New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-19
A CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME,
HOW IT is PRODUCED IN ENGLAND.
AN INTERVIEW WITH A wEIa.KNOwN BRITISH
MANAGER-THE TRIBULATIONS OF THE
MAN WHO DIRECTS THE


sion and by the amusement-loving public Judging
nv present Indications it seems likely that New York
will shortly be treated to spectacular show beside
which the glores of George FOXS Iumpty Dumpty'
will be reduced 10 nsignifcance. In view OF tms'
some remarks about pantOmine production In England
made By Captain Richard b. Baihbrdgc, until recently
manager of the Theatre Royal, Manchester. England
are OF particular interest. Captain cambridge, al
though he arrived in this country only few weeks
ago, is not stranger to America lie Is
one of the few Englishmen who is
Union War veteran. The son of a Manchester mer-
chant he was sent to English public school,
and while there seized with love of adventure he
ran away With only a few pounds in his pocket he
took passage to America reaching these shores Just at
the outbreak of the war. He then little more than
a lad, but promptly enlisted in Colonel Duryea's otl
New York Zouaves, serving for two years ana eiHh'
months.
ENTERING THE BRITISH ARMY.
Then he returned to England. where he passed a
military examination and subsequently held commits
sions in the SD Regiment and the Sd Battalion OF the
Manchester Regiment, retiring with the rank OF cap
tain In his early he earned some fame a. All
athlete, and a second visit to America uhuer 'c
racing name Of Dick Deeley, lie won the three-mIc
amateur sculling championship at the Harlem inter
national Regatta in July 1574 Two days aiter"aru
the Captain won pair of diamond SOULS over the same
course. -,
on leaving the English Army, Captain cambridge
entered the theatrical business, and III l70o Ill con
function with Edward Dufleld took charge OF the MAI
chester Theatre Royal, Of which he aitcrWaru pe'@o
sole lessee. ,,
a. have been eleven years in management sara
the Captain. during talk with tribune r'fo''e''
"and in that time have put on the stage a many p'
mines Let me tell YOU that the process OF arrdH-"e
a nantomime show involves every conceivable KIND OF
excruciating mental torture long drawn out Inc man
arer has no sooner got pantomime fairy uoer
wav than he Immediately begins to cast about lof
material for the next years productloh'
CHOOSING A SUBJECT
"of course the first thing that has to be oohe Is 'c
selection of a subject. This, simple as II scoS' ~,
wolves several weighty considerations snoh "S INC
canabties of the theatre the tastes Of the local pup
liz the nossbjlties of scenic display contained IN one
s,orv the rneaCrcness of incident and acton Wmoh
marks another etc. However, let uS say thdl 'nc
manager-in-chief, the stage manager ana INC S''uO
artist have settled these points ana decNeu "N"' ~
produce Then comes the engagement OF the persons
who are to play the principal parts. Inc scieCuoh
of pantomimc company Is generally dc'"'Vu y!
three considerations-frst, the peculiar hthcSs "l
certain comedians for particular characters sco"u ~
success which actors have attained IN s'"il"r pro-
ductions and third. the popularity and. drawing
power Of an actor or actress.
Generally the managers will engage those mem
hers of his existing company VINO have scored sue
cess in the current production. Then he ana MS
stage manager male tour of Inspector among INC
leading Christmas productions III LONDON anu '"o
provinces and carefully note the aDIi'eS VI c'c'S
actor. Finally they able to make IA seleouoh u
the best people obtanabe for their particular purpose
ain addition TO these. divers of the best 'speo'l-
ties, As they are called in the variety business, are
imported from America France and spain when 'hoy
are not drawn from English theatres or music hdiIS'
The salary of the leading comedian, or principal boy
or girl in a firstclass English lantomEc' range
from s35 10 900 week. Minor salaries range from
sl2 I'D to $50 week. Member, of the ballet re-
ceive from % shllings g. week, While the extras
and .supers' get from shllings to half crown
a night. In "a trstclass show as many Is 80 people
are sometimes on the stage at one time, and the iul
salary list both in front Of and behind the ioouEhN
generally exceeds II 900 "a week In one pantomime'
however, a manager took over 5000 for mo'lHh-
and an evening performance while the total receipts Tor
the ten weeks run Of the same show were =-l,oOo'
THE NEXT STEPS.
"Of course the selection Of the subject and the en-
eagement Of the company occupy some two or three
weeks or longer Then the author OF the 'ho"A
has to receive his Instructions a. to the number "i
scenes required and how each scene IS 10 be written
nm 70 work in with the idea, which the scene painter
and stage manager are evolving IN their minds
The scene-painter then submits models OF his
scenes TO the chief stage carpenter. who VIII build
the scenery according 10 instructions. Then the
baiIets aud the character Of the various spectacle
several weeks have been occupied in this way and
the current pantOmime has long ago reached the end
of its But the work Of The next Christina, sho"
still goes quietly on, uninterrupted ana uhulatuibcu
by the melOdrdnas, comedies, operas ana Othcf
attractions ill the stage week III aud week out
1t Is now the end OF FEBRUARY ana tinc 10 7clcc
the dresses. NJ. Wilhelm some other eminent
designer will send specimens Of work from London
and the stage manager, who must posses the nnc't
artistic eye and the incest discrimination in blending
colors, makes his selection. Before the middle Of
March the costumes for the ballet and the supers
being made IN the wardrobe rooms OF The theatre,
Alias, and Mrs. MAY are at work on the dresses for
the principals. We order the dresses carly, for by
and this reduces the cost by onethird.
Nearly all the principal dresses are cx-
while as much $50 has been paid foI one costume
Those Of the engaged principals who are acting in
costumers. Those who are travelling through the
provinces have measurement forms sent to them. The
ballet and super- dresses made general model
harmonic with the colorug of the scenery and the
Iehts must be 30 graded a. u give the best effect 10
the costumes.
SUPPLYING THE MUSIC.
"YOu will now suppose that have reached the
month Of August. The propcIty-mastcr hae long ago
received from the stage detailed list Of tia
properties required and tic musical director securing
London and Paris in search Of bright tuueful meodc,
not counting the many charning sent from
America, which are among the most popular ana dc
lshtful features OF each years pantomimcs. The
author Of the book. generally experienced actor OF
newspaper man. has submitted his manuscript for an
pr0val, revision and rccOpyug, and every member
Of the company has received his her part In fact
each department Of the theatre is working night and
day. To 20 back for moment. should explain that
the musical director Of every first class pautOmime
house generally writes number Of original melodies.
while some OF them compose their own ballet music.
by the end II September the stage manager be-
gins 70 engage the extra girls. the ballet dancers, the
supcrnumeraries and the children required for the
snow. Tile young women must be good looking,
While the men selected with reference their
height and build Many Of the extra women
engaged in April. and trained to dance by Il ballet
mistress. Their destiny is the third and fourth row.
said the Captain with a laugh.
Is
the end of October. the stage managers agonics
begin. lie starts In 10 rchcarsc the supcr,' extras
and ballet TO describe all he has to endure i'm
those six weeks would fill two issues Of a newspaper.
II you imagine crowd of $50 men, women
and Children. ,tnnId ,nnc nArcle,,. nflnl-