New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-30
TIE ruMuLr or THE STAGE ELEMENTS
HOW THE MIMIC STORM AND CALM OF OCEAN
AND RIVER LOOK TO ONE WHO STANDS
N THE MIDST OF THEM.

IN THE MIDST OF THEM.
There are q few scenes In The Great Metropolis
ut Proctors Theatre. that arouse something OF inc
deepreoted longing OF the American mind to see the
wheels 90 round--to know what hidden cause pro-
duces the visible effect But It Is not easy 70 see
the wrong side OF The Great Metropolis because
In order TO do so one must set the permission OF
Benz Teal, the wizard who in this case Almost
literally "rides on the whirlwind and directs the
Storm He IS otherwise known the stage manager.
Even II a visitor should win confidence Tor himself
and the right stand at corner OF the stage among
the men who are busy making Effects no would De
likely to see less than he expected and might well
be surprised at the simple ways of doing things that
looked so complicated from the front Of the house
suppose that the fourth act Is Just beginning. The
stage that the part OF it that is seen by the audi
ence represents the inside OF the lesavfng station
Behind 1t and by the people through the windows
the sea,cloths s waving up and down. Behind it.,
too but seen from the 'front.' the ship that soon
10 be wrecked stands ready. the floor in front of
the ship sits a man With candle, and when the time
comes he viii light rel fire for signal. Another
man is getting ready a little machine to produce
lirhtning There are also three four cheese
boxes with eranks that do not look especially useiui
for any purpose 10 the uniuitiated. Captain VIII
Webster is talking TO the lighthouse Keepers daugh-
ter Just IL he did not know that the Flying Fish
was waiting for its cue 10 be wrecked. Herr.
the same tone in which he would say Pass the
butter
a man in his shirt-seeves turns the crank of one
of the cheese boxes and out of the box comes a
whis;lng wind or rather a whistle comes out-the
wind stays inside. That will do says the stage
manager; now let's have rain.' Another
turns the crank of another cheese box and there
Is noise of pouring rain, but IL is all inside the box
and vets nobody but the actors, and even they,
curiousy enough, do not seem TO mind 1t till they
get inside the lfesaving station where they are
supposed to be out Of It's reach. The thunder is
the other side of the STAGE Mr.. Teal explains
In the sorry observation-disclosures manner of a
ry-goods clerk who says "You Will find fannels
at the other end of the shop"
The actors now sitting around the little sup
per table, and VIII Webster is giving them zach
Hollis health but at this apparently peaceful scene
excitement. Suddenly the s"G man 'S With the candle
touches of his red fire and guns are hoaId-or is
about uneasily, though the audience cannot see
g yet. And what makes it rock
sds to BE- SURE Who Pretend to be u SO much
With nG their rueRoad V Of ropes and Sket
out quick, there lights outp The front of the stage
dark as pocket but from this corner little title car
mounts into the air. and the audience the red an6
s tS gs nash s The c S Sgf nothing e @G shouts h
orders now, but the audience does NOT hear HIM FOL
In apparent confusion apparent but not real. Dow
comes the rain real water this time. but it all falls
on rubber carpet that be folded and carried OIL
with an ease that would be boon TO tho Street
Cleaning Department. .
Turn up those fOots :" Whose foots" does Mr.
Teal wish to have turned up, and would not " feet
be a more correct plural Foot" Is an abbrevauon
Df footlight" and the plural is f0Ots" so the stage
managers reputation for grammar Is saved ana all
he wants 10 be 10 spoil the scene by throwing
light upon II. But. no, he IS right again, for While
nothing could be noticed here but the apparent violent
insanity Of everybody in sight the crew OF the fyng
Fish has been saved and the curtain Is down and The
noise that still goes made by the audience now
The fifth act begins with the scene In the elevated
end of il the chts put out again and the order IS
aSend down the East RIVER This IS fine state OF
things; has Mr. Teal careessly left some Of his
properties at the Battery that he must
send some one down the East River after them? No.
ID Is the East River itself that is 10 be sent down
and down IL comes, Bridge, lights and all, with the
water In front in the form of set Of screens that
look like the fences of the Pigs in Clover only
they are straight instead Of curved Betwean two
OF these comes the boat and between another two
rises the body OF Gertrude Savernack The light
falls on IL an instant and 1t is gone and almost before
the people know what has happened the river IS
gone and they looking at the interior Of bright
little -,
But when one has these things is not the
Illusion pictures destroyed forever! Not bit
see this play again tomorrow night and all the
mechanism and the tricks will be forgotten and
nothing will be noticed but the sea: the stranded
ship, the signals the struggling sailors. the busy
life-savers the lightning, and the waters, and the
mists Of the dark East River.