1t happened that when the Gentry
shows passed into the hands of Mime
apolis capitalists and the management of
men, and Early May was on
the verge of taking vacation which had
been postponed for eight years on account
of pressing financial demands, the siren
voice Of one like" Speers dwelt beauti-
fully on the joys of 'trouping" and the
particular advantage of spreading the
gospel of the dog and pony show over
such portions of the map as happened to
be available.
go on and take it." said such Of the
elect as he took counsel with It'll be a
change and you'll see the country"
"It's been change, all right" says the
former detailer of Minneapolis history. |
: Any one who wants a change can get it
in the trouping business. Most of the
trains start at A O'Clock in the morning |
and furnish seats only to the first COM
nrs. A seeker after atmosphere can get
a huge sufficiency in the smoking car
Some hotels are bad and others are worse
Eating is done while you wait-or rather
without waiting at all. No matter what
conditions obtain, you have to keep ahead
Of the show Mostly 1t rains
"And as for seeing the country We've |