SOCIOECONOMIC ORGANIZATION OF THE THEATRE were unpaid everywhere until very late in the century; for actors and actresses this could mean three to four weeks unpaid labour prior to the opening of each new piece, but dancers and choristers in comic opera (well-trained terpsichoreans and musicians) could be in fulltime unpaid employment for eight to ten weeks before each original production Gardner calculated the out of pocket costs of a three week rehearsal (lodgings and board extra): Among the many hardships suffered by the ‘small people’ of a London company is not only the non-productiveness of rehearsal periods, but the expense attached thereto For instance, the daily railway or omnibus fare and frugal luncheon, costing together an average of eighteen-pence a day, will have amounted to about 30s., or perhaps nearly a week’s salary, by the time the salary commences.85 Auxiliaries, such as choristers and dancers, were disqualified from receiving help from the Actors’ Benevolent Fund, their wages prohibited most of them from subscribing to insurance plans, and the one theatrical charity for which they were qualified (the Dramatic, Equestrian, and Musical Sick Fund benevolent branch) gave away a mere £258 in 1883 Only highly paid actors could force managements to compensate them for spending weeks in rehearsal.86 Half pay, when granted, was bestowed as a favour not a right Choruses were often reduced after a few weeks, and if the show closed prematurely choristers faced another unremunerative rehearsal period.87 Persistent lobbying by the Choristers’ and Actors’ Associations in the 90s resulted in only 6s on £1 1s salaries being granted (for dancers and supers), and 12s 6d on £3 salaries.88 Matinees sometimes paid only half the rate of evening performances, if anything, and further restricted daytime employment (including the hours available for tutoring young dancers) Actresses of the legitimate stage also had professional costs apart from their performing wardrobes Like women in other trades where personal appearance was considered important, actresses were required to look their best at all times Maude Royden draws a parallel between the situations of actresses and office typists Although she exaggerates when she says that the discrepancy between income and expenses necessarily led to prostitution, her point about a budgetary deficiency is salient: 31