Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-08-19
Realism In Theatrical Productions.

lFAhdas fitd AfIgfrl
Realism on the stage IL not confined
10 the mounting Of n play, although
that il the popular definition OF H. Real
water, genuine old clothing and n VERT.
able steam launch are not the only
requisites for q realistic production,
notw outstanding some Managers, mo-
lions " the thing. Charles Rcade
once astouishui u respectable audience
by permitting u dying sailor In one Of
his plays 10 use the most approved anu
picturesque unths. That was realism
with vengeance Stmngo n the nsser.
ton may appear, the realistic settings
and cOutrivancea OF today were antici.
paled Ia the carry times " the drama,
10 acertaln extent. rhoov0lutioni II oasy
10 follow, and Is most interesting
study. Tho main reason for realism
In theatrical productions. when they
were In their hnbyhO0d, was neces.
slty. The scene painter, 90 he ~ now
known, Of course did not exist, neither
did that marvellous Observation-Disclosures,
the property man. So, when tree
was wanted, the platform On which
performances were given was placed
under real troc,T Tor the plays were
all given out Of doOrs, and all without
charge, as they were Intended for the
/ conversion Of sinners. IL Is unuoces.
sary here 70 go Into m explanation Of
the "Aiyslerios,n a. these church plays
are called. IL Is sufficient for the pur.
pose to say that they were generally In
| one act and several scenes, aud the
/ characters spoke In verse, which, by
the way, was not particularly fine verse,
either. They were the earliest forms NJ
/ modern dramatic art, aud they were
very successful with the populace Of
the country towns, were sermons were
unavsiling. Possibly the most start.
ling piece of realism related " those
times h that told In Parfalps "Iiist0ry
| OF the French Theatre" 10 appears,
according 10 this authority, that In the
year lia7, Mt tho town OF Metz, while
/ the mystery " "fhe Passion" was
being given, the man who was imper.
souRting the Savior nearly died on the
/ cross, owing 30 the hungling manner
In which he was attached. just how
this Incident hSpponed II not known,
but, as the players We're In blissiul
Ignorance Of theatrical arts, II Is not TO
bc wondered nj. The unfortunate
player mentioned was ian old gentle
| man named Mr.. Nicholas Ncufchatol,
OF rouraine, curate of Saint Victory OF
! Metz "Air. Nicholas" however.
did not perish, being "timely assisted
but he Hwas ~ onteehlod that II was
Il agreed that another priest should bt
I placed on the cross the next day 10 iln-
Nish,thc representation Of the person cru.
cified, which was done" He was able
4 10 appear Ia "rhe Resurrection"
Tor Il must bo known these play
were Given In series, and days wef,
occupied IN their production. In this
other play, the historian says, "whiol
being less difficult task, he did II
admirably woll." OF these early timol
there are many other equally slrnng,
tales. The mystery Of "fho Creation
was one Of the Coventry plays, pro
duced In that English town during
the fourteenth century, and IN NJ
representation 1t II said that Adam ant
| Eve appeared as they are described IN
the third chapter Of ucnosis. How
ever, II appears that this sensational
tradition was founded upon the linei
In tho play. IL IA extremely improb
able that they ever appeared In thai
manner, And the strongest reason that
may bo advanced Tor this statement 1.
the fact that women did not appear OF
| the stage until Mt least two centuries
later, and In England not until tn,
Restoration during the roiGn o
II Charles III.