The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-11 00:00:00

The Music Halls and the Theatres,

LAMBETH POLICE COURT.

Mr. Prentice objected to the specification of Messrs.
Dircks and Pepper being referred to, as the illusion at the
Canterbury Hall was not produced according to the inven-
tion of those gentlemen.

Mr. Bosley said he thought he should be able to show
that it was very similar. The illusion was produced by
reflection, the real representation was placed below the
stage.

Mr. Arnold asked whether the mirror was on the upper
or lower stage ?

Mr. Besley said the reflection was transferred from
the mirror, which was below the glass on the upper stage ;
but, he must say, he thought it was but a quibble on the
part of the defendant, when they alleged that " Hodge
Podge" was not a stage play, because it was only produced
by shadows. He should call before the magistrate evidence
to prove that the entertainment was a stage play within the

meaning of the Act, and also to prove that the-Canterbury
Hall was fitted up with a stage front, borders, and

stage accessories, and when the witnesses had given their

evidence he felt sure he should have made out a case against
the defendant, and to call for the infliction of penalties

mentioned in the act, as it was of the greatest importance,
considering the large number of persons frequenting the
Canterbury, that some steps should be taken on the

subject.

Mr. Norton—Of the very large numbers of people who
go to the Canterbury Hall I must say, in justice to Mr.
Morton, very few of them come here.
The following were then called:—
Mr. Frederick B. Chatterten said—l am in partner-
ship with Mr. Edmund Falconer as lessee of Drury Lane
Theatre. On the 13th of January I went to the Canter-
bury Hall. I went into the stalls; I saw there were foot-
lights, a proscenium, a green curtain, and a drop scene.
There were musical instruments at the side. The persons
in the Hall were smoking and drinking. Before "Hodge
Podge" began the footlights were extinguished. That is
to increase the effect of the illusion. The performance
commenced about a quarter to 11 and lasted 35 minutes.
Before the curtain was raised the ordinary pantomime
overture was played. Upon the curtain being raised I
saw scenery and borders, and also three figures on the
stage.

Mr. Prentice—Three figures ?
Mr. Chatterton—Three shadows, then. I thought they
were figures at first, but when I saw them exit I found
they were shadows.
Examination continued -I had ono of the little books
already referred to. All the other characters were shadows
then as far as I know. I saw all the shadows, or, as they
are called in the pamphlet, "phantoms of the brain." The
words of the book were distinctly spoken by living charac-
ters, but I am not quite aware how the spectral illusion is
produced. There was a transformation at the end of the
entertainment, and then I saw the comic business. The
back scene changed. It was a sylvan scene. I recollect it
changing to a brick wall. In the burlesque opening there
was a plot, or, speaking professionally, I should say the
burlesque opening of a pantomime was performed. I did
not wait until the finish.
Cross-examined by Mr. Prentice.—l went to see whether
" Hodge Podge" was a pantomime. There was no living
person on the stage. The music was perfect as far as I
could judge. I saw the scene change, but not in the
manner of theatres. I saw the large inverted sheet of
glass, but I cannot say how it was placed. I ;thought the
gas was placed at the back of the stage. There was no
living person on the stage during the time. I saw a sylvan
scene changed to a brick wall.
Mr. Prentice—But that was not on the stage. It was in
the glass, you know.
Mr. Chatterton—lt seemed to me as if it was done on the
stage. We have had Pepper's Ghost at Drury-lane
Theatre, but I don't know what was the contrivance at
the Canterbury Hall. I was perfectly of opinion that if
"Hodge Podge" was performed on the stage, it was
a stage play. I have been twice to the Canterbury Hall
Tavern. I am under the impression that everything
was reflected in a looking-glass. I consider a magic
lantern used to illustrate stage effects a stage play. If, ac-
cording to my opinion, Shakspere's soliloquy of " The
Seven Ages of Man" was illustrated by the magic lantern, it
would be a stage play. I consider "Punch and Judy"
a stage play ; it was the origin of all plays.
Re-examined—l saw the movements of the lips of the
performers. The voice seemed to come from the stage—
the thing was so cleverly done. I have seen nothing like
it at the Polytechnic.
Mr. Horace Wigan said—l am the lessee of the Olympic
Theatre. I went on the 30th December to the Canterbury
Hall. I saw the representation of "Hodge Podge." I saw
the shadows, and also the head of one of the actors, and
the properties above the level of the trench in which the
actors were below. I presume that the occasion on which
I saw the head of the performer it was occasioned by the
actor being more agile than the others, and jumping too high.
I saw Hodge Podge. It was, according to my opinion, a
regular play. It had a plot. [The witness here related the
whole of the story of "Hodge Podge.") I considered it
a regular pantomime—a very good one, and very well done.
I was not on the level on the occasion I have referred to.
I was above, so I could see below.
Mr. Besley—You consider it a stage play?
Witness—Oh yes ; certainly.
Mr. Prentice—That's got to be proved yet.
Cross-examined—l have been but once to the Canter-
bury Hall. I went to see whether the entertainment was
an infringement of the Act of Parliament. I don't think
there was a living person on the stage. I don't aay there
was an actual change of scenery on the stage, but it was
changed below, and reflected on to glass which was visible.
I should say it occurred on the stage below and reproduced
on the upper stage. I will not swear there was a glass
on the stage at all.
Mr. Prentice—Then it must have kept very clean.
Mr. Norton—Were you there before the performance
began ?
Mr. Wigan—No, it had began when I arrived.
Mr. Norton—You could, if you had been, say whether
you saw scenery.
Mr. Wigan—The whole thing was very perfect. I have
given evidence before in a case.
Mr. Prentice—ls there anything objectionable in the
little book ?
Mr. Wigan—No, only it is objectionable to me to have
it played at all at the Canterbury .
Cross-examination continued—l don't think there was
any person on the stage. What I saw could not have been
produced without actors below. When I wastehxearm sir
d
on the occasion referred to, I was asked
as done
in S
Roger De Coverley" was a stage play, and I saidre, it would
be, if done a theatre. I consider the Lance,
in " The Corsican Brothers," a stage
performers as
the performers
in the thea-
tril4calri.
profession.Joh n M acl e a nl—sla
whave e beenat d
ssopoilefaeytihi
"'curious to discover how
described by Mr. Wigan.
dwl got as near the end of the
the lower glass was in
the illusion was
balcony as pass
that is, between them and the
front of the performers
audience. ipbrleo.ducle
Was there any scenery in the upper
Mr. Norton— thered saw
stage ?
Witness—, Yes there was a set scene on the upper stage.
• Examination continued—l went behind the scenes by
Mr. Morton's invitation, and, after the performance was
concluded, I was shown the whole of the means taken to
produce the illusion.
Cross-examined—l should not consider Pepper's Ghost
a stage play.
Mr. Norton—lf it was represented on the stage? -
Witness—No. That would not be a 'stage play, it would
be a representation of Pepper's Ghost on the stage ; but if
you make it do anything, that would be quite another
matter.

