Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-05
| LAUGHING IN THE WRONG
PLACE.
Theatre Audiences That Find Tragedy
Funny.

| What is the most annoying thing
i'm the ordinary course of events in
! the trying life of the player on the
stage? Unquestionably 1t is the mis-
! behaved audience--the audience that
laughs when it should cry. that cries
when ii should laugh, or the audience
| that neither cries nor laughs when
either exhibition of pleasure or GRIEF
/ is most apropos The theatre audi
ence that thus makes its preference
| known is frequently painfully III
hammered. Some actors-notably the
| late Richard Mansficld-were wont to
give tit for tat" in trying circum-
stances like these. There is one his
toric instance, for example. in St
Louis. Il score or more years ago,
when he was playing there in Ivan
the Terrible" A climacteriai situation
in the third act revealed this tyran-
meal Russian ear falling off his
throne in fit of anger, which re-
suited in his death. Mansfield, after
expiring on the stage before the audi
ence, was forced to step out of the
character and resurrect himself be-
cause of the insistent applause of his
audience. Now his auditors no doubt
mean well, but in Mr.. Mansfield's
opinion the awakening of the mimic
dead was an atroeious and unpardon-
able crime. Accordingly. he came out
before the curtain and addressed his
audience. which, by the way, was not
as large as Ii was enthusiastic, in
terms like these: Ladies and gentle
men. no doubt you mean we'll, but II
you must awake the dead. do not
srumble at the remarks of the corpse
This house which, l note, Is about
half the size of the kind that greets
me in the one night Texas stands.
argues that | am not well liked III
St. Louis. Allow me to say that l
return the want of appreciation with
interest" 1t is said that ever there
after Mr. Mansfeld's receptions in ST. |
Louis smacked to the north pole.
The problem of educating the
masses, which is attempted here at
both the Daauesne and Lyceum
theatres (by which comparison we
do not infer that their respective
clienteles are not also made up OF the |
"classes"). is often a trying enc FOR |
these very reason. The psychical |
aspects of Henrik Ibsen's Doll |
House" were somewhat misunderstood
last week at the Duquesne during the |
early performances of that play there. |
Thus the audience found much room
for mirth in the trying scene between
Nora and Torvaid Helmer in the last
act of the play, when the former |
leaves her home. husband and chill
dren forever Why they considered |
this tragic episode funny Is more
than the writer can state. Certainty
not because it was badly done; for,
as matter of fact, il was uncommon
~ we'll done by both Miss Hall ana
Mr.. Giles. who played the above men
toned parts.
AT the Lyceum with all due respect |
to our good friend. Cliff Wilson, the |
audiences are even more cratic Inc
Lyceum clientele is composed distinct
" of the masses. whose sense of per
ception sometimes goes astray IN the
excellent dramatic material frequent
" on exhibition there. Recently,
when Messrs. Rowland and clifford's
admirable production of William Al
thony and MeGuire's powerful play,
The Divorce. was presented at the
former house, the audience hoWleu
with glee at certain phases OF WIZ
liam V. Mong's repulsively realistic
representation of the dope fiend whose
sister has been enticed into life OF
shame. and whom he brings to
Catholic priest in the last stages OF
consumption The tragic horror ana
intensity of this scene can be accur-
ately CLEANED by any ordinary IN
dividual in the mere reading OF these
lines. Yet many of the Lyceums
reeular playgoers found in it an occa-
sion for vociferous mirth. especially
when Mr.. Mong, upon seeing his sister
dead at the feet of the good priest
rolls over on the floor in paroxysms
of pathetic grief
OF course these accidents will hap
pen in the best of regulated theatres'