Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-11
NEED NEW SCENERY.
BOTH THE RICHMOND pLAY-housEs
LACKING IN THIS RESPECT.
uinstr.isy and Realism at the Theatre
This week.-Mrs. Academy Dark-Netss
from the Metropolis and Elsewhere.

MInstrsisy ana Eennsm NJ tno A"s@"o
This week.-Mrs. Acsdemy Dark-Netss
from the Metropolis and Elsewhere.
After witnessing the magnificent pro-
auctions given us week ago by Mr.. Will
son Barrett. II must be painfully apparent
TO majority Of our theatre-goers that
both of the local plsy-houses need new
soenery and more Of 1t. II is sad thing
TO have to confess that in this big city OF
Richmond 1t is impossible to stage the
simplest of plays in anything like an
affective manner unless the scenery is i'm
ported, but such is the case, as every
hqblhle of the theatres can testify. In
the matter of scenery IT - ABOUT
horse and horse" between the two
houses: the fats and wings which are
displayed ut the Academy are compare
t,yely new, but they are of cheap variety
that shows wear, while the canvas OUTFIT
al the Theatre is IN the sere and yellow
leaf. Though we'll painted originally 1t IS
now faded and patched like the coat of the
typical Confederate soldier: The rickety
old flats at the theatre could tell many
brave tale if they could only speak. They
have framed IN many dramatic picture
a generation now dead. There IS one par
titular set" that always bring tears to
these eyes (Which seldom weep).. IL 10
that pink and-yellow scene adorned with
pictures of Christopher Columbus. WI
liam Tell, and other contemporaries
of the man who painted tho scenery. and
have seen 10 turned to such variety OF
uses that am unable to guess. what KIND
OF an apartment it was originally intended
,rrtfbfn ptpk and
yellow room Edwin Forrest has straugled
a high-salaried Desdemona, Clara Morris
has spoken feellngly of tho Yellow Car
rage. Salvini has acclaimed IN unpro-
nounceable Italian, Bernhardt has posed
sinuously and superbly, Robson and
Crane have firted with the Merry
Wives of Windsor" Joe Jefferson has
pleaded mid dot leedle dog Schneider, !"
tragedians without number have strutted
and ranted, comedians whose name Is le-
g1on have laughed and grImaced, amazons
have marched and counter-marched, and
variety girls have slung their toes toward
high heaven. Oh! what history that
horrible pink and yellow scene could re-
late If il only would. / can swear that the
pink aud yellow is pdrtlceps crimints IN all
of these episodes, for have seen the whole
catalogue, from Forest to the high-hcking
varietY-dancer.
All CAN WE BELIEVE IT
Every now and then tho theatrical mana
gers are interviewed by some optimistic re-
porter, who forthwith rushes into print
with the statement that the enterprising
manager Will gut the stage and put in an
, entire new set Of scenery. But this play
full little story is like PattTs-long hoped
for but never realized. Indeed, / doubt II
We shall ever see O complete new set Of
IN, Riabrnnn1 thaa nnffl
enterprising man builds now theatre.
Why is it that the owner OF property
or the manager. should not make an out
las that is sure TO bring a speedy return
l cannot imagine, and / venture the asser-
ton that fine set of scenery and proper
ties at either house would quickly paw for
itself. The substantiation OF this state
ment is found IN the unienlable fact that
the public of to-day demands q certain at
tention TO scenic display, aud That tue
actors and managers who have made the
most money are, rs rule, those whose
names are associated with hne scenic
accessories. The school of which the most
prominent representatives are Henry
Irving and Wilson Barrett IS notable for
fine scenic productions, and these men
aud their imitators have been prosperous
as result of their surroundings rather
than their acting. Fine scenery IS to
is to the bare-legged urchin Of 4
years-it tickles his fancy and delights his
faint little bran-and ne will applaud a
mediocre actor. who IS backed up by good
stage effects. when he will listen silently
to @ Salvui who Is playing on bare boards.
Even the educated, cultivated man Will
appreciate proper scenic effects. and there
is no actor so good that q suitable and at-
tractive surrounding will not make MIN
seem better.
HATS OFF, PLEASE!
Hats, particularly those nice, large hats
which the ladies seem to think are &c
appropriate for theatrical performance,
are so often the subject of newspaper dla-
| tribes that q reference TO them Is hack
] neyedland outworn. Yet this Is an oppor
/ tune time to beseech the ladies TO leave
I them of when going TO the play, for l sec
( that the managers of theatre in Boston
! have requested their lady patrons to come
| 20 the playhouse sans cbdpedtr. An ex
| cellent move this, and am quite sure thai
! our Richmond maids and matrons would
/ readily respond TO such request. What al
| opportunity for some social leader to dlstlp
/ guish herself by iuauguratlng this happy
| custom, which prevailed here, l believe, II
I ante-belum days. think | may asseve
| rate, without fear OF successful contradic
/ ton, that the habit OF going hatless to the
/ play originated in the days Of our ancestor
| the refined Adam of Eden. Mrs. Eve, 1t /!
| said. never wore even a chantllly bonnet
much less Gainsborough, when listening
| to the crude pastoral symphonies, which
| 1--WE are assured by Walt Whitman wert
nightly occurrences in the Garden OF Eden
GEORGE WILSON, THE MINSTREL.
George Wilson Is an annual who -four
ishes in the garden OF minstrelsY ever
green. Long may he wave. He will be al
the Theatre next Wednesday night with
AZ good company as he has ever carried
and will give US programme that Will bS
notable for its novelty. Wilson needs
no introduction to a Richmond
| ing-grounds. and he has been coming
here for more years than he would like t
admit But though George Is q fathe
several times over" his wit has lost nom
Of its old-tlme flavor and his comedy Is q
unctuous as OF yOre. With his qulps anC
| Jokes ho wins warm welcome whereyo
/ he goes, and his popularity with the Rich
mond public will be emphasized mex
| Wednesday.
THE ROYAL PASS.
"A Royal Pass" which will be seen a
the Theatre next Friday and Saturday
nights, with matinee on Saturday, is salC
10 be pure play, OF high order of merit
It has been running in the North for some
! time and has attracted much attention
1t is melodrama. with a strong element
of dramatic interest and is full of delight
tul comedy. The leading actor in tn,
company is Mr. George @. Staley, who ha'
won much renown as a ballad-singer anC
yodler, and he has a competent support
A prominent feature of the play Is III,
musIc-somethlngt that the modern melo
drama is not complete without-and ther,