New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-22
ILLUSIONS or THE coRSIcIy BROTHERS.

From Belgrdrid.
Few pieces excited more mysterious interest on
the first production than the spectral effect IN TINS
drama now revived with 80 much niagniiicence.
There was something truly orIginnl IN me trel,nent
of the ghost 4" combined with which,in most easy
fashion, was the direct simplicity OF the story.
People were long exercised by the ingenuity OF tho
contrivances in the piece, ana above al Dy tho
double motion of the apparltlOn, ascending ana pro-
gresslye. Further tho tableaus AT the emf OF each
act-the Paris duel seen in the Corsican house, ana
the Corscan house seen IN Parls-eiects dI!hcut 20
deal with aud apparently cOninSed-wrre DrouSht
about with an admirable simplicity; while the as.
inctnrss of the twin brothers, 81 often sDurceVl
failure, was hero established. me P,tc - int
deed full of clever effects. But the chlft
t to the veil known melody, which is thus contvrd
Finding ourselves below the Stage on the mehianlne
toor-thc dcss0us as the French Say-wc see around
us a bewdcrng miscellany of ropes and wheels
il seems like the tween-dccks OF a vessel AZ tIi9
extreme end on the lett side. begin, an inclined
plane of two lodges or rails, starting rom 1no
ground and stretching NJ gentle slope To me op.
poste side. A level circular stand i inserted ~
The bottom between the Lodges and on TINS tho
Corsican brother or his double takes ms stand
Overhead there is an oval opening sntii,ent 10 let
n figure pass through. the edges OF which are hnsd
with black brlstcs or brushes which makes tho
opening rs il tit close Ia the figure his opening
however is made in a sort of travelling plank OK
strip duly joinlcd. on the principle OF those wooien
shutters which roll up and down in front OF snop
windows. This flexible strip. for the time appearing
to be- part of the stage is fixed TO the same win1ass
ordrm To which the rope that draws the ,tahd .o
inclined plane is attached 50 that both the aperture
and The stand advance together and by the time the
Journey is completed both ropes have been wound
round the drum. Simple rs this appears, lnich III,
gcnuiiy is required 10 make all work smoothly, anu
a hitch or iambng would he serious. - =, =,
Ingenious too is the Use of the necessary double.
In the last scene of the duel, the actual performer
takrs tLr leading part. yet the twin brother has 10
appear Ia him and speak. AMI IN the iull livh. ~"
brother after killing his enemy, walks up tio s'so
Leaning ON his second, and for moment passes pc-
hinJ Convenient tree which conceals not only inc
doublrp but a trap down which the duelllst prother
speeds hurrying to the ghost machine, up winch no
W. nsrcnd-tlle double" meanwhile emerging from
behind the tree, but keeping his face covered. me
old style of tree. II may he sid was mere p,onIc'
on the new system II is made round like real one.
In is significant. however OF the human lndiNidual.
ity which belongs 10 the whole body as well
as the face, that the eye at once VIII note the der
rnco of expression in the outline of the figure, arms,
etc. and believe no two people could he fonnd 30
like in their general appearance as TO be undlstn-
guishable-thus illustrating the late Dir. Carlyles
quaint phrase when speaking of some one whose
character he had interpreted unfayorably, Ane"
il by the twist of the hip of him."
The Use of so intense light as the llme-ilght has
favored the introduction Of new effect In the snaps
of transparent scenery; that is OF scene that LOOKS
like any ordinary one, but Is panied on enLcni
gauzy material. Thus, in the nrst aci tIe oach VI
the scene in the Corscan Palace Is OF TINS naterai,
through which the tableau OF the faris uuei
shown, fierce light being lst upon II III .ne pis,
inal representation the whole wall descended anu
revealed the scene the upper haif ascending; mo
other offers something of the magic lantern or phah
tasmagoran air. The same material ~ used III t'io
dream in The Bells" when the spectral trial Is
seen going on-made mysterious and misty by tho
intcrpositon of this gauzc.
When the time for the vision to be seen arrives
men aoft TO the right and left turn the glare OF me
lime lanterns full on the group: and 80 intense Is y
that the figures are revealed through the painted
gauZe. - -, L., ou,a r.,
The Cor>can Brothers" one of the swords hroGen
by an accident the other breaks his across ny knoas
that the duel may proceed ION equal terms \
not of course to be supposed that sword is broke9
every night They are made with a slight riyet ana
little solder the fitting being done every morning.
so that the pieces easily parted. Bnt few nov
how artfuly the performers change their weaponsI
for in the early stages of the duel the tourshn1
and passes would have soon caused the fragments
to separate Il Is done during the intervals for resi-
rh~r The cornhatants lean on tho seconds and gatn
strength for the second "round." and ono gets ns
new weapon from behind tree, the other noa w
| hind PROSTATE 10y.