THEATRE MANNERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2954, 14 December 1916, Page 6

THEATRE MANNERS

Sir,—l hope you will give inu leave to support iiir. Kawsuu in his objections to tho theatre manners or people ol a. certain case of uiina. i uo not think these people deliberately set out 10 offend, l rauier believe "tney are a fittie se'ilisk, a Hide tuougiiuoss, ana a Htt'o excited. belbsunfcbS, Uiongnclessness, and excitement woriiiiig on ignorance "have just that eftect or provoking loquacity. Of tne great "lady" and thu great boUuder who deliberately insult tlieir fellow-beings by talking, under the pretence than tuey are ui.uwareof tneir company—ignoring tne ract that buo lor. me company tiiey would not be in the theatre au all—x t-nmfc we have only a lew instances. Uur social circumstances do not. permit er their breeding Ireely, we all have to work tor our livings here, it is the dove-coter and the baby worsnipper, and the yellow-haired young thing who cannot but express tho joy she reels at being set free for an hour or two, who do the principal part of the offending, liking people to Know they are happy. Tbe other part, the unprincipal part, is -taken by the solemn ass, who is always explaining the obvious, aud must enlighten Sophpnisba's rusticity as the plot of Ihe opera unfolds, even with snatches of anticipatory divine song; by an occasional mother smoothing out, family troubles by the aid of the half-light and tho shimmer of the violins; and by the real little girl whom one loves as he turns~ah only half-reproving head. At the bottom of tho trouble is the greedy theatre manager, with a hotter knowledge of the spiritual poverty of humanity than humanity suspects.

Talking and keeping flamboyant hats hoisteil should be indictable offences in theatres. —I am, etc,

F. V. WATERS, December 12, 1916.