The Washington herald., 1920-12-12
Noise-Making Cult
Growing in Theater
Actors Former Conversational
Precedence Now Usurped
By the Audience
By EARLE DORSEY.


rule in the theater.
There was a time of course when conversation
in the theater followed definite and well-esablished
During those brief periods when the curtain
was lowered between acts the right of an audience
or a pIaywright's theme was unchaIienged by aught
the libel laws. On the other hand during those
themselves were believed to have diaogic right
of-way and audible comments on all ana tn foo,
Hghts-unless the show was too awful
This idea. however obsolete one Things
difficult dinerentiate box-holder from member
of the cast The minute fat woman in an evens dih
begins a sociable harangue in tone inauoiole
than 400 feet one instantly suspects ne %
footliEhts and join the comedian in song number
For. of recent months, new and noisy cult has
developed in the theater It's adherents pursue in
but the object is the same in the long EInsto ax
hx up last years evening gown buy cajole pair
of tickets to opening performance and tnen oetray
or become interested in the conversational
lights.
6 This indifference to the play incidentally may
be emphasized by sprishtly and thoroughly audible
dress Behind or beside one. though some rseommend
the unrestrained musical litter at serious moments
leading man to glare. which assists the audience in
locating ones exact position Both OF these e.no1 S I
which position is easily visible to all eyes ana
from which 1osGn one in 4Ss silly enough
to pay $3.50 seat to see a play
TF YOU are interested in keeping abreast of the
times there are a number of other methods of dis
tracing attention the stage to oneself that
bit oIdfashioned perhaps but within reach of the
average purse. One way isf to lease an orchestra
seat preferably behind Lou Dougher. and repeat the
cute % .ensaS nss af I hs from
This is fairly effective particularly II you chance to ns
repeat each line after you The range of effective
disturbance. of course, is regulated solely by the
an instance, where fat man with an anti-volstead
aroma managed to ruin a play for RADIUS OF ten
chairs either side. =
am indebted. however. Haywood Broun for
reporting method that is freauently powerful IN us
effect the audience though 1t has the
of actoria approval One if equipped with large;
powerful. percussing palms extract tul meeo s % o.
Entertainment from show and great deal OF an
noyed attention from the audience by poundns ous S
sIS,.nce desires careful study method may
result in faint hiss from some person ~
slid down in his seat before dehverlns II
This same method may be varied, likewise by
setting up a tremendous APPLAUSE the moment the
gives him no time to acknowledge your greeting. If
ne cIapping continued long enough ana turiousy
TO bow In this manner. appreciable gap VIII oe
torn in the fabric of the plot andLmuca en- more Inn %
portant-there may be persons who VIII lmaslne
he star is a friend of yours and that your en-
thusiasm your friends entrance into tne Soeno
mas PerSsos the most notable and effective instance
Of the new cult and its methods that has come to
NV own attention occurred the Garrick Mon
day night 1t easily one OF the most successtul
Semonstrations of the society" method wit
ne.sed hereabout in weeks The personal appearance
of the adopts heightened by the anatomical dis
NAV Permissible with evening dress and the audible
conversation trick employed effectively during
the milder moments of the action. The most pro
found results however. were obtained, during tne
tenser moments of the play, when during mgny
emotional scene of the most deadly eh tten
of the occupants of the box monoponaeo at Ise s.
tion of the audience by tittering The enect was s
emphasized by Taylor Holmes momentary error In
gIaring into the box
- EPoRTs from other cities indicate that the move
x is growing in popularity and authorities on
i the subject agreed that the best results
obtained so-caIed artistic" performances, where
and Sefos the limited attention of the auditor who
thus falls an easier victim to the ministratons Of
the publicity 1SS5U1g t c the ana actaE s
comfort of hotel and Pullman life
this connection, 1t might be said that the
members of the mechanical department by loudly
voiced haloos to Mike 10 turn them borders of fer
which are readily audible to audience despite
its own 'tween-act clamor. 1t has the effect. in
Sut childish Illusion Of the thsater andNeads to the
impression that one has invaded dress rehearsal
The best psychologist thought of the theater
but recently committed to the theory that outcrop-
chiidshness of mentality inherent in those indvid-
Tas to S.sTss wS% to !. notSing more than the n
eenuous, bland complacency OF an individual VINO,
othsrs we're not slow to contend that it was due
to a growing dissatisfaction with the quanty OF
1rsss ideas however are practically discarded.
more comprehensive study of the situation.
.orducted during recent months, has led to a new
Theory which accepted by the best practitioners
Of the theater 1t is regarded as manifestation OF
the new economic in America, which, having
.nriehed a large number Of INDIVIDUALS whose
Former acquaintanee with the heater was connned
to the bii-boards. brings into the theater as
customers which is unable to restrain desire
10 tell the world they've arrived"
IT A particularly marked in those who have
tained to the boxseats either through buying space
or knowing the managers wife. 1t is not in the
naturaI order of things that long debarreds
through economic stress, from enjoyment Of the,
theater and its wares. should suddenly attain to q
hox seat and evening clothes and be expected to
keep the 20 herself ~ -
For II one does not talk through mildly interest
ing parts OF the action. laugh through the more
serious scenes of the drama, how earth is one
to convey the overwhelming fact that he she Is
sesA "A BOX AT THE THEAYTER,