The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-05 00:00:00

that everything intended to be represented
bonthe.
stage should be first sent to the Lord
The Act was a salutary Act, it was passed to pro-
vide for the safety of the public, and to insure good
manners and decorum on the stage. There were no
such powers in the Justices Act, an l the license they
had power to grant for music and dancing did not
cover entertainments of the stage. Their licence
only sanctioned such dancing as was indulged in by
the visitors ; it did not allow stage dancing or
dancing with scenes. He contended that the two
Acts, that of the 25th of George 111. and the sth
and 6th of Victoria, ought to be read together. The
Acts were introduced for the purpose of regulating
places where the idle and disorderly congregated,
and where robberies were likely to take place, and
for the further purpose of preventing anything in-
jurious to morality or decorum from being repre-
sented on the stage. He was satisfied the Court
would find that what was represented at the Alham-
bra under the name of a ballet was a stage repre-
sentation within the meaning of the Act. He had
no doubt that great expense had been incurred in
presenting the ballet before the public, but he was
satisfied that the ballet as there represented was as
capable of being written as an opera. An opera
might be played only from stage directions, but then
those stage directions would indicate to the Lord
Chamberlain whether anything improper was likely
to be represented, and would thus enable him to
stop the performance, or, if necessary, to have the
place closed.
Mr Poland—Would you have the story of a ballet
written ?
Mr. Besley did not see any impossibility in the
matter. There was the ballet of " Esmeralda," and
no one could doubt of that being a stage play within
the meaning of the act. As far as the penalty was
concerned, he was content to leave that matter in
the hands of the magistrate. At the same time he
would say, if Mr. Strange would consent to with-
draw the ballet now representing at the Alhambra,
he should be content with a nominal penalty.
Mr. Horace Wigan, lessee of the Royal Olympic
Theatre, said,—On Tuesday, the 27th ult., I went
to the Alhambra Palace. There was a regular pay-
place, and the basement was fitted up like a theatre,
with this difference, that there were tables about.
The place was lit by gas chandeliers, the same as
any other London theatre. There was an orchestra
—a very full one, and there were footlights to the
stage. It appeared to have the usual stage appurte-
nances—wings, flys, drops, &c. There was a set
piece, with cascades, and rocks, and real water, and
zigzag steps among the rocks. There were several
ladies present—about 60 or 70. They were perform-
ing a ballet and wore the usual ballet dress, and had
wands, palm branches, or bull-rushes, andperformed
the well-known ballet called °The Dagger Dance."
They went through the pantomime of attack and,
defence and putting to death an imaginary enemy,
who appeared to be on the floor. (Laughter.) There
was no chief dancer. What I have described was in
the first scene, but was not the first scene. Any-
thing that represents acting without words is panto-
mime. A ballet may exist without dancing, but can-
not without pantomine. Only two kinds of ballet
are known to me—ballet divertissement and ballet of
action. A ballet of action is a ballet in which a story
is told, a ballet divertissement is one in which no
fable is narrated, but a mixture of pantomime and
dancing, in which incidents are represented by
pantomime. If you were to call upon me to dance
the Cachuca I could very well do it even here, but
if I did so it would be no ballet, but if I did it on
the stage it would be a ballet. In the ballet at the
Alliambra the dancers formed themselves into ranks.
There was only one scene. It was divided into three
different and distinct portions. Ballets of action do
not always consist of one scene, but ballets diver-
tissements do. I have had some experience in putting
ballets on the stage ; the ballet-master gives instruc-
tion. A ballet is usually composed. Ballets are
composed by other persons than ballet-masters. The
ballets of " Ma.saniello" and " Gissella" were writ-
ten. I could put any ballet into writing. I could
by reading a ballet realise in my mind what I saw.
By Mr. Poland—l could put the ballet I saw into writing.
I think I could put the first set of quadrilles into writing.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—lt would be a set of stage directions,
telling the dancers how they were to proceed ?
Mr. Wigan—Exactly so.
Mr. Poland—Suppose the "Lancers" and "Sir Roger de
Coverley" were danced in fancy dresses on the stage of the
Alhambra, what would you call it ?
Mr. Wigan—A theatrical entertainment.
Mr. Poland—lf in plain clothes ?
Mr. Wigan—yes, if with stage accessories.
