New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
THE CL|NB|NG-OUT MAN
Theatre Nuisance in London
FlavhouSeS Much Worse
than Here.

London. Nov. l7.-Ninc or ten years ago
there was published iu The New or. ans
Plcayunc" Under the title 81 'A-BiG-
Foot. the Man who Walks Like Bear,
poem or "ppuc" dealing with tho ac-
tivitica II the creature who climbs In aud
out OF lis scat ut IN" tucatcc during
.,s"r .u;r's g. lis g"'m.i '- u'i g.-
cul'lr TO Guy covutry. lie Is Indigenous
&, uli lands aud climates JUt he luJrisaes
with lccuIIur virulon,c and luminosity In
ondon Possibly The FOG accounts for
his number ana ferOg.ty here. At any
rate he (, one Of tile features Of a Lon
don theatrical performance
Usually from ouc-half to two-thirds OF
the audience find their approximate
I places before the house lights so down
and the footlIshts 60 on. The Others are
| I'm the theatre and they might as well be
/ In their seats. but they prefer TO stand
around In various places crowdinG the
lobby To the Inconvenience OF newcomers,
for one t0ins. looking rather vacant The
, maua cement, knowing The breed. makes
I'll the proportions lUr the rise Of the
. CERTAIN several minutes before that event
is TO take place. Then heSins scramble
among those IN the auditorium TO find
their proper scats But A-B!g-Foot Is
: not deceived by the device OF the man
agcment lie Is an experienced beat and
, Hc crowds no to the glass doors from the
LOBBY and watts until the actual rise OF
! the curtain before he comes IN, fun Of
b conversation 20 hunt mp his scat.
! tic is found here IN two c!o"ciy related
: varieties that are distinguished by differ
} cucc iu degree OF icrocty. M his m.ider
; form nc sacrifices 2.Npcuce to leave his
I top coat in tho cloaNryom and wears oHN
/ his hal to his seat removing the head
/ gear quite soon after hr has sat down
/ In his ferycr aspect ne comes To wt;l
; his hat and ovcrcUat OH and his neck
swathcd IN long, frinsed bath towel
+ This va-icty standing a.; the end o. the
+ wren. row, announce Sorry and be-
aims 10 climb oycr. the audience. IIavin;
= arrived -. the wIouS scar aid been tod
so. hc c!imos back again and jealousy
permits the usher to show him where he
! belongs.
Nnsu he hiss ,hus iuCynuUCcd rs many
/ OF ihg audience rs hc ,au cunTcneuiy
4 lct ut. he bcs.r3 To d!-tar6 tao others
. with his voice. fcr, arvycd'at IT'S pIope"
scat. he slowly disrobes 20 the accom-
pauimcnt of a running fire ~ porsiiagc.
! First the bath towel is uuwound and
| stuffed into the oycrcoat pocket Then
! the overcoat comes ofT-that Is to say. it
] l. turtuouSly dis ardcd. The hat is last
. Al this while the theatre IL siDIlaut with
! hisscs and cries OF ''liush!' "kccp quict!"
and a pnn,omme IS ia progress on the
STAGE. 10. .hc experienced playwright
. has ies rIicd To- cope with this lend By
beginning ais play With q bit Of panto-
rimc. Es;cmaccEcr uses the device IN
. THE Turning Point" and again In I'm
stinct" Ia the version OF la Fiambee"
used in London the curtain rises on "A
, group gathered about a young lady play
Irg piano With occasional chances over
| her shoulder at the audience SHE remains
at the piano until ABiS -F'oot has been
I appeasod. She then rises from the plano.
+. and the actors. with every evidence Of
relief, set about the business of the even
ing.
| In Instinct the curtain rises on an
empty stage. Tho first percon to enter is
the eminent surgeon'g assistant, who pro.
coeds 10 set the desk IN order and pick