Life — October 5, 1922 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page presents satirical costume designs for theatrical character types. "The Firstnighter" depicts an enthusiastic theatergoer holding a candle—likely mocking the devoted patron who arrives early and with excessive enthusiasm. "The Critic (First Gravedigger)" shows a rotund, serious figure with tools, suggesting critics as destructive forces in theater. "The Woman Who Laughs (at the Wrong Time)" ridicules female audience members who laugh inappropriately during performances. "Chorus of Coughers" depicts people with cough remedies, mocking disruptive audience behavior during shows. The satire targets common theatrical annoyances—overeager patrons, harsh critics, inattentive women, and sick audience members—presenting them as stock character types worthy of costuming. This reflects early 20th-century attitudes about proper theater decorum and audience etiquette.