The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-02-02
Behind the Scenes.

There is no more business-like place in the
world than behind the scenes of iirst-class
theatre The idea that there is "great fun"
there is very erroneous. From the humbest
TO the highest, every person is at work. Fun
You would be amused at everybody's earnest
ness. Managers, stars, supers, scene shiiters
are fighting with time. An army is not sub
ject TO a more rigorous discipline. The cur
tain is timed to rise or fall 10 q minute. Its
variations in this respect are entered in
book The length of scenes is recorded some
times to the second Every person has his
place and his work Above and below the
stage is collected strange looking complica-
ton of machinery. Go below and you might
fancy yourself between the decks of an ocean
steamer. Above you would fancy yourself in
the rigging of ship or on the scatiolding of
new building. On the stage itself, where the
scenes are moved, a novice is in continual dan
ger of being knocked down. 1t is concen-
trated world of activity. You fancy it scene
of confusion and chaos, where all is really
regularity and order.
Have you seen house on fire upon the
stage? Well done, it is very startling effect.
The lines of the rafters and windows are dotted
with small gas Jets. These are screened from
view. When the conhagration bursts out, the
front lights on the stage arc turned down and
these Jets turned. Before this, however, the
lurid red glare inside the house has been
made by the lime-light flashing through red
glasses At the wings 1.-THE sides of the stage)
one or two braziers are filled with powder
called Gycopedium," to each of which is at
tached a bellows. Every time the bellows
are worked sheet OF fame and smoke is pro-
Guced. The fierce lime light exaggerates the
extent of the vapor, the jets on the Tafters are
alight, and with the cries of alarm, and posi-
bly, the arrival OF fire escapes and other stirring
| incidents, we have all the startling and impress
sive effects of real fire, every trace of which
is put out and removed within a few minutes
of the curtain falling.
The ocean of the stage is produced by a
number of boys lying on their backs beneath
dark cloth and working away with their legs
and arms. Mr.. Percy Fitzgerald mentions a
| clever instance of stage illusion in play
called the "The Sea of Ice" A woman with
her child on frozen sea is exposed TO the
treachery of the william Of the story. 1t is a
wild Arctic picture Presently the ice begins
TO break up, and after time a woman and her
infant are floating on Il block CT ice III that
midst of rolling sea- The effect was pro-
duced in the simplest way. "Strips of whit
oned canvas representing the ice were slowly
drawn away to the right and left, revealing
water underneath, which was represented by
sheets OF perfectly black bombazine, not green
nor blue, as might be expected. The effect
upon the audience was entirely owing TO the
contrast with the glazing white ice, which the
artist knew caused the waters below TO lool
of an inky hue. The result was founded oil
ocular illusion, and therefore on true scenic
principles" There were the boys at work, o.
course, under the cloth, and the iceberg OIL
which the fugitives foated away with ;
wooden platform that was drawn off through ;
slit in the bombazine ocean.
Real water has never been found TO look Sc
real on the stage as its artistic imitation. Yol
remember the story OF the low comedian, who
carried under his arm bogus pig anc
squeaked himself A rival tried, the rea
thing, but it was not SO effective, the squeal
did not seem so natural TO the audience as tn
imitation. A manufacturer of "stage proper
ties" once went to Drury Lane Theatre to Sc,
a real elephant come in on an Oriental process
sion. ri could make much better. one," h,
said, 'and no doubt he could for the p,Ayos
to be served. His elephant would .8ave ha,
a man in each leg, the beast would have BEEF
under control, and far more "a Harmony will
the mimic scene than lh1elephant of the for
eat and the juDgle-<1 remember Mr.. John Ry.
der telling, III slat in bis early day he was en-
gagged ut an East end theatre where two small
Elephants were introduced into one of th
scenes. He had nothing to do with that par
of the show, and had therefore not seen tn
realistic exhibition. Towards the close Of th
, play be wanted to cross the stage SO as L
speak 10 person on the other.side. The set
was So large and full that his only chance o
crossing was to 90 beneath the stage. Their
is always way to 60 from one side to th
other through the mechanical jntricacies, ropes
aud winding-drums and things, and in first
class theatres the strange world beneath tn
stage is well lighted. "But here" said tn
tragedian, at was all dark. knew, of course
the direction TO take, and could see a gimme
+ of light from the other staircase. Presently
was conscious Of strange creature movinI
near me, soft, clammy, breathing thing lik
a snake passed over my face. l staggere,
back and yelled for help. At the. moment
man appeared with a lantern. He was com
ing to feed the two elephants, which wer
tethered beneath the stage. One of them hal
been feeling me over to see what l was-pos
sibly to help me and show me the way out
shall never forget the horror that thrillel
me when the business-end of its trunk felt a
my face"
A torrent rolling down mountain side i
produced by arranging transparent strip o
material cut out into the shape Of a stream
behind this is a metallic cylinder, its surface
perforated and lighted with gas, is revolved
thus Illuminating in a fitful, irregular way th
transparent strip Of canvas or linen, and s.
suggesting the fash and movement of water
Thunder is often simulated by shaking hug
sheet Of iron or tin; but the best thunder i
made either by rolling a small wagon ladel
with stones across the ceiling of the theatre
or rolling balls over the floor A cylinde
filed with pebbles initiates rain; to realiz
the wlistling Of storm "wind-boxp il
used. 1t is cylinder made to revolve rapid,
against a piece Of silk The most eficien
method Of making lightning is by means Of
long tube with spirit lamp at the end Of il
A chemical powder is blown through The tub
iguiting at the lamp, and giving out luriC
fash. Forked lightning is produced by cut
ting out upon the back cloth or scene zig-zal
strips in the shape Of the electric flashes al
/ they are seen in nature; these onhces ar
covered with thin calico and painted, then
the scene being dark, the lime or electri,
light is suddenly turned on and of, and to-
result is something very RAJ, especially whel
followed By good tha1der, supplemented as il
the mad scene IN king Lear, with the Ell
cient working Of the rsin and wind boxes.