New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-24
Thespis.

| Cdu utFote du uOur 10 Witness the UNFOLD
l ing Of Shakespeare's matchless creation
r as displayed in last nights rageantry
Many persons. particularly those at dis
tance, may criticise severely the prophet,
and seemliness Of jollity, masquerading ant
parade upon our streets while so many O
the people of our State are almost houseles
} by reason of the late floods. One word o
explanation. The gentlemen who projected
and organized this celebration of Shakes
peare's anniversary have borne all the ex
pense of the display. The expenditure;
have long since accrued, and were promptly
met. All the prin ting, advertising, cartag,
hire and costHmery were contracted tOl
and executed here in New Orleans. 1t will
thus be seen that the money spent upon
this spectacle has only changed hands il
our own midst The Disciples of Thespii
are not liable therefore to charge of ex
travagance. 1t IS true that this merry
making occurred at an adverse time, bu
since the money had been already spent
and the arrangements completed before oul
calamities overlook us, we think the gen.
tlemen composing the association were JUS
titled in carrying out their programme.
So, last night at half-past eight o'clock
Thespis, the ancient but immortal, leaped
into our midst, arrayed in costly robes az
became conquering Athenian, followed by
band of true and trusty disciples. Ignor
ing the legends and poetry of antiquity, he
culled from great Shakespeare's pages bios.
SONS Of thought and wreaths of ideality
wherewith to deck his train. WELDING the
sceptre of the stage, he called to grace his
festival the heroes of history, the chief
characters of the greatest tragic drama
known, and the dramatis persona of the
merriest comedy that has e'er been writ.
To greet Thespis and his disciples, the
populace had turned out in crowds. Canal,
| Camp, st. Charles, Royal and Chartres
streets were filed with surging mass of
humanity.
! First rode Thespis, mounted not on the
| Trojan horse, nor Pegasus, but on noble
charger of the plain. Immediately in rear
| was large transparency representing an
| open volume of Shakespeare's works. One
| page was inscribed "History, Tragedy and
| Comedy" This was the key note to the
whole display, which was intended to illus
trate history, tragedy and comedy as set
forth by Shakespeare's master hand. On
the other page of the open volume was an
| appropriate inscription glorifying the i'm
| mortal William.
Followed now the first car. In front
stood Meipomene and Thalia, the muses. of
tragedy and comedy. On raised portion
of the car stood Shakespeare, the muse of
History on his right hand, on his left the
muse of Painting. Twas bright thought
Of the ancients that made lovely maidens
the patrons of the fine arts.
The four cars that followed were devoted
to the exemplifcation of History. Charac-
ters from Henry ". were chosen to carry
out this idea.
On the first car of this series, that is car
No. in the procession, were seen Surrey
in front, Lady Percy, Prince of Wales, Ian
caster and King Henry forming group at
the rear of the car.
On car No. 3 appeared Justices Shallow
and Silence. They sit in modern courts
sometimes. but we had them last night in
the procession; back of them stood Arch
bishop York, Hastings and Lord Bardolph.
In car No. Pistol and Poins put in an
appearance standing.bodly in front. Imme,
diately in the rear were the Page, then Doll
Tear-sheet, Mrs. Quickly and Falstaf
Car No. 5 contained Mouldy, Wart,
Feeble, Buil-calf and Shadow SO ended
that portion of the pageant illustrative of
History.
The NEXT portion of the display was de-
voted to the Exposition of Tragedy. This
occupied cars Nos. 6, 7. 8 and 9.
On car No. 6, preceded by two guards,
Marc Antony, in rear of him |
Caesar and Calphurnia.
Car No. contained five figures. In front |
were Brutus and Cassius. behind Casca, |
Cicero and Publius.
On Car No were Popilous Lenas, CHINA |
and Trebonius preceded by two lictors
On car No. 9, bearing four guards in full |
armor wound up fittingly the display of |
Tragedy.
The realm of Comedy was next invaded,
and on car No. 10 were borne Isabella, the
Friar, Justice, Escalus and the Duke of |
Vienna.
Car No. II contained Lucio and the Pro-
vest, Mariana and Angelo.
Car No. IL bore Froth, Elbow, Barnar-
dine, AbhOrsOn and Pompey.
All along the route of the procession the
streets were densely packed with spectators
TO rr,ttv In II III u
ng with pictures caught fresh and glowing
rom Shakespeares immortal page.
The pageant moved through Canal, Caron.
lelet, Gravier, st. Charles, Jnlia and Camp
% Canal and to the Varieties Theatre.
The theatre was a parterre of beauty.
The dress circle, parquette and second tier
we're all appropriated by the ladies. The
abieaux were five in number, and were
omposed Of the figures presented in the
procession.
Tabieau l. The crowning of Shakespeare
Tableau ,. Falstaf mastering his army.
Tableau 3. Caesar and his train.
Tableau 4. The duke revealing himself.
Tableau ). Shakespeare presenting his
reations to Thespis.
After the tableaux cceeded the ball. |
'hich was one of the finest that has ever
cen held in the Varieties Theatre. 1t We'd
splendor and magnifcence with those OF
,e Mystick Krew and Twelfth Night Rev
lers. More we could not say were we to
rite volume. g.,
Mobile and Texas Railroad.
The eastern branch of this line is, fortu.