IN THE PIT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 39

IN THE PIT.

Ye 3, the theatre of the present day Is capable of good If wr only recognise it in the moral way we should ; If we'd only learn the happy knack of reading 'tween the lines The deep and wholesome lessons that the author deftly twines ; And it's full of strange conditions in the lives of men who ait With their silent, staring faces forming picture* in the pit. Ob, there's stories mutely told By the young and by the old — If you'd study human nature take a stroll .into the pit. There you'll find tbo bumble workman, tio:» you'll rind the city clerk ; Both are bent on pleasure only, ready, tco, foi any " lark," < ' And the contemplative student with his keen, c&seivant'eye — You will find him scrutinising— not a tvait will ! pass him by ; j And a feeling', strange and mystic, seems to link I them as they sit , I Crammed and jambed in close relation to enca i other in the pit. i There is no distinction there ; 1 Each one then must grin and boar, ! For one man's another's equal rubbing shoulders i in tbe pit. When a new play comes from London with the 1 hall-mark of success, You should hear the " johnnies" gushing to the verge of sheer excess ; And they'll point you out with pleasure what the clever author means, And the Wip dramatic instinct running through the flazzliriff scenes ; But that doesn't show for certain that the play has made a hitNo ! its got to run the gauntlet of a criticising pit. . For a play, to bold its own With the pit, must stand alone— Oh, they know a real good drama do tbe sharp 'uns in the pit. Walch those lines of eager faces when some great absorbing play Holds them wr.ipt in close attention ; try and read what they will Ray ; Subjects for the keeu observer, each one tells a curious tale — For your life is plainly written on your face, and will prevail ; Hani, drawn faces— soft, kind fece6— all have utories plainly writ. And they rorin » strange collection— living pictures in the pit. Yes, there's many a story told By the young and by the old — Oh, you drop across some queer folk when you're sitting iv the pit. When the play i« operatic you will see that eager crowd ; Line on lino tiu>y fill the bencheß— humble faces with tho piond ; Oh, the whistling and the barrack make a perfect Babylon, And the place is like a madhouse till the play is goiu£ on ; And the gay sparks cause amusement with their giiiu sarcastic wit, Till the "jobnnie3" grow indignant at tha barrack of tbe pit : With their " Hats off there in front," You discover wh^t they wantOn, there's music in the barrack of the gay sparks in the pit. Dunedin, April 23. -R. M.