WHY THE AUDIENCE CHEERED.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue XII, 23 March 1895, Page 272

WHY THE AUDIENCE CHEERED.

Some persons find it very difficult to distinguish whether they are being laughed at or * langbed with,’ as the expression goes, and many a public speaker and actor has appropriated applause that was meant for some other person or for some incident wholly apart from his speech or acting. Mr Wilson Barrett, the Euglish actor, relates a story of bis enthusiastic reception by a Dublin audience soon after a Fenian outbreak : * Little did I expect,’ he said, * the cheers which greeted my first apptaance. Every speech was received with a torrent of applause, and, being at that time a young man, I certainly felt myself a person of considerable importance before I got through the first act.’ Finally be said to rhe property-man of the theatre : ‘ A very warm audience.' • Yes, sir ; very warm.’ * Are Irish audiences often was warm ?’ • Not often ’ * They seem to like my acting very much?’ • The actin’ !’ returned the property-man ; ‘ it’s not that at all. They are after taking you for a relation of Barrett that was hanged.’