WOMEN'S THEATRE PARTIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6936, 27 October 1900, Page 3

WOMEN'S THEATRE PARTIES.

(Melbourne Argus.) Melbourne women, says the manager afc Her Majesty's Theatre, axe quite accustomed to enjoy the theatre without their men friends. On ordinary occasions about 60 ncr cent of the theatre-goers are women, who make up " hen parties " or else come in twos. A ladies' theatre party is now quite a common institution. "Dear Jess,—Anvand Mary and I are going to the Princess's on Thursday evening; early door. Do come ; meet us at the theatre at 7.30. Just a gem hat and coat and skirt. Bring your own lollies, and pay for yourself. Bring Lousia if you can get her, and then you will have company home. — Yours, Mabel." • Jess looks up Louisa, and they decide to go, and they enjoy themselves immensely without a man amongst them, especially if it ia a " weepy " piece. "What the ladies like above all things is a piece that makes them cry. A real good, comfortable cry they call it," says Mr Williamson, and he ought to know. This opens up a dismal prospect for men, for if women become by-and-bye the principal patrqns of the theatres they will. have to be principally catered for, and it would appear that doleful pieces are likely to predominate. " Oh, hang it all," said a country resident on a visit to Melbourne ; " don't let us go to ' East Lynne ;' it makes me cry. Igo to the theatre to enjoy mv self. Let's go to: 'The Silver King."* When the old man was mopping his eves at the scene between the lonely wife and tho faithful old servant,' the friend said, "Just look how your father is enjoying himself." Men will have to accommodate themselves to' circumstances,, and enjoy a good cry like the women. It was certainly an odious social tyranny that a woman could not go to see scone attractive play at the theatre till some man invited and accompanied her. Now she and her lady friend arrange to go, and they pay for themselves, and feel the blessings of independence and economy. For they go either to the gallery or the stalls, and there is no question of elaborate dressing involved. > Another reason for the emancipation of women in this respect is that the theatre is not so much preached against as at used to be. The theatre, the racecourse, and the ballroom were pointed out at one time in most Nonconformist churches as the three main' branches of the broad way. The desire is now, as a, recent writer puts it, " that our sisters shall have enough*, religion to ensure heaven, but not enough 1 to spoil earth." It mu«t be conceded that women use the liberty that they have achieved with decorum and good taste. They talk freely between the acts, but they are most attentive and intelligent listeners whilst the play (is in progress. I In regard to the dresses on the stage, they are in such an appreciative and sympathetic milieu that no words the necessary to convey to one anotiher that sense of elevated rapture which a lovely dress inspires. These, which may be described as the highest and purest emotions that the stage affords to women, yield a sens© of more exquisite einjoyment when women only are present. The women with the enormous hats, which are a tribulation and a cauee of offencß to the widening group of those who sit behind, something equivalent to the poLceman's "calculated to provoke a breach of the peace," are in every case accompanied by men. They pub on these mammoth creations partly to please the man, and partly because they know they have the shelter of his presence in inflicting this outrage on other persons in the theatre. Women alone dare not do it. ' Unsupported by a man they would never endure the demand, ""Take off that hat," or "Hats off in front." It is only under the protection of a man that they dare to make themselves such a nuisance to others. Women parties are modest and unobtrusive. It ia not pretended by women that a women's theatre party is, all other thing's be.ng equal, as enjoyable as one of which . men form a part;. " 'This would be against

nature, but they are much better than not going to the theatre at ajl. Women contend that their rational pleasures should not be dependent on the caprice or the goodwill of the other sex. They do not see why they should be dependent on their brothers or tihelr brothers-in-law or their friends', brothers, and hence tihey are rapidly emancipating themselves from restrictions which have no rational basis, but are merely the survivals of prejudices which have been developed in a condition of society different from our own.