half past four
We sat in our seats three whole hours and never understood anything but the thunder and lightning ; and even that was reversed to suit German ideas , for the thunder came first and the lightning followed after . The behavior of the audience was perfect . There were no rustlings , or whisperings , or other little disturbances ; each act was listened to in silence , and the applauding was done after the curtain was down . The doors opened at half past four , the play began promptly at half past five , and within two minutes afterward all who were coming were in their seats , and quiet reigned . A German gentleman in the train had said that a Shakespearian play was an appreciated treat in Germany and that we should find the house filled . It was true ; all the six tiers were filled , and remained so to the end -- which suggested that it is not only balcony people who like Shakespeare in Germany , but those of the pit and gallery , too . Another time , we went to Mannheim and attended a shivaree -- otherwise an opera -- the one called `` Lohengrin . ''