Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-26
Thealr,cnI wig.-A 0ucer rrn1lle.

Not far from Covent garden market in Lon
don is a manufacturing establishment which is
probably unique. According TO the post office
directory there are but three theatrical wig
makers in London, and this one has been known
Tor many years TO every portion Of the English
speaking world in which theatrical performances
are held. There is not much in the windows
(says the Daily News) to tell of the wonders
within. There is not much time for general
conversation for the customers, for the work
people and the foremen keep the wir-maIyer
constantly employed. "NOw, ,]larkey, my dear
boy, hope you havn't forgotten the carbun-
Gle on the toreheadP is the salutation of one
gentleman. "fm TO be an elderly Chinese
coon, you know, aud l come on beating my
head with tambOurine, so don't want a false
forehead, or the stutfing'll deaden the sound"
"Clarkey has not forgotten the "buncle," as he
terms it, to save time, but suggests a "wobble'
as a graceful addition. This has to be discussed
and after grave deliberation, it is decided that
the elderly Chinese coon" is to have a bald
head with a large carbuncle on its front and a
tuft of hair which shall move up and down, or
"wObble," when its wearer pulls a string
An old man asks whether his fakemenfs
ready, as he wants 10 put bit Of India rubber
at the side to work up and down with his jaw.
He has been rehearsing all day and is dead tired
he says, though his bright eye and sonorous
voice seem to contradict him. "He'S seventy
six years of age" remarks the wig maker" and
is playing PANTHEON this year. He used to be
clown when he was younger, and it's a curious
fact that he's the only clown I've ever known
who is bald Clowns never become bald don't
know Why but is So" A middle aged woman,
rather like a shabby hOusekeeper enters, and
addressing young woman at work with a mass
of tangled hair, ('wig for one of Bluebeard's
wives,') as "dear" petitions that she NAV moi
be disappointed of her 'front.'" Something in
the voice is familiar, and you learn on inquiry
that the housekeeper is one of the most popular
and clever actresses of the day-and of another
day when there was far more fun and far better
acting than now. Then come several callers
who are about TO appear in private tbeatricals
or at a fancy dress ball.
Here telegraph boy comes in with q mes
sage, "Teply paid" aud the wig-maker soothes
the mind of distant provincial manager with
the intelligence that the eighty wigs he ordered
were sent OIL by the morning train. "HaNe Won
sent those fifty bows white wigs over the way
for the ballet JaneP cover the way" it NAV
be remarked, is theatrical phrase, and applies
to theatres at the four points of the compass.
Then comes an order for "tricll wig" and an
other for "faxen flowing" (human hair); and
the messengers with these are followed by
group of gentlemen, each of whom requires a
set of wigs for a starring expedition in the prov.
inces.
II seems impossible that the orders can ever
be executed in time. Here is one copied liter
ally for the wigs in the comic scenes at one
OF those for the ballet, the supernumerares
s ana the actors not engaged in the comic scenes
n ! wo lndan wigs; Jacques Strop wig; a
hoDert Macalre wig; an old lady wig; a niggel's
wig; iegress wig; a wig and whiskers for
STOUT shopmani wig, whiskers and moustache
Tor he gqardsman; Mrs. Brown wig; wigs
Tor two-headed nightingale; three nair az
whiskers aud moustache for small policemen. n
wig for dummy head; a black scratch lar
tailor; long ragged wig and long gray bcard
lor Jew; Dundreary wig and whiskers for lop
light, curly wig for page boy; Quakers wiz;
brown wig for prim old lady; four iops'
wigs and whiskers various; John Bull wig.
and Norwood wig" Let the reader multi.
ply. this list by the principal theatres in town
and country, and throw In the wigs required for
the regular drama, and for amateur perform.
| ances Of all kinds, and he will have an appro-
pirate estimate of the great theatrical wig
makers business, and Of the organized labor in.
VOWED " the production Of stage heads of hair
| OF sufficiently varied character and by given
| time.