New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-20

cvties. reach to their sides and draw their
swords in a perfectly Ufeke manner. BY a rigid
iron rcd Carmado and his chief assistant, who are
hidden at opposite sides II the stage make the
puppets carve and hack at each other with all
the appearance Of ungovernabe rage. The
force Of the blows dealt can be well seen when
the armor OF the mimic knights is examined be-
hind the scenes Their shields and helmets are
covered with dents where the swords Of their
adversaries have got in telling blows. The head
Of the knight who is destined 20 be beaten Is
attached lightly and when struck by his oppo-
nent's sword. falls off # he had been de-
captated while his body rolls over, provoking
the frantic applause of the audience.
ONE PLAY lasts MANY NIGHTS.
The performance Is somewhat on the same order
as that in the Chinese theatres nasmuch as it is
ncyer-endrrg OF OF an almost interminable char
acter At present "Charlemasne the Great is
being given in Carmados theatre signor Car
mado has taken a book which gives an exhaustive
history q Charemagnc, and from it makes mp his
nightly performance. IL takes small sections If
the ale and writes out the dialogue for the actors,
one section being given every night The story
has now been running for nearly year, and some
months viii have elapsed before 1t will b. finished
The whole story is consequently given in con-
secutive sections and. when finished represents
many hundred performances. This being so. any
one who expects to understand the piece must at
tend every night. for If he misses performance
he will be all at sea. As q matter Of fact the
greater part Of the patrons OF the little theatre
have not missed single night These perform
ances are their only means OF relaxation and they
are in their places every night At $50 as regular
as clockwork. Some OF the men conceive great
affection for this or that particular character
and whenever a mans favorite comes on ne greets
II with a yell OF delight The great Charlemagne
is Of course a general iavorite. and is greeted
with loud applause. while the wicked paladin who
il conspirlng against him is received with yelA' OF
execration and storms Of Kisses
When the head magician, at the request Of thu
Queen invokes the Spirit Of Darkness and bids
him make war on the wicked paladin. her conduct
IL approved with cheers OF encouragement, and
when the Devil frightens the paladin his fears
are laughed at and the devil is loudly advised by
tho audience to drag the unfortunate knight down
N the Internal regions. The mariOnette which
represents the devil must have been conceived by
a man who had been reading Dante's Inferno
and then retired after hearty supper OF Welsh
rabbit or whatever is the Italian equivalent. II
is much Ike the lamented ChikO in appearance.
except for the head, which ia garnished with a
ferocious pair OF horns huge busny tail. Ike
that of a squirrel comes gracefully over the bad
spirits head. and when he landed with a squb
stuck In his mouth sputtering blue flame in front
OF the astonished paladin. more than one little
Italian newsboy cast fur;lve elances toward the
door and edged a little closer to his nelghbor.
THE BILL OF TIE PLAY
Besides those who attend regularly. there are
afford the requisite nickel every night. For
their guidance huge playful Is written every
dav and hung outside the theatre entrance This
play bill gives an account ~ the characters who
will appear in the evenings performance and a
short idea Of what they will 90 through An
anxious little group Of impecunious Italians
gathers round this play bill when II is first stuck
I'D. and speculates upon the possibilities OF the