The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-02-23

hrst idea OF the subsequent buildings. Even In
ShakespeAres time the pit was indiferently called
the pit or yard. Temple Bar says that there were
attempts even as far back as the miracle plays, 1T
scenic effects and stage properties In one, entitled
"Mary Magdalen," mention is made of the intro
duction of castle and ship. In "Cain," the action
necessitated change of scene from an exterior TO
the interior OF q cottage, In which q peasants
wife was discovered in bed with an infant in a
cradle beside her. According 10 q stage direction
in "Noah's Flood" Noak goes into the ark, which
IL ordered to be boarded about, and painted with
all kinds of beasts and fowls In q play on the
conversion of st. Paul. mention Is made of the use
of thunder.
The brilliant history of the English drama
commences with Shakespeare, and there can be no
hesitation In commencing with him the history of
English acting for II Is hard to discover any part
in the plays written prior to his time which could
be filled by an actor with advantage to his genius.
There were indeed mummers and testers before
Burbage and Alleyne, who could be engaged to
amuse dinner companies But Shakespeare's de-
mands upon histrionic genius soon called forth
powers which were TO prove as uncommon as the
great genius of the poet. The influence of Shakes
peare upon the stage of his time il illustrated by
the fact that no less than seventeen play houses
Aourished DUNG HE life. The Fortune, which
stood In Golden Lane was built by AlleyDe, the
noted actor, contemporary of Burbage in the
year 1000. The Swan, Blackfriars, Globe, Red
Bull Rose, Curtain and Nursery were ins titutions
ITALIA and Melpomene The players contem-
porary with Shakespeare and Alleyne eminent in
their various walks) were Burbage Lowen,
Hemmings, Coudel, Fletcher Mason, Field, Taylor,
and others, about whom little information Is to be
gathered. But to revert to the early English
actors, Burbage was the original Richard III
Lowen the drst Hamlet and Henry VII To Judge
from what has been written OF Burbage, he was
the greatest actor the English stage has ever
known except Garrick. Burbage and Alleyne
rkaIw ,nIaw n GAmr-~
the creator Of those astonishing characters in which
they excelled.
The reign of Elizabeth, England's virgin queen,
was most propitious to the drama. From that
reign II drew its splendid inspirations, its lofty
chivalry, its tone of easy high bred, courtly
dignity. During the protectorate of Cromwell,
theatres were discontinued. and actors were pun
ished rogues and vagabonds. On the restorations
of Charles ii, the Cockpit and Red Bull were re-
opened, and a new epoch of theatrical entertain
ments inaugurated. patron of theatres, the
merry monarch had dramatists for his friends,
actresses for his mistresses, and players for his
companions. His advocacy might have done good
had the stage been moral, but such unfortunately
was not the case. Impurities of speech and freedom
of action were INDUCED In with the broadest
license The foul satyr leered through every scene
Women mockingly masked themselves to conceal
the only bushes their cheeks could exhibit 1t
was not enough that Wycherly, Mr.. Behn, Dryden,
Sedley, and Davenant were writing for the public
pollution. The services of boys to enact the role
OF female characters was dispensed with, and from
the lips of beautiful woman, the most wanton the
most corrupt, the most unspeakable sentiments
were being unsteady recited. The "tiring room,"
as 1t was called at that day. was little better
than some infamous house of the town.
But to revert once more to one of the old actors
namely, Edward Alleyne, who was born in 1865 in
the city of London, adopted the stage at an early
age and became great favorite with the cockneys
His theatre the Fortune" was literally patronzed
by the nobility. In person he was stately, with
fine countenance and graceful Manners possessed of
tenacious memory and sweet elocution he reaped
both fortune and fame from his acting But his
noblest work of all was founding Dulwich College
as asylum for the aged, and place of education
for orphans. The foundations were completed in
Alleynes lifetime, and he christened 1t Gods Gift