The Wasp — 1894 — page 96: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is **primarily advertisements and entertainment listings** for San Francisco venues (August 1890s era), with one significant article: "A Pertinent Chapter Relative to the Crime of Encore," by A. Sharp. The article satirizes excessive audience encores at concerts. Sharp argues encores have become an abusive practice: audiences demand repetition as a status symbol rather than genuine appreciation. He critiques both the audiences (who use encores to display wealth) and performers (who exploit this vanity). Sharp advocates for reform through reliable critics who would shame the worst offenders. The piece reflects period anxieties about **commercialization of high culture** and the rise of nouveaux-riche audiences lacking refined taste.