The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-30
Final Success of Play Not Always to Be
Judged by the Initial Impression-In-
stances Where Startling "Comebacks"
Have Been Made on New York Stage


opinion. has the following to say
against the theory that the verdict Of
a first night audience Is absolutely
conclusive as to success or failure or
that this first opinion Is ever Of uni
form value:
THE verdict Of the first night audi
ence ~ very seldom clear and dehnite>
Once in a while 1t Is. Once In a while
play gets over with such q bang
that there can be no possible question
Of the unanimous approval OF the audi
ence. Or again. a failure may be just
az evident. But as a rule the vote
isn't at all as one sided as that-the
ayes are almost as loud as the 'noes,'
or vice versa, and the hearing Of the
manager must be very acute indeed II
he can tell offhand which u In the ma
jortty.
$50 many things affect the nrst
righter's vote. He knows some Of the
actors In the cast and he wants to give
them a sendoff and so he applauds up
| ronriously whether he really likes the
performance or not. On hrst nights
there are receptions that amount al
| most TO ovations that are never heard
at subsequent performances. have
heard first night audience give an act
a dozen curtain calls and shout for q
speech from tho star or the author.
and on the third or the fourth night
| that same act. Just as well played
| maybe better--got barely two or three
calls and no one thought even Of ask
ing for a speech. Then there are al
ways a lot Of professionals in a first
night audience. They may not be an
agonistic-usually they are not con-
sciously-but they are always critical.
The author thinks he could have writ
/ ten that scene lots better, the manager
thinks he could have given the play .
better production. and the actress
knows she could play the leading
lady's part much better than the lady
who does play It. This feeling doesn't
Lessen their applause. Maybe they ap-
plaud all the founder on account Of L.
But they have the feeling and they
communicate It in some subtle. tois-
pathic way to their neighbors. II ID
all quite different at the performances
that follow. when most OF the audience
have to look at their programmes to
find out who the actors in the cast arc.
I II
doesn't place himself In a position to
really get the first night verdict. II
he spends the evening on the stage he
certainly doesn't get 1t. II he spends
It In the lobby or at the back OF the
house he doesn't get 1t, either. He
hears laughter and applause, but he
doesn't know what causes 1t. A cat
walking across the stage may get O
tremendous laugh, or an actor may re-
cover skilfully from an accidental fail
and bring the house down. The man.
ager who really wants to know what
the first night verdict IL must sit down
In the heart of the house, and he mus
stay there-see 1t all from beginning Ia
end. Charles Frohman practised that
Most OF his first nights he spent in q
seat In the balcony where he could ses
! the entire performance and feel what
tho spectators about him felt. That Il
the only way. And even then. a.
have said. there arc no many things
about f1rst night performance and q
first night audience that make them
different from any subsequent par
Torrance or audience that tho wiss
manager will always take the frs,
. night verdict. whatever 1t may be, with
at least a small pinch of salt"
David Belasco Il Almost ~ Doubt.
| full.
David Belasoo. who knows so iitti,
, failure on the first night or any other
, expressed his opinion In these words
, ASKED by THE SUN to estimate tn.
value OF the verdict OF a FIRST night
audience. I may say that Il is not I