ANOTHER THEATRICAL COMPLAINT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 10

ANOTHER THEATRICAL COMPLAINT.

Sir,—As a constant reader of your paper, I have;noticed' various :.theatrical,,controversies ; lately. .First,of all, -,tho indignation.;niceting oif.;,managers at.'lnvercargill,,'relating-to tho speculator in booking untes.'. Then, a - dresscirclo.:patroh.'.wanted shelter erected in .front of ■• ■ House," Wellington (and' o,uitb right,.too),.--Following this was a disappointed ;'-'jack;; and, Jill"-, patron—tho latter, of courso •is; a "matter'''-'pf: taste.-. For myseltV .Lgo ,to "almost" anything' that conies alongi ■ arid ;tako ■thb''go'bd. with 'tho.bad. . '■'•* ".-

'■'> But "I have a .grievance, too—it is- this: On a certain night of, "As You Like It," recently, I-.tbofc'inyiwiio and family of. three, and being only a'man., of-ordinary, means' I ..patronise the :3s. - seats, i: This then, vvith parly door .fee/' tram, farcs,;"and; a packet; of .sweets .'runs 'into >?l;.per: porforinahco-^ahd-'thero■ aro inumerous other.regular patrons' like, .myself, (fci the night'.'iii; question ;w6 .waited at the early :doorfor. on/.hour and; -being • "frorit-rankors," wo .were iablo through; the scrum ...»nd -scramblo%tq-a seat.;.But,imagine the .dismay of• the r scores,',who .followed to find-that;only .the.'-back.-voWiiof-.'sedts-.-had,been.kept for"the early,,..ddor l^tol ns.'j|Aloo ( ut thirty people, irerri 'scate'dirandv. alh.-f ho.-rest .had, to, stand,'-except those, .who'; thought; fit' to.r'pay ■; the extra; admis-. isl*n!'itS--i>,Bi(,'.' i Eent;A'i■.'.'!!!?',». '■ :,}-'.':'.'■.;.;-: '•'.:'•'■:;' ' $1 -'.■ Tp, ; m'yV ; personal, .knowledge; .thero .were .only sLtr'.extrar.rows of -■■ the booked at-'.'tho ilDttsdoti- office .that day;; tlion 'thero'.wore five or six; mbro;,v%s whictyit'io' ushers Atp'i'o. busily-, bhgaßo!U:.placiri'g , .l"feserved" i cards on.tlio ieats;leaving one'-row'for, the3s. GuV people.. Nothing; could 1 Ui}' more""plainly seen '.that';, this : , was either; a"''d6dgo to •induca'thoso who-had-not-obtained a■ seat-to 'pay' ss. It is : awkward for., any uiniu standing with, a lady to-refuse tho' extra; demand: 0110. expressed tho position in ill nutshell, that "he- had. got'. a. seat;: in' j'the same'part; of:the, house for' a''bob' many a. time '(whon.it .waS'tho pit) and now. ho', had •to. pay; 35." ,Cd..to stand. • " '■-.".■ .': ;.iWellington is Uio'ted'as being the best 'show cily.'sin'-Wew, Zealand, ■ and yet I 'believe , the, ; managemcnt,is the worst of any. ,As ; ono who has ;beon -to theatrical-performances in all parts'of the-world,,! venture to say; tho Wellington' people,are tho worst off .in regard to comfort of:,any I have seen—no system, poor seating,'"-'high prices. 'Anyone knows that it •is'possibloi.to.-gct an upholstered chair-seat with,' : comfort.nud.casc from less than a sliillingVto-: in London theatres : 'and music-halls,;yet wo havoto pay 3s. Gd. for the. chdncoi'of/a, seat on a form. .Of -course, ,I. ..quite, understand '-'that':'., transport and alt that sort-of thing .is- an expensive item in New ■Zealand,, 'but. ; don't ,yo\v think',.,..llr..' Editor,, that' something' decent might be expected for .'Ss;.;Gd?. .Jjnm-ribt-cavilling at the'duality of , >lcnt,;;,but;'tb.e,;monb.somciit, in its_ treatment .moted out; to constant"patrons,which is not enhanced' by the behaviour. of somo ushers who .are;'at:tinies positively .'rude;.'"-'■; ■'.' : '':'•'■ '.'■ •• Tho'rtheatrical' caterers can, therefore, expect ;.little;; sympathyi'whciv ithey aro being "paid back, ■': m.'.their" own; coin"' as, it were by. the "cornering" ■of date's as reported,' For my .Dart.vl.'aniflcaving theatres alone,, until there-is;-.an v Thanking- yon in anticipation', fc'r inserting '.this.—l am, etc., ••'.'-.' --&•',:; :.'''.';'-., :EAELT DOOE.