Cross-examined—lt would be quite possible to produce

The following appeared in our Late Edition of last
evening :
Mr. Charles Morton, the managing director of the Oxford
and Canterbury Hall Company, appeared this day before
the Hon. Mr. Norton, to answer a summons taken out
against him by Mr. F. B. Chatterton, one of the lessees of
Drury Lane Theatre, charging him with having permitted
stage representations at the Canterbury Hall.
Mr. Prentice, instructed by Mr. Mercer, of the firm of
Mercer and Mercer, 9, Mincing-lane, appeared on the part
of the company.
Mr. Besley said he appeared there on behalf of Mr. F,
B. Chatterton, one of the lessees of the Theatre Royal,
Drury-lane, as the representative of Mr. Mapleson,
Mr. Fechter, Mr. E. T. Smith, and Mr. Horace Wigan, to
make out a complaint against Mr. Morton for havingpermit-
ted the performance of stage plays at the Canterbury Hall,
he not having a license from the Lord Chamberlain to do so.
It had been said that the lessees of the theatres enjoyed a
monopoly, but he said that was the error, as the regulations
of the Lord Chamberlain had certain restrictions, which
certainly did away with such an impression. The theatre
managers were under the Control of a public officer, and
they were also under certain heavy restrictions with re-
spect to the plays represented, while the music halls, Who
could only be reached once a year, were under no such re-
strictions. The Act of Parliament upon which he
relied in order to prove a case against Mr. Morton was the
6th and 7th Vic., c. 68, sec. 28, and he might as well say
that the representation of which he complained was the
entertainment produced last Christmas. It was entitled
"Hodge Podge; or Butterfly Christmas Party, a Shadow
Sketch," by W. F. Vandervell. The characters, or phan-
toms, as they were called, were seven in number. First,
there was Hodge Podge, a young man who works for a
farmer ; Squire Crabtree, his friend ; Blue-eyed Susan,
Butterfly, and Papillon. There were also three witches
and fairies. The whole of the entertainment was
published in a little book, which was delivered
to any person who visited the place. There
were songs and dialogues embraced in it, and
at the end of the entertainment a transformation ensues,
then follows the comic business, and the whole concludes
with a very brilliant display of fireworks. He would put
in the specification of the patent awarded to Messrs.
Dircks and Pepper for the "Ghost" illusion, as it was called,
in order that the magistrate might be enabled to fully
understand his remarks.