The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-23
THEATRICAL PEOPLE M|SJUOGED
BY a Public which Forms Its Opinions Through Few
Conspicuous Examples Who Are Supposed to
Be Typical, but Are Not.
Nv ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

~ ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.
There are some things the theatre
managers and the public should not
stand for.
One Is the sort of stuff handed
out by one of the vaudeville acts last
week.
For this theatre manager is not
to blame, for an act may be recon-
mended to him as good because it
has possibly taken with a public of
low order of theatrical taste.
And he is not able to have any in
telligent comprehension of its nature
until he sees it.
The writer does't remember the
name of this affair but it included
two people, one a mature woman, the
other young boy, who gave one Of
those singing and dancing numbers
familiar to the patrons of vaudeville
houses.
But it was the nature of the songs
and the character of the alleged
dramatic accompaniment which were
Objectionable.
Even at that, however, il either of
the two had shown any evidence of
histrionic or musical ability it would
have justified itself.
For sometimes some pretty rotten
things are interpreted so cleverly that
their rottenness Is forgiven for the
manner in which it is done.
But from no point of view was there
1.-THE slightest justification for this per-
torrance.
1t was putrid clear to the core.
Vaudeville, legitimate and interest
ing form of theatric expression, suf-
fers by just such exhibitions as these.
On this same vaudeville program
was a young woman of education, re-
kflnement, modest manners and a beau
ftiful singing voice.
A concert singer who had gone into
vaudeville because the latter's en-
gagements are more certain and emo
luments more inviting.
The two women were at the oppo-
site endssof the pole in every way but
they were necessarily thrown into
proximity through inclusion on the
same program.
The woman of the two who did the
singing and dancing was evidently en-
tirely out of her element on the stage.
She was common, coarse, unuttera-
bly, sordid.
The boy was vulgar but evidently a
sort of theatrical smart Aleck capable
of better things.
They sang one of the nastiest songs
ever heard in a vaudeville house and
"acted it out" in an obnoxious and dis
gusting manner
They weren't funny.
They weren't amusing, or cute or
any of the things they evidently
thought they were.
Morally their act reeked and theat-
rically it had no reason for being.
When vaudeville pwges itself of
this sort Of performance and this sort
of performer it will have taken a
stride hundred leagues onward
There is nothing more entertaining
than good vaudeville.
And there is no reason why it should
not be presented by straight theatre
cal and musical people.
1t is gradually refining and adjust
ing itself to the demands of the pub
Tic but it is yet at faust. in including
such detestable stuff as this on it's
bills.
These people were simply impossi-
BILE
They had no place on any stage.
And they are the sort that lower the
atmosphere of the entire theaErfc pro
fession.
Because they are Whist they are
they are necessarily more conspicuous
than the element which possesses ex.
cellence of character and theatrical
merit.
They make themselves conspicuous
And the unknowing regard them as
typical of the whole class.
There is no profession more mis-
judged. perhaps. by the public than
the theatric.
There are just as many nice people
Just as many good people, and people
Just like everybody else in this phase
of society as there are among others.
Just as many nice actors as lawyers
or doctors or journalists.
1t is their business to go on the
stage each day and act so much and
$50 long.
When they're off they are human
beings with the rank and file.
They have wives and husbands and
children and mothers and fathers and
sisters and brothers and stand in the
same relation to them as does the rest
OF the world.
Some have homes and love them al.
though they don't get there often.
The writer recorded herein some do
mestic data with regard to May Irwin
who told the former when here last
spring that she could hardly watt
until she reached their summer home
That all they did in off hours was to