The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-08-21
A REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT.


rord's opera. House Turned IntO n
Pretty, Cosy and Complete Tnea-
trc.
Ford's opera.House will be opened to.
night for the season.
The people who attend the minstrel per-
formance tonight will witness a revelation
in renovation. 1t is not the old opera.hon5o
by any means. It is
a Pretty, Cosy and Complete Thea
tire.
The changes that have been made are
radical. The cyo of an artist designed
them and skilled men have consummated
them. And everywhere there is apparent
an energetic effort at comfort, both for the
audience aud the performers. There is
now
No Prettior nor More Complete Lit
lie Theatre iu the Country.
- II reminds one of tho Biou Theatre in
New York, which, as its name indicates, is
Jewel In its way. There is not a seat in
the whole house from which q complete
view Of the stage cannot be obtained. The
stage is much larger than II used TO be. 10
Is brought forward about fourteen feet. IL
will accommodate anything from grand
opera down the dramatic scale. The put
ting forward Of the stage neccssitated
Changes I'm the Private Boxes.
And these changes have boon admirably
effected. The boxes arc brought forward a
considerable distance. Instead of being
even with the stage as heretofore they are
in front Of IL. There are three instead of
two boxes on each side, one above the other
They are fitted up beautifully. The semi
circle which each presents from the out
look adds to the general symmetry Of the
of the whole house.
The Chairs are all New aud HOomy.
Roominess in theatre chair, as every
iheatre-gOer knows, Is consummation
greatly to be wished for. 1t Is reached in
the New Ford's. Then there has been
A Encouragement OF tbe Chairs.
by it sufficient number of ample aisles
has been added to make the reaching of
ones chair matter of pleasure-not an
annoyance. The same aisles furnish easy
egress through the many doors. Formerly
1t was almost impossible, from the chairs
near the wall on either side, to see what
was doing on tho stage. Those chairs have
been arranged laterally along the walls.
They almost face each other, apparently /;
but to investigate, shows that it Is diago.
nal facing. From every one Of them
A Complete Survey of the Stage Is
TO he Had.
The chairs have been raised all along the
length of the hall. The seats at the en-
trance are as good as those half way down
the house. Tho corridor formerly Just
outside the entrance has been done away
with. Its space has been thrown into the
house proper. This gives opportunity for a
liberal lobby, and that lobby is there. The
entrances have been improved. They will
be further improved. When they are COM
pleted they will be perfect.
The Angles in tho walls
from orchestra to gallery have disappeared.
In their places are found the work OF tho
architect, which gives full acoustic proper
ties to the theatre. The paper on the walls
is q blending Of gold and dull-red tints.
Stained glass, no two pains of which are
alike, are in the windows. The means of
ventilation leave nothing to be desired.
The changes made have been at the ex-
pense OF some space. But there are but
very few less seats than there were in tho
old Ford's. Washington can congratulate
itself fupon what the New Fords will give
them.