Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-12
g. GzaRE7GZ GIZzENe5
- GOTHAM GOSSIP

the star Of the production lie gained the
applause that was coming TO him from
the audience In general II was good
show. the star had lot of what actors
dieuce came over" literally and unmis-
takaby with all of the applause that tbs
star could possibly have asked for
As matter OF fact. he didn't ask for
nor want any more. He was perfectly
content with what he got.
But in the east of this show was a
Young woman. said press-agently 10 be a
''reignng social favorite." whatever that
*. In the distant community from which
she halls tilaiiso what Is hails?l-there
was Young woman who had a most
minor most meager. part in the out
working of the story. She wasn't exactly
a wielder of "A feather buster the girl
who is seen when the curtain goes up and
heard saying. Now. ] wonder what
keeps mistress so late from the BALI
But she was just one OF the little chunks
OF excess baggage in the scene. so To
speak. and her part could quite easily
have been omitted altogether without In
the least detractinS or even subtracting
from the general interest of the perform
ance.
Little as this .'reigning social favorite'
who Was making her first appearance in
professional company had to do tshe d
been an amateur actress. she did II most
wretchedly. She didn't know the ele-
ments Of acting. She was a figure Of
awkwardness: she couldn't walk across
the stage with even a symptom OF grace
and the few lines she had 10 read were
read with an almost ridiculous clinging
to the manner Of the "elocutionist.'
But the applause she got.
Whee' the wild, stormy. tumultuous,
hoarse. deafening. ear-splitting tympa-
num- tweaking noise of applause that was
made In her honor by two rows of her
mateys. men and women sitting in the
orchestra. not TO mention several boxes
cluttered up with her pals and buddies-
1t was 50 absurd that ii was powerless
to affront the audience: IL only made
them laugh in sad kind OF way. IL al
most looked "a II the friends OF the young
woman We're deliberately guying her. but
they weren't: they really meant TO APP
plaud her, and they did applaud her I'M
til. when You stood outside the theater
after the show. you felt as II you'd just
been having a surf bath and had had
Your ears filled with the roar OF the
breakers in which you'd been tumbling
Every time she appeared on the stage
at all a roar tremendous, terrifying
howl of delight, accompanied with clap
ping of hands that sounded like lead fall
ing in a shot tower or tOrrential rain
on d tin roof. And very often such out
bursts actually smashed the action of the
piece. The young woman part called
for no demonstration whatever. and when
she came on. very often. the main figures
in the show were engaged in saying and
doing things that were vital to the action.
But did that make any difference TO the
young womans boosters Not the least.
They were there to roar and howl, and
howl and roar they did, till they came
near splitting themselves. And they made
her make a speech. \ young woman
who had no more to do with the success
of the piece than the surly brute selling
tickets in the box Office.
As long as they are leaning hard with
their mallets upon the professional
claque. why not tell the truth about the
amateur claquec
CLARENCE l.. CULLEN