The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-05-21


|ing forward, tightly clutching the
arms of her seat, her facial muscles
Econvulsively, working, and as the
hero dropped his arm (and head)
and spoke his lines, she hissed with
scorn and contempt, yuh dur-ty
cow-yurdp'
( This kind of play is what is called
a Saturday Nighter" due to the full
house on Saturday night and small
audiences during the week. An
other Saturday Nighter" is the
Burlesque shows which comprise a
fDutchman and an Irishman and one
fhundred legs or an Irishman and a
sDutchman and fifty pair of legs.
This monotonous combination is
generally REINFORCED by wrestling
match or boxing bout, this addition
being the only change from the old
shows.
The vaudeville houses are perhap.
the most popular shows, due to their
variety acts. You can pay one dol
lar and see high class acts or ten
cents and see low class acts, but the
variety or the something different
which the people want, fills the
houses all week.
The musical comedy which has
proved so successful the last few
years, is meant to drive care and
worry from its audience, and it sue
ceeds wonderfully.
The plot is always easy to follow,
the music always catchy and new
and it is a well paid production.
The chorus girls and men are trained
by experts and there are from one
to three stars with excellent voices
who make one whistle-or want to
whistle-the chorus to some of the
pieces, on his way home. Besides,
the comedians are of the best to be
had and their work is only accom-
plished after months of continuous
hard labor. The something differ
ent'' is also found here which the
people clamor for.
We Like Music
The people of the United States
are musically inclined and not only
want the best but appreciate it, or
the Opera would not Lave the staple
and reliable business, that it has, for
that is the highest priced amusement
in the play-going line.
Whether it be Light Opera or
Grand Opera whether it be sung
in French, English or Italian, the
public goes to see and hear it and
gets it's money value. The artist
performers spend their lives in their
art, besides large amounts of money
training their natural abilities, and
therefore command the highest sal
aries of all performers. One soon
tires of the usual plays but good
music in operas never, and the
names of artists and composers go
down in history, crowned with
fame. And now the moral-drama
which is exactly that and not i'm
moral, or immoral as many believe.
The drama that is flooding the mar
ket, and so few being produced.
Several years ago we would hear at
the drama, I will never marry you,
Steve Brodie!'' and the impossible
question: DO yuh mean it, Glory?"
Now we hear, If you did it for
love 1 could forgive you. but you
sold yourself for money to buy the
fnery that l could not give you"
The moral play, if it succeeds, is a
benefit financially and morally. The
free advertising and publicity given
it by the press and police, causes
large crowds to flock to the doors of
the producing theatre and the
Standing Room Only" sign is
much in evidence. The ones who
criticise and denounce these plays,
are for the most part, professional
critics who are paid for looking af-
ter the moral welfare of the public.
There are some who take it upon
themselves to write anonymous letters
to the press signing themselves Vox
Populi'' or Indignant Citizen' who,
perhaps. have only read accounts of
of the the play, or who hypocriti-
cally and narrow-mindedly denounce
them to hide their own questionable
morals. The moral play is good for
the public but | can not say with
originality what l think and believe,
but only my approval of what others
have said.
We are too prone to hide the evil
and dirtyness of life, but we are de-
veloping into the stage where We
speak openly on subjects that here
tofore were tabooed. The public
needs shock occasionally to bring