Life, 1900-12-13 · page 1 of 20
Life — December 13, 1900 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, December 13, 1900 This page features a satirical sketch titled "At the Amateur Theatricals" with the caption: "She: What a fuss she makes about letting him kiss her! 'It shows that she is a natural born actress.'" The cartoon depicts two figures in an intimate moment, using theatrical performance as a metaphor for courtship behavior. The satire suggests that a woman's dramatic resistance to a man's romantic advances—her theatrical "fussing"—actually demonstrates genuine acting talent rather than sincere reluctance. The joke satirizes both amateur theatricals (community theater productions popular in the era) and social conventions around courtship, implying that romantic resistance itself is performative rather than authentic. The ornate decorative border and elaborate masthead design are typical of Life's elegant 1900s presentation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXXVI. NEW YORK, DEC. 13, 1900. NUMBER 945. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Ciass Mall Matter. Copyright, 1900, by Li7E PUBLISHING ComPaxY. AT THE AMATEUR THEATRICALS She: WWAT A FUSS SHE MAKES ABOUT LETTING HIM Kise DER! “17 SHOWS THAT SHE I$ A NATURAL BORN ACTRESS.” comicbooks.com