New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-05
ILLUSIONS OF THE STAGE.
HOW NATrRE Is inflated.


stage. initiating moonlight, sunlight thunder
wind rain and other natural phenomena, are
puzzle to those outside of tn, business. How such
realistic REPRESENTATIONS Of these things as are often
Witnessed mon the tage can be made Is question
that often enters tho mind OF the spectator anu y
seldom answered in "a satisfactory manner III Is
always tho ambition Of scene painters ana stage
carpenters to devise improved methods OF imltathg
these things and hence the stfge may be SAID 10 ry
to hold the mirror up to nature IN MATERIAL III
well as a moral sense. Years of experience nave
tended to bring these limitations to high state OF
excellence; but the limits do not yet seem to be
reached. ard contr vances are continually
appearing The electric Light is not yet used, but
rs it's pale BLUSH tint would DO seryiceabe in par
tcular effects. stage machnsts are now deliberat-
ing how 1t can best he employed. All OF the
operations mentioned. together with some which
will be described are classed under the general
term stage effects" Authors, in writing plays,
are always on the lookout for an opportunity to
produce telling effect. The amount OF work be-
slowed upon their production in theatre IS
simply astonishing to those unacquainted with
that mysterious realm known as behind the
scenes"
Thunder is a common stage effect, and is used
with great advantage in many plays. In former
DAYS it was produced by shaking large piece OF
sIpCt
desk This contrvance produced a COOL imitation
of sharp rafting thunder, but failed to give the
aull roar which is always heard in storms. con-
trivonce for this purpose was soon invented. A
heavy box frame is made, and over 1t is tightly
drawn calf skin. Upon this the prompter operates
with stick one end Of which ~ padded and.coy-
cred with chamos skin. \ fash of lightning
produced with magnesium, and shaIp crack OF
the sheet IRON followed oy long decreasing roll
upon the thunder drum" produces an effect
which is startuGly realistic. Travelling COM
panics are compelled to be satisfied with the sheet
non alone; and the tragedan who enters theatre
provided with complete thunder apparatus al
WAYS is happy to think that his battle with the
elements in KING Lear will be worth lighting.
The rain machine in large theatres is a fixture
placed high up in the flies" cylinder is made
of half inch wood II is usually five feet IN cir
conference. and four feet in length. Upon the
INSIDE AZ, placed rows of small wooden teeth.
lot of dried peas is placed the cylinder Il rope
belt is run around one end Of it and down to the
urompter's desk and il is ready for drcnchng
showet BY turning the cylinder, the peas roll
down between the teeth, and the noise produced
by them makes a good imitation of rain falling
upon a roof 4 sudden pull of the rope, accom-
panied by u gust the "wind machine gives
the sound of the sweep OF blast OF WIND during
storm. Travelling companies often meet with
theatres where there is no wind machine. Suli-
cicntly good one however Is easily produced.
common chIld's hoop is obtained and sheet Oh
heavy brown paper is pasted upon II alter the
| manner OF a circus riders balloon. n handful OF
hird-shot IS placed upon the paper. The u achne
/, cantrd from one side to the other, and the shot
| rolls around the paper, producing larry s'od
rain effect
| the effect Di stage storms. H. Is often dispensed
J with in theatres where strict attention - NOT
paid 10 details, but not without lo's OF realism
II has m0reoYeI great influence Ter the ft' Ilgs
! of sppctators. The Olnd LOare IN the Two
| Orphans is much more pitIed when the audience
can hear tine p. less blast that makes her shNei.
| Hence in every large theatre the wind machine
! PLAYS an important part. IL is not stationary
! apparatus. bal can be moved TO any quarter OF
| the compass from which it is desired that wind
! should blow. In the last act o. ours every
! time the door OF the hut opens snow lies IN ana
a shrek Of wind Is heard. The wlnd machine III
that instance. Is placed Just OUTSIDE tne ooori am
| the Droperty man works iC while his assistant
amIses himself by trying 10 throw his pap 4 snow
! down Loyd >Leudrgn'3 back. The wind machine IS
! cons ructed in this manner heavy frame Is
! made in which is set n cylinder provided wan
! paddles and resembling very much the stern-Wheeis
| seen on Ohio River tOw-b0atS. Across the up oil
! this cylinder is stretched as ugMty as poSSlple
piece OF heavy eros grain silk. This Six reIua ~
! stationary while the "heel - 'uihed ~ acltnA.
Tho rapid pas>agc OF the paddles across The surface
Of the silk pruIuc the nosr or wind Olten tiaF-
ollng companies are III theatres wlere there Is no
| wind machine. Then the property man gioahS
audibly and proceeds 70 do what, III theatrical par
rance Is called taking the wind lie selects
heavy piece Of gas hose, called by stage gas-mcn
flexible and. finding quiet corner where there
is sufficient space 10 swing cat wlthouJ dang r
t. In. he whlrls II around his head with The
greatest possible rapidity This method produces
very satisfactory reSultS-tO everyone but the
property man. He is n long suffering person; but
the extraction OF wind from flexible " causes HIM
to find life tedious.
Every one has heard The startling crash that is
produced when the hero kicks the villain through
"A four-nch o. ken door. one would think mat not
/ Han ha llAi4I
shattered. TINS nosc Is produced by the crash
machine one Of the Oldest mpiem, ntS OF nm aton
still used on the stage. 1t is slm lr 10 the wind
machine in construction. wheel with paouIes
set at an angle Of about fortY-hye degrees 10
the radli is the main part OF TIE machine Upon
the ron of the wheel one end of a stout piece ~
wood Is pressed down by fastening the other end
to a portion of the framework When the wheel
is turned the Stats passing under the stationary
piece produce a rafting crash. The principle OF
The machine il illustrated by the small bog who
runs a stick along a palng fence and is gratlIeg
by introducing into tie world an additional moISeI
There is nothing that can be well counter
feited on the stage as moonlight scenery. And $'t
there il nothing which requires m0ie work. 10
! artist egins the task by painting moonlight
scene In daylight such a scene Is CHASTITY Aght
Ii is done in cold gTays and greens, III which Fius-
| sian blue and burnt lumber play an important part
| and the lights put in with white slightly tinScd
with emerald green. the strong moonlight OF HE
foregroun. is produced ny calcium Hght thrown
| through a green glass. The talntef hcht upon the
scenery at the back OF tie stage Is obtained from
| green mediums a row Of argand burners WIN
| green chimneys. These placed upon the stage
| INST in front of the main scene, and are masked
| in from the view Ct the audience ny ground
| piece" row of them is often suspended from the
flies" in order to light the top OF the scene ms
upper row is asked in BY sky borders" lhu.
soft green light is thrown over the entire DIS
| lance while its source does not meet the view OF
| the spectator. usual feature of stage moonlight
scenes is water. because II affords an opportunity
| for the introduction of the ripple "a charmngy
natural stage effect The main scene i'll moonl gilt
| view is always painted on drop,'-that L., a
scene made like the curtain let down between the
| acts The position of the moon being determined.
| immediately under il, beginning at the horizon, u
| number OF small irregular holes Is cut III the drop.
| These are then covered on the back with muslin
| aud painted over the front To mdtch
| the lest OF the water. Behind these holes IS
placed an endless towel. about eight feet IN height
running around two cylinders one AT the top and
/ l,r. Il, lLlnrl mn