The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-15
THE ENGLISH STAGE.


anything about theatrical matters. II Is world
by ITSELF with its own peculiar customs and
regulations for, ultra Bohemian as it may seem,
it is as subject to It's own laws as the fashiona-
bic or the religious world. What some OF these
regulations and customs are we find interest
ingly set forth in a recent article in Chambers
Journal, which is accurate so far as regards the
English stage. There The newly engaged actor
is obliged to sign a set of "rules," of which the
following may aSord an example:-
81. Every member of the company required
TO assist in the national anthem; also to give
their services for the music of Macbeth, mas
querade and dirge of Romeo and Juliet, music
OF P1zdTrO etc. 2. Ten minutes allowed for
change of dress. 3. Ten minutes grace allowed
for difference of clocks, for the hrst rehearsal
only 4. No performer allowed in front of the
house before or atter performing the same
evening. 5. Any member of the company going
on IL stage, either at rehearsal or at night, i'm
state OF mtoXiCatiOn, to forfeit one weeks
salary, or to receive immediate dismissal at the
option of the manager 6. For addressing the
audience without the sanction of the manage
ment TO forfeit five shllings. lin some theatres
this is guinea torfeitl 7. For using bad Lam
guage, or being guilty of violent conduct one
guinea. 8. For neglecting stage business, as
arranged by the stage-manager at rehearsal, five
shilllngs. 8. For being absent at rehearsal
for the first scene, one shilling; for every sue
ceeding scene, siXpenCe. 10. For crossing the
stage during performance, five shillngs. H.
FOR loud Speaking at the wings and entrances
during business, two shillngs. II. Fer being
imperfect at night, sufficient time having been
allowed for study, five shillings. Is. For re.
fusirg to play any part, such character being in
accordance with the terms of engagement one
guinea. Ia. For keeping the stage waiting
tWo-and-sixpence. 10. For OBTAINING prompt
book beyond the time arranged by stage
manager, two shillings. 16. On benefit occa-
slons, pieces selected to be submitted for the
approval OF the management before issuing bills
or announcements
In addition to these reasonable rules, there are
Others OF more stringent and arbitrary cha
racter. One is Piven which must have been in
vented by wag:-"Rule twelve-Actors are re-
quested not TO grumble and stay, but to grumble
and CO." This must be regarded as a downright
suspension of the constitutional privileges of
petition and complaint of grievances, but was
doubtless only aimed at the chronic grumblers
who Iniest every profession.
As to the wardrobe, in the English provincial
theatres the ladies have to find everything for
themselves; gentlemen are only required to
have modern dresses OF their own, and pro.
perties-namely boots, tights, hats, feathers,
wigs, canes, swords buckles, etc.--though
many, who are particular as to fit, prefer dress
ing themselves even when the stock wardrobe
is large and various.
On this subject of dress the Journal has some
advice that might be applicable in this country.
1t says:-
DRESS.
'Many ladies and gentlemen who ought to
know better, if they can but attire themselves to
thelr satisfaction, throw all other considerations
into the backeround-a lamentable mistake
that, as although dress has a certain influence
with the British public, 1t never yet was known
to drag an actor through part; and it must be
extremely calling to bad and imperfect per-
former TO have warm reception given him en-
tlLeI! L y on that score, as 1T sometimes happens,
and to hear the gods shout heartily :-'Brayvo
the dLessp One should try to hi hit the happy
to propriety of costume, without negectng
other essentials The style aud cut of q stage
garment are of more consequence than the
quality or nature of the material of which it is
composed, and the correct dress of the period
certainly enhances the beauty of the play: yet
in the School for Scandal and other elegant
comedies of the same date the gentlemen gene
rally sport mousaches; and star appears in
GUy MdnaeTjng without previously shaving off
his whiskers and imperial. But carelessness in
these and other such instances is not half so
censurable as the downright ignorance that is
occasionally to be met with in the profession"
We doubt if the pleasant picture the Journal
draws of the green-room banquets of former
times could have been truthfully sketched on
this side of the Atlantic. 1t says:-
GREEN.RooM BANoUETs.
"Only few years since, three or four of the
principal towns in county formed pleasant
circuit. Take, for instance, York, Leeds, and
Hull, where salaries were good and certain all
the year round, save in Passion week, when the
theatres were closed. Different managers now
take these establishments, and open them only
in the winter When the writer OF this paper
was member of the troupe acting IN that cir
cult, there were many comforts attached to the
situation that have since been abolished; there
were dressers and call boy and properties SUM-
posed to be eatahle and drinkable we're fit to 6e
swallowed haye sat down to an excellent
supper IN High Life Belo0 Stars; as oliver
Twist have enjoyed my ham-sand Wlches and
bottled porter; as Paul. in the Wandering
Boys, have partaken of a savory veal-pie; as a
fairy at the christening feast of beautiful prin
cess afterwards the Sleeping Beauty in the
WOODY have eaten heartily (pheasant, but not
characteristic. l admiN of 0rand cold cola
ton, whereat figured fowls, tongue, tartets,
elies, ices, tipsy-cake, choice fruits, and cham
pagne. This spread was q treat given by the
manager on his birthday, and, of course, was
not "a thing of CUSTOM Those days are gone,
Floranthe' More recently have, in the same
establishments, made one of the party at horrid
'BaTmecide' banquets, where pasteboard fruits
wooden cakes, hams of calico, with saWdust
stufing and decanters of cold tea, furnished a
Iepast non edible and nOn-potable.n a
Since these halcyon days for travelling actors
there bas been return to more economical
management, if we may believe the folio wing:-
ECONOMY.
"The visitors in High Life RelOlg Stairs have,
OF late been regarded with fowls cut by grimy
hands out of a small loaf, and Drowned at the
fire; poor 'WOTk'us' now feeds on stale bread,
aud pretends to drink out of an empty stone
bottles Paul and his brother are treated to pie
dish, with a cover of brown paper glued on TO
the edge and painted to resemble rich crust:
Mrs Hector SternhOld makes breakfast with
cold weak tea with small Jumps of turntpi and
BelphegOr's soup is slender decOction OF coffee,
without milk and SUGAR. As for birthdays,
managers do not seem to have any. / suppose
people never are cOntented, for, at the very
time of which / speak as being so agreeable,
I,.l lu in aiF