Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-08-16

SENT.
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 intel
lioent of the auditors. Some of these ef-
fects that occasion an uproar OF applause,
and necessitate the raising of the curtain
repeatedly on faaorite tableau are ride
ulously simple For instance, when the
Young hero of the modern melodrama
plunges into the canvas river from the set
deck in the left fourth entrance, his dis
appearance is marked by dash of spray
uprising in foamy drops that glitter in the
giaring calcium light. The effect of this
from the front is thrillingly real If you
stood at the side scene, and saw rough
carpenter crouching in the trap behind the
set water with handful of salt, ready to
throw if up after the hero has landed on
the mattress placed TO receive him you
wouldn't feel 50 enthusiastic. The incli-
nation would be rather to laugh than to
cheer.
For some time even the old stagers were
puzzled by an illusion in one of the French
operas as PLAYED By Aimee last season. In
one OF the comic scenes while the comedl-
enne, disguised as a waitress, was pouring
out tea at a table on the scene, she poured
il inadvertently down the neck OF the Dig
nifed comedy character OF the play. 1t
seemed boiling liquid that came from
the yessel-even the steam seemed to issue
from it and yet the actor submitted to the
scalding every night and showed no evil
effects the next day. At last it transplred
that the French property man filled the
teapot with a very fine sawduSt, which ran
out smoothly like a liquid, Il dust of its
finer particles at the same time rising from
the spout like steam. With the tOotlights
between, the illusion was complete.
In nothing has the property man i'm
proved 50 much OF late years as in the
quality and effectiveness Of stage light
ming. Only three or four years ago the
old method was adhered to. \ torch with
4 flame surrounded by tin box perforated
with fine openings, and the box filled with
powdered rosin, did daty for this effect.
The prompter gave a shake of his torch,
the powdered rosin escaped in small guam
titv and fired mp. This was the nearest
the stage could come to cOunterfeting the
artillery of love Now a calcium Cor bet
ter an electric) light is completely masked
in the wings. When the cue is given for
the lightning the light is unmasked for a
second and the rays allowed to flash on to
the stage through lens Of greenish glass.
The effect of binding flash of lightning
is perfect. And yet so simple! Yes: and
it is the simplest things on the stage that
gain the greatest success.
A favorite scenic effect is an Illuminated
distance in the city by night The au-
diencc will always 90 wild over this-yet
the effect is produced by merely cutting
holes in q dark drop and keeping the Gas
Mt the back of it at full head, while the
burners in front of the scene are reduced
to a blue glmmer. The illusion was taken
out OF this for the writer. who one evening
Mt o'clock called at a city theatre to have
an interview with manager. and finding
HIM on the stage hacking holes with his
penknfe in a blackdaubed canvas hanging
near the rear wall in the theater
I'm making more lights in Liverpool"
said he. This scene is the biggest sue
cess of the whole piece
The moon was long time puzzle to
the stage folk. The best they could do
was to slice piece out of drop dag
a part OF which was moon of creased
muslin. with a bright light behind. This
could be hauled up or lowered according
rs Luna got cue to rise or set, but the
illu>en was nothing. 1t was often too
positively ridiculous to make the device
popular with either manager or actor,
All cursed the moon. Lately, however,
the property man has worked it on the
principle of the steropticon. He throws
An illuminated disk on q transparent flat
from behind the scene. and thus by NOV
ing the lens can establish Luna in any
quarter of the stage armament and make
her take any course without betraying her
prospective orbit to the keen-eved critics
on the other side of the tootlights.
A Bowery actor travelled over the coun-
try for several years PLAYING q drama
which had no attraction but the effect of
the hero being hanged by mob The
moose was put around his neck aud he was
actually strung up in the sight of the au-
dience He even remained kicking and
submitted to three enCores night Every
one marvelled. Yet he simply Wore a
harness of leather aud iron bands under
his clothes there was hook at the back
of the neck which was attached to the
rope above the moose. and the hanged
man was simply kicking astride of u
cushioned seat--an iron bar which was
connected with the harness by an iron
band. which followed the spinal column
up to the neck, terminating in the hook
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'
thruStng his nose to his iusensible mas
ter's face and caressing him after his ter
rble ride. At a later dav. when this de-
pouent. from coin of vantage in the sec
oud entrance. O. p. detected that Mazep-
pa held a carrot under his arm. and that
it was not love of the hero but taste of
vegetable that actuated the noble steed,
he felt sick at heart ut the rude diSpelling
of the poetry of his bovhood.
Iulict's balcony looks real. and YOU i'm
agine the lovely maid peering, indeed
from rich boudoir to moan to 1.-THE in
constant moon" for her prowling lover,
But viewed from the side scenes. with
Juliet standing on lettering ladder and
growing at the grimv carpenter who is
Steadying it, it is quite another thing
The railroad train rushing by was for a
long time thrilling sensation. Yet it is
simply several sections of painted canvas
on framework. run across the stage in a
creased grove by carpenters. and tele,
scoping itself when it touches the side
wall of the theatre
: Tho oNant % scY,Ai;prr 81.