The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-06
A TiresOme Performance

pickering of rival theatrical managers. Temporary peace has been made sev- eral times, only to be broken again. Theatres are opened and closed in the most summary manner, with no ex- planation given to the public, which is expected to patronize this or that theatre, as the star of the Interstate Amusement company or the circuit controlled by Jake Wells is in the as- cendant.
 The Lyric, Birmingham's newest and handsomest theatre, which was built under the direction of Jake Wells by Gen. Louis V. Clark and leased to Mr Wells for period of ten years, has enjoyed liberal patronage for about twelve months, with Keith vau- deville as the attraction. Suddenly, and without any previous announce ment being made, the Lyric was closed and the immediate reopening of the Majestic under the management of | the Interstate Amusement company was announced by MT. Hoblitzelle, who had in the meantime appeared on the scene and had resumed the war fare waged intermittently against the Wells interests. During the armistice which recently came to an end the Ma jestic was presumably under the Wells management. Occasional picture shows were offered there. The latest development is the statement made by MT. Hoblitzelle that the Lyric will be reopened under the management of his company, while the Majestic has been leased to a local moving picture manager to be used as moving pie ture theatre. The present Majestic policy of popular prices and three performances day will be put in force at the Lyric, MT. Hoblitzelle says.
 It is quite evident that the people of Birmingham who have liberally patronized theatres operated both by Mir. Hoblitzelle and MT. Wells are not being given a square deal. MT. Hoblit- zelle, and MT. Wells seem to think Birmingham theatregoers have no rights to be considered, but they will find out that they are sadly mistaken. Birmingham has five theatres, the Jefferson, the Bijou, the Lyric, the Orpheum and the Majestic. The Jeff ferson, being controlled by Klaw & Erlanger and playing only the higher priced road attractions, is not involved in the present muddle, but the people of Birmingham are entitled to know why it is that the Orpheum and the Bijou, both leased by MT. Wells, re- main dark while he and MT. Hoblit- zelle play "game of tag" to see which one shall continue to be the master of the local theatrical situa- tion.
 l Owing to the prevalent financial conditions in the country, which are keenly felt by the larger producing firms, the Jefferson theatre has had few bookings this season. Further more, the active competition of the Wells circuit in putting on plays and musical comedies has made none but the highest class, offerings profitable at the Jefferson. Birmingham has been forced to depend on MT. Wells and Mir. Hoblitzelle for the greater bart of its amusements. With these worthy gentlemen at loggerheads, the quality of amusemepts offered is, to say the least, negligible. The Lyric has been giving what is called "big time" vaudeville, although the bills were really mixture of "big time" and "small time" vaudeville: Now comes MT. Hoblitzelle with the an- nouncement that "small time" policy, although he does not call it that, will be inaugurated at the Lyric.
 Birmingham has outgrown "small time" vaudeville and the "small time'' way of doing business. Those persons who have been patronizing the Lyric are the sort who like to spend an evening in a theatre and see some thing worth while, instead of being driven out like sheep at the end. of the