The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-05-06
.,on, psnsemimes "Reminiscences =
AWE Of the R.svels. 1

-, psnsemimes-R "Reminiscences
of the Ravels.
:, ,hc course of an interesting article
.nnut pantomimes, the Philadelphia Post
says:
If this country most Of their ideas about
nantomime. Various European troupes
have fitted brightly from time to nme
through our atmosphere, but the raves nay ~
make this favored land tner .I oomes we
naturally turn In thinking upon tnis SUI.
isct. aThe iuimltable Ravels VINO cannos
recall some OF their wonderful aoings ANU
;nexhaustible funs What vttanty the!
had. To have the entire ubiquitous .a.soa
on the STAGE at once was nke sNia sha
Kaleidoscope. Such hseISnat VIZ We, ,,afD
point. The spectator eoh hin, s s,ur Reel
GOOD ard he left the theatre tnahhtnS-
anS ,;shtiv-that the Ravels were great
"Ti saems Unfair to draw comparisons
hot,rsnn these fine artists. Francois was
the funniest. Not only on account Of tue
aIliteralum, but really So. so II fun goes
first. Francois must have the iead. Jerome
wass magnificent character actor. The
.Rrigsnds.' the Contrabandistas,' ct al,
Eel, to his share, and very picturesque he
made them. Antonio played the old men,
and had not the same opportunity as the
others. but he was thorough artist. But
hayn't we missed one? Not to speak OF the
Lehmans, the AXtells. and other line play
ers. whom middle-aged people remember SO
well. merely referring to them, although
they deserve better OF us, IS .nere a no.
some one else? Have we not missed one
of the wonderful brothers.? Yes, Gabrlel,
we have missed thee for many long sea-
SON. Yes. Gabriel, it is hard to choose ; it
is hard on Francois. Some of thy brothers
may term it crowding the mourners, but
thou vert undoubtedly the best. VINO tnat
ever saw GabrieFs Jocko can doubt this! IL
was apiece Of high art-one OF the eA-
ceptionaly excellent performances OF the
time. and as fine in its ways as FORESTS
Lear. or Cusbman's Lady Macbeth, or jet
ter>on's Rip Van Wtnk!e, or Clarke's De
Boots.
pASToNIME BY DAYLIGHT.
GA daytime view Of stage during the
engagement of pantomime troupe has a
rood deal that il suggestive in it. although
there is nothing at al that hints of the plo-
ries of the evening. All that it does sug-
eest is downright hard work. There are
very few rehearsals, rs those tresome affairs
are generally understood: The repertoire
u,
mpnt of finger, has been well drilled and
disested long ago. The dancers and gym
naSts are seen practicing at the back OF the
stage and in quiet corners; the orchestra
may be trying the music OF the evenings
piece, but regular rehearsal there Is none:
But there is work, nevertheless, ior ali
hands.
"A great part of the labor of getting up
pantomime is of q routine, mechanical
ba trtp transformations.
have TO be, in good measure. arranged
afrest for each performance, and this is
work that no hands can do but those Of the
performers themselves. A number of
rough-iooking men are seen busylng them
selves about the stage, whom one would
take for the carpenters Of the place. But
they are deal spryer than any carpenter
who ever breathed, and keep chattering
and singing at their work in fashion that
carpenter would scorn to be guilty OF.
one IS rigging that comfortable-looking bed
stead which, when used, doubles up like a
huge picture portfolio; another is put
Ting the secret touches to the innocent
clothes press that brushes six-foot man
down into dwarf; a third is mixing some
potent chemicals, which at critical period
shall transfigure the scene and conduct all
hands 10 the Region OF Beautiful Bliss.
These chaps in the knitted jackets and
overals are the harlequins, clowns. and
the dignifed, but much put-upon, old peo- |
pie OF the evening.
BEHIND THE SCENES.
sTalk Of uncertain things and of per-
picking predicaments, hut let al individual
fresh from the 'Sweet security of the
streets set foot behind the scenes during !
The performance OF pantomimP, and al |
his previous ideas upon perpleXiiies and |!
uncertainties, be they ever so aggravated, |
will be overshadowed. 1t is Il bewildering
region at the best of times-now it is APP
parently chaos. There is order in the
chaos, doubtless, but none can see where
except the frlSky pantomme people them
selves. The attaches are not untreQleutIy |
aS much mudded as an outsider would be.
When the pantomimists come the regu-
lar stage officers and hands virtually 60.
They shut up shop, so to speak. The
prompter takes a holiday, straight. The
stage manager looks casually in, in The
course OF the day, but nobody pays any at
tention to him; whereupon he retires
moodily to the front office and is seen no
more. The caIl-boy can 60 a-tishinr if he
wants to, for these India-l ubber dumb men
know when they are wanted by instinct
and III TACT are like Sir Boyle ROche's bird,
beng III numbers OF places all at once. |,
Further, the stage hands, carpenters, pro-
perty-mcn, shutters, and the like, are either
4,
Surveillance. The property-man can make
an extended visit to his relatives in the
country, If he has any, for the pantomim-
ISIS would not Use his contrivances if he
implored them so to do with tears in his
eyes.
AN IMPORTANT OFFICIAL
The property-room is often closed to the
regular people altogether, for the panto-
1hlinstS have professional secrets in this de.
I,m!rtnlent which they guard very jealousy.
ne carpenters are as good as dispensed
WIN, Tor pantomimists show their omni-
presence in that direction also, and do their
own carpentering. The gas man is sort
OF hSture Of theatre, much as the ticket
0ilce Is, and cannot be utterly fioured 81 ]
,mu! lie works under sort of sealed orders. 1
l MS person is generally a man of intelli-
senee, and acquires such knowledge
VI the working Of standard and repn''
performances that word from the - Liar |
IS Sufficient for him. He 81 =. ompter |
sometimes, and has beer en- presumes |
scenes after his or :. known to manage
not with our = !. ideas of effect. But
depends nv .,mher friends. Too much !
prope~ ION the light, as it does upon the
..tles, to allow any ga no. performs
aces with the gas-cock. Some one STANDS
over him the entire time, and 1t lisa wonder,
oonno oIl tha iahherinp. that he doesn't