, 1884-07-15
BEHIND THE SCENES.
Explanation of Some of the Most
Effective Stage illusions.
How an Increase OF Realism Taxes
the Ingenuity of the Property
mnn-RidIculousIy Sim
pie Tricks.


New York Star.l
With the increase of realism on the stage
there Is also an increase of Illusions which tax
the ingenuity OF clever men behind the
scenes, and often bewilder the most intelli-
gent OF the authors. Some of these effects
that occasion an uproar of applause, and
necsasitate the raising of the curtain repeat
ely on a favorite tableau, are ridiculously
ample. For instance, when the yo ing hero
OF the modern melodrama piunges into tile
canvas river from the set dock in the left
fourth entrance, his disappearance is
ing In foamy drops that glitter
in the glaring calcium light The effect of
this from the front is thrilllngly real. If you
stood at the side scene, however, and saw a
rough carpenter crouching in the trap be-
hind the set water with n handful OF salt,
ready to throw 1t up after the hero has landed
on the mattress placed to receive him, you
wouldn't feel so enthusiastic. The inclination
would be rather to laugh than to cheer.
For some time even old stagers were puz-
Eled by an illusion In one Of the French operas
rs played by Aimee last season. In one of the
comic scenes while the comedienne. disguised
as q waitress, was pouring out tea at n table
on the scene, sho poured it inadvertently
down the neck of the dignided comedy char
acter OF the play. 1t seemed a boiling
liquti that came from the vessel-even the
obthLl ttlnol ~ Lbouc Ab-hHu " AfI
actor submitted to the scalding every night
and showed no evil effects the next day. At
last it transpired that the French property
mnn filled the teapot with a very fine saw
dust, which ran out smoothly like a liquid, n
dust of its finer particles ut the same time
rising from the spout like steam. With tho
footlights between, the illusion was COM
plete.
In nothing has the property man improved
49, VntNCh NJ lQfA - aa in thA rnaltU
and effectiveness of stage lightning.
Only three or four years ago the
old method was adhered to. A torch
with n flame surrounded by a tin box
perforated with fine openings, and the box
oiled with powdered resin. did duty to this
effect. The prompter gave a shake OF this
torch, the powdered resin escaped in small
quantity and fared up. This was the nearest
the stage could come to counter feiting the
artillery Of Jovs. Now a calcium Tor better,
an ~electricl light is completely masked in tho
wings. When the cue is given for the light
ming the light is unmnsked fo- a second and
the rays allowed to flash on to the stage
through u lens of greenish glass. The effect
OF a binding fash OF lightning ia perfect
And yot so simplef Yes; and it is thu
simplest things on tho stage that gain the
greatest success.
a favorite scenic effect ia an illuminated
~ AA Wv 'NhA y hAbH@ 81 "taNb
will a ways go wild over it-yet the effect IS
produced by merely cutting holes in a dark
drop and keep the gas at the back of It Mt full
head, while the burners in front of the scene
are reduced to blue glimmer. Tho illusion
was taken out of this scene for the writer,
who. ono evening mt Q o'clock, called at IA
city theeter TO have an interview with the
manager, and finding him on the stage hack
Ing holes with bis penknifo in u black daubed
naFsV aE hat ~ mar tho roar pEa1l AT TIM
theater.
I'm making more lights in Liverpool
said he. This scene is the biggest SUCCESS of
the whole piece
The moon was q long time a puzzle to the
stage folks. Tho hest they could do was to
slice a piece out of a drop diagonally and set
in another movable strip on a part of which
was n moon Of creased muslin, with a bright
light behind it. This could bs hauled up or
lowered according as Luna got u cue to rise
or set, but the illusion was nothing, 1t was
too often positively ridiculous to make the
doyicp popular with either manager or
actor. AL cursed the moon. Lately, how
ever, tho property-man has worked it GU the
principle Of the stereopticon. He throws an
illuminated disc on u transparent fiat from
behind the scene, and thus by moving the
lens cnn establish Luna in any quarter OF the
stage armament and make her take any
SONAo aNNoe DNNAN ib H" l'SRpNNhAfO
orbit to the keen-eyed critics OIL the other
side of the footlights.
A Bowery motor Travelled over the country
for several years playing a drama which had
no attraction but the effect of the hero being
hanged by n mob. The moose was put around
his neck and he was actually strung up in
III the sight Of the audience. He even re-
mained kicking and submitted to three en-
cores q night. Every one marveled. Yet In
afp,ply Nynra a bapuasa NJ laatbar and i,ann
bands under his clothes; there was n hook at
tho back OF the neck which was attached to
the rope above the moose, and the hanged
man was simply kicking astride OF a cush-
Toned seat-an iron bar which was connected
with the harness by an iron band, which fol-
lowed the spinal column up to the neck, ter
minating in the hook, which brought all the
strain in the proper place for comfort
In old times, when "Mazeppa" was the
rage, the writer Joined the mob in bowls OF
wonder and delight at the spectacle of the
hero's fiery, untamed Ukraine steed" thrust
ing his nose to his insensible masters face
and caressing him labinlly after his terrible
ride. At a later day, when this deponent,
from a coign Of vantage in the second en-
trance. y. p, detected that Mazeppa held a
carrot under his arm, and that it was not
love OF the hero but a taste for vegetables
that actuated tho noble steed. he felt sick at
heart Mt the rude dispelling of the poetry OF
his boyhoo1.
Juliet's balcony looks real, and you mag
inc the lovely maid ~peering, indeed, from a
rich boudoir to moan to @the inconstant
moon" for her proving lover. But viewed
from the side-scenes, with Juliet standing on
a lettering ladder and growing at the grimy
carpenter. who is steadying it, it is quite an
other thing.
The railroad train rushing by was for a
long time II thrilling sensation. Yet it is
simply several sections of painted canvass on
framework, run across the stage in a CREASED
groove by carpenters, and telescoping on it
self when 1t touches the side wall OF the thea
tire.
sea Ia only the dragging across the dark fat
n net with gauze patches seyed on it, and
touched up by the painter to resemble clouds
under the uncertain light OF the stage.
A fog OF mist has always puzzled machin-
lists, and puzzles them yet. The best they
can do Is TO hang successive curtains OF
tarletan or mosquito netting lgauZes they
call these curtains on the stage)
frances, md raising them successfully
as the fog 10 supposed TO disappear. There is
no illusion of all 1t ia never usel except
when absolutely necessary, as in ~Midsum-
mer Nights DREAM and even then is often
cut out after the first nights trial.
Annther great stage effect is the engulnng
Come One. Game AL.
The new machines soil b.; Beckstead,
$40 Seventeenth street. are going off ike
hot cakps New Homo mr. \pV Hn,ya