/4r. Poinn4 -If in aw.lnins. clroao 7
Mr. Wigan—Yes, I should then call it a stage entertain-
ment. My definition of a stage entertainment is something
represented in a theatre, and which cannot be represented
without the accessories of the stage. I would not call private
theatricals a stage representation.
Mr. Poland—You said the dancers went through the
pantomime of attack and defence. Was that the case ; or
did they merely advance and retreat ?
Mr. Wigan—They flourished daggers. Some advanced
and some retreated. They all had the same kind of weapons.
The dance is a very well-known dance. Others can give a
better description of the ballet than I can. All the ladies
were not dressed alike. They kept time to the. music. What
I saw was a pantomime. I should not call a gentleman bow-
ing to a lady in a dance a pantomime. If you indicate any-
, thing it is a pantomime. There-are pantomimists who are
not dancers. --_ I should call a contortionist a tumbler.
Mr. Poland—What ! though he don't tumble ?
Mr. Wigan—He does tumble. Some call themselves
contortionists, some sprites, and some gymnasts. I should
not call that an entertainment of the style which may be
performed without accessories. The first and foremost
accessory was the theatre,which meant the scenery, curtain,
lights, &c. A pantomime is a well-known entertainment,
in which there is a story or legend acted by men and
women. Words are spoken in some of the pantomimes,
but that has only ofalate years been permitted. Had the
Clown or Pantaloon done so in former days they would
have been fined. As soon as dialogue begins pantomime
ends. There were no men on the stage at the Alhambra
There was a premiere donseuse, and she appeared to be a
superior person to the rest, as they made arcades for her to
walk under. They were not all dressed alike. The chief
dancer was dressed as an ordinary ballet dancer. It was a
stage play. I should say "Sir Roger de Coverley," or any
dance on the stage was a stage play. In what I should
term the pit there were tables with seats for persons to sit
and take refreshments, and persons were able to move
about. There were divisions between the tables as to the
prices. I saw no traps used, but there might have been
trap doors on the stage. The scene remained unchanged.
It was not a drop curtain, but a curtain well known among
theatricals. The curtain is called a tableau curtain, similar
to:the one used by Mr. Charles Kean at the Princess's, and
draws up in festoons. A ballet of action is represented by
a certain number of dancers representing characters.
Ile-examined by Mr. Besley—l did not see one of the
programmes when I was at the Alhambra, but I have seen
one since. Most of the dancers were taking part in the
imaginary killing.
Mr. John M'Lean, comedian—l have been five years in
l'the profession, and am acquainted with all sorts of enter-
tainments on the stage. I went with Mr. Wigan to the
Alhambra. I saw the grand divertissement, but I had seen
the other divertissement the night before. It was more
simple in its general character. Both were ballets diverti,s-
tissements. Feelings and wishes were expressed by actions
by the performers. That is what I understand by panto-
mime, though there may be a ballet without dancing. I
wrote, a.description of the ballet at the Alhambra. I un-
derstand by pantomime something opposed to speech.
Mr. Tyrwhitt—The merit of mimic acting consists in
expressing meanings without words.
Mr. M'Lean—Yes ; I recognized the grand divertissement
as being a reproduction-of the ballet scene from the panto-
mime of Drury-lane Theatre last year. I recognized not
only the general arrangement but the music as well. I did
not recognise the Dagger Dance. The scene was different,
but there was a fall of real water and rock built up at the
back. The ladies were theatrically clad, and provided with
wands.(Mr. M'Lean read his description of the ballet.) The
grand divertissement occupied about 33 minutes in its per-
formance, or it might have been three-quarters of an hour.
All ballets divertissements are prepared with one set scene.
By Mr. Poland—There were no daggers at Drury-lane.
The scene was similar in its arrangements. The rocks
were built up, and the ladies came down a winding path-
way. I have seen similar scenes. The same kind of dress
1s Seen in all ballets. There were different principal
dancers. The principal dancer has her own solo. There
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the stage. If representing a
tainment of the stage ; numbegrrsoup I should call it an en-
wouldl should not call anything are make a difference.
without speaking or action. presentation of the stage
Mr. Vincent Rourke, of Drury-lane Th • care, actor—l
have been 20 years in the profession, and aril acquainted