The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25
BEHIND THE
SCENES.
How Many of the Illusions Are
Produced.
Noted Scenic Triumphs Of the Fake Al
most Gone By-Anecdotes Of Booth, Jeffer-
son, Raymond and Others.

son, Raymond and Others.
HgERMISSION to 70 "behind the
10 scenes" in theater is accorded to a
NS"S limited few. The saying that "all
that gIitters is not gold is felt to be truer
by the visitor who for the first time takes a
look at the back Of the stage than ever be-
fore.
The appearance of things behind the
scenes when performances are not going on
is not particularly attractive. There is moth
ing to be seen but stacks of scenery and an
endless amount of dust and dirt. Ii one is
fortunate enough, however, to gain admit
mittance to the property-room," writes a
contributor to the Globe Of Boston, visit
OF ordinary length would not serve the pur-
pose of gratifying the curiosity of learning
all the secrets it contains.
The property-room is a theatrical sepul-
cher. Buried in dust aud stage debris are
mementos of histrionic grandeur. A war
rior's helmet is crowded by a three-legged
stool; the figure of proud god, whose
presence shed luster on the perspective of a
"bleached alley" is degraded by the op-
preston of big old candlestick that hangs
across his breast; the soft-toned mandolin,
(the fellow in the orchestra was making the
music whose notes as they waited into life
under the gentle touch of the fair player,
wooed back her recTe can't lover, hangs on the
wall, verItable "fake."
1t never had any strings, nor had its COM
panioD, the craZy-looking violin. With
dented sides and lonesome looks vessels of
golden hue are piled in one corner beside
lot of rag carpet.
Here is stack of muskets not one Of
which was fired in century, if appearances
go for anything. There is an ink-weIl that
never was blackened by writing-fluid, and
pen used TO sign death-warrarts and mar
riage-certifcates that had its point blunted
in inditing signatures that never showed on
paper.
There are huge letters and pretentiously
sealed packages with never a line in them.
a II about, in shabby disillusion is seen
the mechanical mimicry of the objects of
real life.
The propertymap is an artist in his way
and in these days of stage realism as essen
tial to the success If play as the author
himself. Gone are the times when table
and a few chairs were all he had to set" in
scene. This age demands that he be a skilled
mechanic, able to manipulate the stage sub
mache, so that his talent will produce any
thing from II strawberry to an armored
knight or the skull used in the grave
digger'S scene in Hamlet"
As Il result his worth to the stage has
been elevated, and his salary climbs up into
HIGH-PRICED FIGURES.
Though he borrows household effects and
commonplace things that can be readily
| had, he manufactures much. In the ban
! Guet scene OF Macbeth which is often
represented with fully 100 persons before
the audience the shining tankardS, brilliant
| cups, misunderstanding aggregations of fruits,
| even the fowl, are made OF this unique
| paper.
| Who has ever gazed upon the immense
| cannUns, the lifeGke horses, the wariike ac-
| cuuIerments in the battle scene of Henry
! v" and was not impressed with their faith
! fulness to the real Yet the admiring spec
| tator would laugh himself tired if he saw
| the property boy" pick up horse with one
| hand, put a cannon under his opposite arm
! and walk off complacently after the curtain
went down.
| The hank eriEg of the propertyman after
! imitation has originated many interesting
| effects by novel methods. Several times in
| the American drama, Held by the Enemy"
| there is OCCASION to feign the sound of
| horses hoofs moving rapidly on hard
/ road, as If the animal were carr ying his
| rider at a deep gallop. This noise is counter
| felted by a patent wooden clapper, slapped
| rubber. The operator using both hands can
| moderate as he chooses the steps of the sup
| posed horse, from apparently long dis
| lance to just outside the scene, with startling
| yrvidness.
| The ingenuity of the ''propertyman"
| comes to the front again In eating and drink
| ing scenes, when the manager of the theater
| has to furnish the viands. As a substitute
| for tea, wine, whisky or brandy he serves to
| the actors water colored with a piece of
| toasted bread to suit the shade of the de-
| sired liquid and then strained. This, by the
| way, Is not 0evlce Of modern times.
| 1t comes from the days OF Shakespeare,
| according to stage tradition. Sometimes
| ginger ale or tea is used. but these are not
| favored generally because they will not suit
| all tastes.
To one actor the ale is too pungent, to
| another the cider is too sour, while the third
| may not be able to take tea without milk,
| which. OF course, could not be used without
| impairing the color OF the drink. So toast
water has been accepted as the regular
| thing, agreeable to every palate.
Tnere are managers OF companies and
stars who will have the genuine article it
| self, and In that case provide it at their own
| expense
Clara Morris and Fannie Davenport do
this. rip Van Wrinkle" Jefferson swal-
lows whisky straight when he smiles"
to the health OF the other characters at the
| end of the comedy, and remarks, This one
| don't count
In The memorable representation CT Gold
smith ''She Stops to Conquer" years ago,
| John Gilbert, Lester Wallack and Harry
Montague were in the cast. They used in
the tap-room scene an English tankard filled
| with Bass ale.
Occasionally stage realism asserts itself,
and DEGREES that only legitimate accessories
| shall be used in the portrayal, Then 1t is
| this especial ''piece OF business" becomes II
feature of the plays. as in the Hearts OF
| Oak" four years ago, where
| A PATTY OF EIGHT
| Sat down to a New England dinner of meat
| pies, coffee and rolls The component parts
| Of the meal were served i'll view OF The audi
ence. piping hot, and were eaten with relish
| by the actors and actresses around the table
| Perhaps the most costly stage repast
| when done correctly is the breakfast in
| Camille" that the heroine gives to Ar
| nand, EastoD and Mime. Prudence. The
| period of the drama is modern, and the sur
| roundings on a scale OF excellence calling
| for sjiverware Of recent design and the best
| OF food.
| A ''propertyman" would supply it in this
| way: a pot Of tea, white cups and saucers,
| plate Of sliced bread and papier-nache
! chicken or ham. How The itinerant actor,
| who gru5s country towns for his patronage,
| and who cannot supply money OF properties
| manages to set this scene Is as great source
| Of conjecture as the reasons that induce him
to mold the genius to the histrionic requisites
| of the play.
| Every theatar-goer knew John T. Ray
mond ate pared apples as Colonel Sellers in
| The Gilded Age" whereas the action OF
| the scene called for turnips. So much for
| eating and drinking on the stage.
] More ingenious is the cleverness en-
| ployed TO depict other accessories to a COM
| plete dramatic production. As pretty a
| stage snow-storm as one would wish to wit
| ness happens in Tho Two Orphans" The
| material for this display was formerly fine
/ cut paper, prepared by b0ok-binders; in its
| place White kid in equally small pieces is
| utilized at present for such purposes.
| They can be gathered up more readily,
| and last longer than paper besides, there is
an ultimate saving in cost. Salt hangs with
better effect to a hat or coat, and gives
] thnroughIv realistic look to the characfar