New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15

them try It again and again till they get II right
Then they walk around in single file. IKE chsdreh
playing foilowmy leader; then they wave nnaslna'S
palm branches over their heads and conduct theH-
selves generally like set Of unatcs with some III
tie method In their madness.
OF course II is a different matter when the dress
rehearsal comes in his amusing book called 'on
the Stage and on" Jerome X jerome says that
dress rehearsas in his experience have been en-
treme.y rare and THAI so-called dress rehearsals
weren't real ones lie puts them down III ne same
class Ct myths with greenrooms But he an"'s
that his experience on the stage was not among
irst-class theatres In Newly rk, at least dress re-
hearsals are not myths. They are very real ana
nearly all good companies have them There Is
little charm to a dress rehearsal. for while u
you are permitted to sit and watch it you ma your
self OF 30 small audience that you can 'ahcy
you feel like the King OF Bavaria looking al
performance got up entirely for your oehe"' i"eh
there Is a novelty in watching the experiments W."
the lights and the groupings. and In seeing no" III,
first actual sight Of something IKE the "''iSi''
work to affect those who have pi"nheo anu
worked II out - ,.,,,
one OF the constant mysteries OF play producing
is the confusion that prevails AT rehears 80,
the latest ones and the comparative smootnhess
with which everything runs on me nIsno VI n r' =
last act may not be- painted when the nrst or OH
iast pehea~sa. they would marvel that the play
ever got on the stage all OFTEN ard often me
series OF accidents and blunders Eyeryhody for
gets his part. the scenery VIII not NJ tnr Hs, 10
will not work. the costumes nave NOT coHl', .l'
properties are not ready everything goes wrong.
The actors get excited and nelN aui, ,ne stag
manage j. IN DESPAIR ana me slar y ~ d e hon
Al such a rehearsal AZ this noi long ago W mn
for whole ong afternoon me confusion I'u nsel
growing more dire and the actors mac ueel mar ~
about TIL they scarcely knew what play they were
trying 10 act the business OF th' pay t
star 10 be left alone ana 10 sfeGh 49,. 49,. ~,
with the FOR another actors entrance. n
repeated. and qtlll he did not CONE men IN. go
muttered between her clencned ,eeth. w "rrt s az -
thar COMPOUNDED IDIOT and instantly the Whoir
company rushed upon The stage
PROTEAcTED MEETINGS ON THE STAGE
Much depends on the stnge manager. Some are
much more successful than others in making
actors learn their parts promptly and Ia getting
the whole company quickly into working ORDER
but there are few who make the first dress
rehearsal. Of any elaborate production run smooth
IT, Many readers will remember the beautiful
Spectacle cinderella" which was given here a
year ami half ago \ few invitations were
issued for the last rehearsal on tn night De,cre
the production. The play was In two acts Inc
rehearsal OF the first act began at 100 p m. and
ended just at Midnight. The seconl act ,.as over
same company had played the piece in London for
several months. Even dress rehearsas now and
But of ali the rehearsals in the world the ballet
rehearsal is perhaps capable % the most good, II
II could only be properly applied " sn'hi De
applied 10 the cure OF the pitiabe young credtuf =
In the forms ~ men VINO wait at the stage door
for the members ot the ballet to come out. Any
who believes that ballet girls are beautitll,
graceful. merry and altogether attractive should
them at a rehearsal. Their dresses are ne
thing How any being with femac soul coul
devise such things even In nightmare, J..
the puzzle Hero g. Il gir.-"g.rl j. ia- tee nicai
hction-wearing winter sack. a pair o. krcker-
lockers that look old enough to have been worn
out by a bicycle rider before bicycles were invented.
soiled white stockings and pink satin slippers with
holes In them There IS one In a regulation bd.let
costume I'D as high as the skirt OF mans over
coat which covers the rest OF her Another has
bare arms and shoulders and wears bagSy Turkish
trousers OF wonderfully cheap appearance. Two
or three have tho familiar ballet skirts, made oi
piled up gau-e but Of such atrocious coiors as
make one shuddcr think what the ballets for
which tney were originally made must have been.
one has her ha.r dressed for the street one mas 10
hanging in a sort OF untwisted rope and another
seems not 70 have had her hair dressed at all IN
the last week Everything IS OF ingeAiously ugly
and absurd cut. incredibly off color and distress
inely untidy Anybody who could see two or three
ballet rehearsa.s ard still after ballet Eria
would show that his trouble was not lack o. MIND:
as IS usually supposed bu; the presence Of mind
positively perverted.
Most rules have exceptions, but as genera
thing the charm Of theatrical rehearsals Is all IN
their mystery When they are seen they arr not