It has been discovered that thrilling mystery or “spook” plays, of which
there have been an unusual number lately, have a tendency to increase
the temperature of those who witness them. Prof. Edward F. Miller of
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted a number of tests
among various audiences and found this to be true. His assertions were
substantiated by Chicago theatre managers, one of whom said:
“The excitement created by mystery plays starts the blood to circulating
so quickly that heightened temperature is the result. I notice that
the theatre warms up at the end of the first act, when the play is an
exciting one. We have to watch the temperature of our theatres more
closely when a play, that is exciting or has a great emotional appeal is
being given.”
The owner of a motion picture theatre disagreed with this, but said that
a comedy film always means a rising temperature.
“Five minutes of laughing,” he said, “will send the thermometer up,
unless provision is made to keep the temperature the same. The reactions
of each audience are identical, and we know when an audience is going
to laugh more than usual, and so I push the button on the thermostat
that throws in more cool, washed air, and the audience does not feel the
effect of the heat-producing laughter. Normally, there is a complete
change of air every three minutes, but when the piece is particularly
funny it is changed oftener. There is real activity when the theatre
patron laughs, but when other emotions are aroused he sits quietly, and
no excess energy is created.”
_Creeping Horror Lurked_