Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-04
THE SCENIC WORLD.

Few subjects are 50 agreeable, 50 inter
,,stipo a. that Of the stage, which, Tor
Toung and old. for pleasure-seekers and
students alike. has ever had sort OF aS-
e;nation. In childhood our first play l.
one of the most exquisite sensations, when,
rs Charles Lamb says, the glitterins scenery
seemed to he made of 'glOriied sugar
c,ndy. and the solemn folds Of the green
enrtain to part Us from regions OF celestial
delight I'm his day, however, the marIelS
Of modern scenery are not; and fifty yearS
900 scenery decorations and properties
were Of the rudest kind. Few can conceive
what ingenuity, ability, daring, and even
peDius is displayed in the wonderful world
bshind the scenes, - and it is proposed to
give an explanation of the simple SpeilS
aud methods with which the necromaneers
OF the theater work their miracles.
Much OF the extraordinary change that
has taken place within twentSryears Is Ow-
ing 10 the resources of science being applied
To the STAGE. This is illustrated by the
progress made lightning. What with the
blaze of iOOtlightS the lights at the sides
and at the top, the performers seem to move
almost in a ring of tire-tO say nothing OF
that glowing furnace, the sunlight, which
fiercely iluminates tho audience. Nay,
HE actress OF note must have a special
LIGHT of her own; and we SEE the leading
lady pdrsued across the stage by the daz-
z6ng blaze of the limelght II is difficult
To- conceive the contrast 70 All this in Car
riek's dIy, when the stage WAS lit, not by
fo1r large chandeliers, which hung over
the heads OF the PLAYERS. This WAS rati-
onal system, for the faces were effectively
lit up, and the scenery left dim and indlS-
tinct. But then these were the old foolish
times when nobody cared for scenery, but
for tbs play only and the actors Then any
stuff would do for dresses cOarSeSt was
most efIectiye-lOr there was but little light
TO see the texture. In Macready's dress IN
t'VirginiuS,' now in Mr.. lrvmg's posses
sion, the armOr was Of paStsoOard covered
with tinlOil, and the dagger of wood. There
was q scarf OF red serge, linen tune and
sandals. etc. The whole could not have
cost a couple of pounds. But q rich dress
would have been wasted, and now the
searching rays wOnld display the poverty Of
material. Hence the introduction OF rich
and costly stuffs which makes the actress
hill for dress now IS high rs that OF lady
of fashion in the season. Hence those SUI
pnrb plushes and yelvetS OF many tintS,
the brOcades, tho rare ornaments. In the
pantomines We see whole bands of young
ladies with their helmets, shields, and
breastplates-nO longer Of pastebOard-
made of brilliantly polished silyery met
al which reflects the bright rays Of the lime
light. This metal is costly enough. and
these suits of armOr cost a great deal.
Stage jewelry now is = regular manufacture
and though many actresses wear real dia-
mOnds, il need not be said that the mlcmlc
stones are more effective. Sham furniture
looks more like furniture on the stage than
the finest that could be ordered from Ma
ple's. Ii would take too long to eNpOund
this, but in illustration it may be said that
OF the Theater Francois there is property
! clock for u bOudoir elegantly painted and
made of papiermache, and Whigbe cost 500
or 600 frances
Formerly every theatre had its own
wardrobe and stock dresses, which were
classified Thus there were suits OF Roman
dresses, which served for every Roman play
like Julius Cseser," ''YirgininS, and the
like: old English comedies had their regu-
lation cOstume-cOurt dresses, bob wigs,
etc. This stock was regularly renewed by
the east-off laced suits of nOblemen and
gentlemen, (which was either given rs pres
ents OF purchased. In Garrlck's day there
was no trouble taken about costumes, eN-
cept 10 have them handsome. In the Gar
rick Club there is picture from Mae
beth, :" where Garrick is shown in a hand
some laced coat, scarlet waiStcOat, knee
breeehes, and bob wig. In "Othello' he
wore uniform Ofan English officer, This
seems absurd enough, butt is really of less
concern than one would think. For in
these sumptuOus dresses the players seem
almost to De less the characters Of the play
than when in their ordinary dresses. Ter
Kiss and Irving in the clothes of q Venetian
senator of 500 years ago that they would
be in clothes OF more modern kind.
Nowadays there are REGULAR cOstumerS,
and when a new play is brought out con-
ract is made with the person who makes
and hires out the dresses at fixed charge,
and takes them back at the close Of the
season. They are then hired again To in
feriOr theatres In town and country. This
system Is particularly adopted in the ease
OF pantOmines, when some hundreds OF
dresses are required, which il would De
quite too costly q business to buy outright
tor only few weeks use. At the end of
the season they are purchased with the
pant0mine itself, scenery, and properties,
for some provincial theatre. They thus
return again and again to the cOstumer's
store, and can be finally used for fancy
halls, private theatricals, etc.
No one has done 80 much for stage cos
tune as Mr., Henry Irving. The DRESSES in
HIS urand italian revivals might have been
worn BY the Venitian mobiles aud DANES OF
era represented, 50 rich and sumptuOus are
they. He always chooses the most costly
stuifs even Tor secondary performers, on the
Pripcipls thai they are the cheapest in the
end Rich plushes, cut velvets, satins,
silks, are used ia profusiOn, tho pluShes Of
ten costing a guinea q yard. His own
dresses. one for each Of his fav0rite charac-
tiers would m rOOm, THE popular ac-
tor has the highest idea of the dignity OF
the profession; his swords, collars, etc, are
4lA III AlN4 AAotl hAAlG. AAN AoAtl IAslAl III
wears in Hamlsf was the gift of an admirer
among the audience, who begged as favor
to snbstituteit for the one he had been in
the habit OF wearing. Miss Terry's Vene-
tian dresses are of the finest make and
material; and those who witnessed The
Merchant of Venice will recall the beauti-
fiil of amber bcOcaded silk with innurler-
able yards Of sweeping train, the value of
which fair readers will estimate better than
I can. These dresses are regularly design
ed BY competent artists; and il is interest
ing To see a series OF water-cOlOr sketches
ono for each character, infinitely and care
fully eolOred Grevin, in Paris, Is mt the
head Of this department; whilc here the
Hon. Lewis Wingiield and Mr. Alfred
Thompson have been particularly success
full. For one performance ut Paris there
were eight hundred dresses laid out i'm the
dressing-rOOms, with arms, jewels, decor-
tons, etc, and prOpOrtiOnate crowd to
wear them, who naturally got confused,
and put on wrong portions of the costumes,
mixingthem up in wild disorder. AprOpOs
s OF velvet, there is at the Lyceum Theatre
> second curtain and draperies Of this rich