Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-22
THE DRAMA.

In the extract of a letter which follows these
remarks, view of the stage is given, which,
though never vet seen in America, we vet hope,
in most OF its phases, we may frequently see.
1t will be seen that no scenic effects are at
tempted there is no orchestra TO arouse the feel
ings, and give them a current discordant with
the representations the stage between the
acts there is no ringing Of the hell and fall of
curtain no rushing out Of half the audience no
discussion and gossip among the auditors, TO dis
sipate the influence Of the play, and check and
divert the trains Of thought and feeling which
have been flowing tremendously with those of
the master spirits on the stage no music to
seduce the mind from the scenes before il no
interruption TO the beginning Of new act by the
returning crowd which has been out 10 refresh
itself on liquor and ground nuts
In all these matters, Rachel shows her eminent
genius as well as in the actual presentations on
the stage. She found from experience, being
herself lover Of music, the mischievous effects
Of an orchestra, when grand tragedy was to be
enacted, or when the feelings Of an audience
were TO be highly wrought She found the sweet
strains Of music allured her mind TO their indul-
gence, banshing for time the feelings OF the
character she was representing, so that when she
was herself to appear on the stage, il was with
great effort, and often unavaiIing effort that she
tried to impress upon herself the feelings Of the
heroine, after they had been cooled or diverted
by the intoxicating music as this would occur
repeatedly during play, and during every play
she found il uncomfortable, and insisted upon the
abolition Of the orchestra. The manager de-
INJURED, Rachel insisted, the manager resisted !;
Rachel was peremptory the manager remon-
strated that the people would pull the house
down # there was no orchestra; Rachel gave him
has choice of no Rachel or no orchestra.
The manager in a great puzzle, finally con-
cluded that TO lose Rachel was a certain loss.
but TO dismiss the opera was not quite 80 certain
and so he yielded holding himself in readiness
IN case any dangerous storm should arise to step
forth and give glory to Rachel The audience
collected, the orchestra did not, the play pro-
ceeded, the orchestra was not missed, Rachel
triumphed, and, as a Frenchman remarked, only
a Rachel or Napoleon could have dispensed
with orchestra.
Every rejecting mind must admit the distract.
ing influence Of the orchestra that striking
scenery, shifting scenes, the frequent fall Of the
act drop, and the usual concomitants Of the be-
tween acts, dangerously, for the artist, divert
the mind, giving even an unpleasant conclusion
Tor while i Is under the full flow Of sympathy
with the actor, who has got the audience in
bis power, finds itself suddenly called 70 dis.
course the weather, or listen to some wise
critique upon some apparent anachronism Of the
scenes o costumes, or has the ears filled with
the notes Of the orchestra, the entire curren, Of
feelings changed itself, relieved from the magic
power Of the genius on the stage to which he
had so willingly and pleasingly resigned itself
All these matters dispensed with by Rachel do
equal injustice TO auditors and artists they sui
only light performance, and when the actors have
no power 10 grapple the hearts and minds Of
their hearers. We should like to see the expert
ment tried here by one capable. The quiet which
the arrangement Of Rachel nsures, the breath.
less attention, the rapidly circulating animal
magnetism which this occasions gives intensity Of
action TO the artist, and Of feeling to the auditor,
heightening alike the pleasure Of both. The
GIFTED writer Of the letter herself second only TO