THE MUSIC HALL.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9132, 17 June 1895, Page 2

THE MUSIC HALL.

It was an alliance—nay, fusion—of the showman and publican that begot the i music hall as we now know it. I fancythough of this it would be hard to adduce positive evidence —that the germ of the Empire, the Palace, and the Pavilion ie to be found in a mere public house " singsong" or smoking concert, the original performers belngdrawn from the audience, and returning to the audience when their "turn" was over. Of this first stage of evolution the " Chairman " who still presides in many halls, ia a clear survival. He came into existence, no doubt, at the time when there was no set programme for the evening's entertainment, but the audience, or rather the convivial company, simply requested this or that gifted amateur to "oblige." The Chairman. like the Speaker In the peaera] sense of the meeting. Professionalism, however, would creep In long before the gathering lost its air at boon companionship and became a mere audience separated by a hard-and-fast barrier from the performers. A. parttsularly mellifluous or sidesplitting singer would be found to draw customers to the tavern. The publican would entice him to make it his nightly resort by putting bim on the free lisc for refreshment ; and presently he would demand a salary, threatening, In cisc of refusal, to desert, with his admirers Co the public house over the way. Thus a class of paid and to gone extent trained vocalises would come into existence ; rival caterers would compete for special talents; those who secured them would find it necessary to build large and," of course, glittering "caves of harmony* for their social evenings; a hall would involve a stage or platform; and given a platform, what could be more natural than to call In the aid of gymnast*, jugglers, ventriloquists, and mountebanks of all sorts from the booths, while enlisting from the minor theatres the services of male and female comedians and dancers I—Contemporaryl—Contemporary Review.