THE FIRST NIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 986, 31 May 1930, Page 26

THE FIRST NIGHT

How London Managers Seat the Audience

There has been so much talked lately about first-night audiences that it might be of interest if I were to give some idea of how a first-night “sheet” is made up, writes Alan Parsons in the London “Daily Mail." Before I begin, I may say that it often costs a manager a whole week’s hard work with pencil and indiarubber. Well, let us imagine he has the blank sheet before him; his first step will be to pencil in the Press seats, paying particular attention to the whims of certain critics; some, for instance, whom I could name, always insist, so far as is possible, on gangway seats. After that come the trade (or “library”) seats. That little bunch will probably have accounted for onethird of the stalls. After that, the first-night applications must be dealt with. To begin with, there are certain patrons who from time immemorial have had the same seats. These have to be arranged for; then the manager proceeds to “dress” the rest of the house as best he can. There are, of course, friends of the author and actors; these have to be carefully separated and care taken that no cause for jealously is aroused; then the applauders and non-applaud-ers (they are generally known) have to be carefully mingled together. Certain seats, too, have to be pencilled in for imaginary people, so that when at the last moment the “boss” asks for half a dozen seats, the seem ing miracle is accomplished, and the stalls produced. There are a number of well-known “knockers,” who always damn the show; these are purposely offered such bad seats that they probably refuse to come. The same procedure applies to the dress circle and to the upper circle: in the latter perhaps a third or more of the spectators always occupy the same seats. Their peculiarities are studied just as much as that of the stallite. Finally there is a No. 2 or waiting list, which is compiled largely with a view to its applause-value.