The San Francisco call., 1909-01-08
Clergyman Describes Experiences
During First Night at a Theater
FINDS STAGE HAS
WOODEN PLAYERS
Alameda Preacher, Disappointed
by Actors. Praises Chorus
Girls in ben Hur"
By Rev. Robert Whitaker

By Rev. Robert Whitaker
Were q woman ] should hardly con-
foss II suppose. but L am not, and
therefore I may as well admit that
an f5. The confession would have
no particular pertinence here If 1t
were not for the fact that yesterday
saw my first play. Most of my life
have lived in the city the last Is years
almost continuously around san Fran
cisco bay.
The theater was not prohibited to
me in my bovhOod, but somehow
never went. Books interested me more
than entertainments Of any kind, and
the conversational chaff of my shop
mates the morning after some special
. theatrical experience rather repelled
me than attracted me to the theater.
chose the ministry before I was II,
and for my ministry's sake cut out
questionable amusements" Of every
sort. though kissing parties were
hardly included in that category then.
ALWAYS FOND OF FRANKS
was always too fond of pranks to
be a prig and my older brother used
10 remark with unnecessary frequency
that ] was the most irreverend rev.
erend" that he ever knew. Neverthe-
less 7 have never been TO a circus, and
until yesterday had never seen the In
side OF a theater except on the occa-
sion Of some nontheatrical event
For 10 years past ] have intended to
90. having long since outgrown my
conviction that Christian ought TO
taboo plavs Of every sort. I did not
change my convictions to suit my de-
sires. otherwise 7 should have gone
long ago Neither did ] put my candle
under bushel- I have always intended
when 7 did 20 10 go right here at home
And yesterday afternoon, quite on the
spur Of the moment, 1 went-to see
Ben Hur"
CONTEMPT FOR COMMENT
The experience was both delightful
and disappointing TO me. had no
sense Of nervousness or strangeness at
finding myself in the theater. The
Van Ness might have been a church so
far as any impression upon me Of being
out Of place was concerned Perhaps
that was due 10 the fact that partieu-
'arly Of recent years. / have spoken TO
ali kinds Of audiences in all kinds
OF places. and have never cared for the
ecclesiastical side Of religion anyway.
Moreover. my father brought me up
with 2 healthy contempt for mere re-
mark so long. as ] kept on fairly good
terms with my own conscience.
frequent quotation OF his was this:
They say What do they say? Let
them say" Therefore I 4 not know
whether there was anybody there yes
terday who was shocked at my pres
euce. I was entirely at home, yet quite
alert to the novelty Of stage effect and
dramatic action such as 1 had never
witnessed before
EXPECTED THRILL MISSED
did not expect acting of the highest
order in connection with Ben Hur."
That play is more spectacular than dra-
matte is a natural inference for any one
Al all familiar with the book. Yet
confess despite my genuine enjoyment
OF many features. both scenic and dra-
matte. / was a little disappointed as
whole
Perhaps 1 expected too much. Ny
first view Of Niagara falls disappoint-
cd me far more than any disappoint
ment that / experienced yesterday.
can never get enough of Niagara now
and ] have seen it many times of recent
years
Probably I expected too much OF the
thester and Of professional actors. l
have seen a little amateur work in
schools and private homes. and even in
churches, and somehow I had IL in
mind that the theater was not like
these, that the staging and the acting
there gave you the thrill Of the real
thing. And they didn't.
ACTING WAS so OBVIOUS
knew it was acting all the time.
and sometimes the acting was so obvi-
Gus that I felt like leaping TO the plat
form and showing the fellow how to do
it. Perhaps that sounds like conceit,
but il isn't
have never aspired TO be even
dramatic preacher. But I like reality
and i thrill 70 passion And really a
deal of L CT as
or it was, a good deal OF ii was as
obvious as the machinery Of the char
iot race. j had heard good deal
about that, and / almost laughed when
] saw it.
OF course it was stirring to have
actual flesh and blood horses on the
platform, and to see them galloping so
furiously and TO hear the whip crack
and the shouting and the general
racket, and all that. / am enough of
boy TO like noise yet, sometimes, but
the treadmiu was too obvious and the
flying scenery was nothing like as con-
Vincing as the fast freight" that sud
denly stops stock still and sends your
own mOtionless train rushing past at
make up" time.
SUGGESTS WOODEN SOLDIERS
And the way Messala dropped down
and rolled of was suggestive OF the
wooden soldiers / used to manipulate
myself in the yesterday of my earlier
youth / applauded honestly, but felt
like the little fellow who has just found
out that there amt no Santa Claus"
The costuming was fine. I confess
that ] like pretty clothes. And the light
effects were wonderful. And some Of
the acting was good: that is, it was
real / liked Simonides. He made you
feel that he was Simonides. And 1 fell
In love with Esther, and even little
bit with the Egyptian. But the Egyp-
lian was hardly equal to the servant,
THE woman servant I mean. She and
Esther and Simonides came nearer to
justifving the theater as / had imag-
ined IL than any of the rest of them.
Ben Hur and MESSIAH and the young
fellows generally were too stiff self
conscious. sophomore They made me
feel as If they were school fellows Of
mine. and ] wanted 10 get hold Of their
fine arms and shoulders and say, oh
come off,
COMPARISONS OF PARTS
They declaimed too much, and didn't
know how to talk as if they meant it,
Incidentally they reminded me of the
little girl who said to her minister