The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-17
T1e Scenic World.

Few subjects are so agreeable, so in teresting as that of the stage, which, for young and and old. for pleasure seekers and students alike, has eyer had a sort of fascination In childhood our first play is one of the most exquisite sensations, when as Charles Lamb says. the glittrring scenery seemed to be made of gloritied sugar-candy," and the sol emn folds of the green curtain to part Us from regions of celestial delight In his day, however the marvpls of fmodcrn scenery were not; and fifty years ago scenery decorations and properties were all of the rudcst kind Few can con ceiye what ingenuity, ability, daring, and even genius is displayed in the won dertul world behind the scenes and it is proposed to give an explanation of the simple spells and methods with which tn" necromancers of the theatre work their miracles
 Much of the extraordinary change that has taken place within twenty years is owing to the resources of science being applied to the stage This is H. lustratcd by the progress made in light ming. What with the blaze of tootlights, the lights at the sides and at the top, the performers seem to move almost in d ring of tire-to say nothing of that glowing furnace, the sunlight, which tiercely Eliminates the audience Nay, the actress of note must have special light of her own; and we see the leading lady pursued across the stage bv the dazzling blaze of the limelight 1t is difficult to conceive the contrast to all this in Garrick's day, when the stage uaS lii mot l., GnntIi,rLI. I,,t | large chandeliers which hung oyer the tional system, for the faces were ctfec- lively lit up, and the scenery left dim and indistinct But then these were the old foolish times when nobody cared for scenery, but for the play only and the actors. Then any stuff would do for dressrs-thc coarstst was most effective for there was but little light to sccth texture. In Macready's dress in Nr- Ehius now in Mir lrving's possession. the armor Was of pastehoard covered with tinioil, and the dagger of wood. There Was q scarf of red serge a linen tunic and sandals, etc. The whole could not have cost a couple of pounds But rich dress would have been wasted, and now the searching rays would dis play the poverty of material. Hence the introduction ofrich and costly stufs which makes the actress bill for dress now as high as that of d lady of fashion ill the season. Hence those superb Plushrs and vrlvets of many tints, the brocadcs, the rare ornaments In the pantomum"S we see whole bands of young ladies with their helmets, shields and brcastplatcs-no longer of paste hoard-made of q brilliantly polished silvcry metal which reflects the bright rays of the limelight. This metal is costly enongh, and these suits of armor cost d good deal. Stage jcwelry now is d regular manufacture, and though many actresses wear real diamonds, it need not be said that the mimic stones are more effective Sham furniture looks more like furniture on the stage than the finest that could be ordered from Naples. It would take too long to eXpound this, but in illustration it may be said that of the Theatre Francais there is a property clock for q boudoir elegantly painted and made of papier- mache, and which cost 500 or 600 francs.
 Formerly every theatre had it's own wardrobe and stock dresses, which were classified. Thus there were suits of Roman dresses, which served for every Roman play, like Julius Cmsar Nir- ginius and the like; old English com edics had their regulation costume court dresses bob wigs, etc. This stock was regularly renewed hy the cast-off laced suits of noblemen and gentlemen, which were either given as presents or purchased. In Garricks day there was no trouble taken about costumes, except to have them handsome. In the Gar rick Club there is picture from Mac beth, where Garrack is shown in hand some laced coat, scarlet waistcoat, knee brooches and bob wig. In "Othello" he wore a uniform of an English officer. This seems absurd enough but it is really of less concern than one would think. For in these sumptuous dresses the players seem almost to be less the characters of the play than when in their ordinary dresses Terriss and Irv- ing m the clothes of a Venetian senator ot 300 years ago than they would be in clothes of a more modern kind
 Nowadays there are regular cos tuners and when new play is brought out a contract 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 arc then hired again to inferior theatres in town or country. This system is particularly adopted in the case of pantomimes, when some hundreds of dresses are re- quired, which it would be quite too costly a business to buy outright for only a few weeks use. At the end of the season they are purchased with the pan tomlme 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 balls, private theatricals, etc
 No one has done so much for stage cos tune as MT. Henry Irving The dresses in his grand Italian revivals might have been worn by the Venetian nobles and danes of the era represented, so rich