hose
views are worth more than those of the playgoers either in the gallery
or the most costly seats.

For a long time some of us believed in this tradition, probably, in
fact, until circumstances caused us to move forward and study plays from
the other side of the ambulatory barrier. One thing is certain--the pit
plays a very great part in determining on a first night the apparent
failure or success of a play, for on most occasions comparatively little
noise is made by way of applause or condemnation save in the pit and
gallery.

The stalls are remarkably frigid, though, on the other hand, they never,
or hardly ever, show any active signs of disapproval. Somewhat false
impressions are produced upon critics nearer to the footlights than the
back seats. One of them the other day stated "the fall of the curtain
was greeted with hearty and long-sustained applause from all parts of
the house." Yet three of us noted--and compared notes--that after a
little clapping, followed by one elevation of the curtain, the stalls
did not contribute at all to the cheers. That evening there was a
peculiarity in the pit's applause. It was "patchy." Here and there
little groups were very noisy, and at the wings were some people from
the "front of the house," quite enthusiastic about a performance of
which they could have seen very little if they had attended to their
duties, whilst there were noiseless areas of considerable size.

There is no need to suggest that the pit lacks judgment merely because
it is composed very largely of those from whose mouths, according to the
Psalmist, cometh forth wisdom; not, indeed, that in our West End houses
there are present those very youthful playgoers who cause a disturbance
by their audible refusal of the attendant's proposal of "ginger-beer,
lemonade, bottled ale, or ... stout," being tired perhaps of the
last-named beverage owing to the quantities they have
taken--vicariously. Nevertheless, the pit on many first nights is
wonderfully young; indeed, we calculated the other night that the
average age of its temporary inhabitants was much less than half that of
the distinguished company representing the play, and considerably less
than that of the people whose late arrival caused murmurs and even words
of disapproval.

It is natural for youth to be more enthusiastic than middle age, so one
may easily explain the fact that the pit is more exuberant in
demonstration than the stalls without the theor