Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1895-12-04

A STAGE TO HOLD AN ARMY.
Eordon Nov Boasts ti;e Biggest Thectei
In, In XNoriI

EcEdon Nov Boasts tie biggest AhcctSf
IN tho World.
London HOW possesses not only the
largest wheel but the biggest thCatcr in
the world. Until recently Chicago,
with its tremendous Auditorium tnea-
ter, may be said 10 have had the largest
building erected solely for theatrical
displays, bat nov Earl's court, with tho
Empress tEea;er, goes one better than
the American city. The only building
IN London in which theatrical displays
haze been given TO he compared with
the Empress thea,er is Olympia. As
this huge structure was not built ex-
prcssly for theatrical purposes, the
claim Of the Empress theater will hold
good.
Imagine an iron and brick building
towering above everything at Earl's
court except the great wheel, almost as
long as Trafalgar square and nearly as
wide. The span OF the roof is only l'eat-
en by one erection of the kingdom, that,
we believe, being the span of st. Pan
cras station. The roof span OF the En-
press theatcr is 220 feet, while the
height from ground to lantern is nc
the height of the monument, and only
seven feet shorter than the Duke OF
York's column in Carlton House ter
race.
As the auditorium is one Of the lar
gest in this country, go, too, is the i'm
mense stage. III designing this latter
work Mr.. Imre Kiralfy has adopted
somc remarkable and curious devices.
The entire stage can be moved about
here and there and put up in sections i'll
such mechanical way that it can be
made to assume any form called for by
the exigencies Of the scene.
On this great stage of the Empress
theater there is room for at least G,00O
people, without undue crushing. and at
least 1900 performers, i'll addition 10
500 wOrkmen - carpenters, shifters,
property men, etc.-are on 1t liz one
scene III the production. When to this
main stage is added another 20 feet i'll
depth, which can be made TO appear ard
disappear at will, some idea may be OBJ
tanned rs to the hugeness Of the place.
To provide for this immense number
Of performers there are scores Of dress
ing rooms ut the rear Of the stage. Io
light this great stage and the audito-i-
UNI over 80 arc lamps sre used, while
30 line lights help 70 produce the bean.
tiful color effects now seen in every
theatrical display. In addition TO these
greater lights over 1900 incandescent
burners are in use all over the building.
Certainly in the way of curtain tbs
Empress theater has the biggest in The
world 1t is a rich ard elaborate piecs
of artistic work, So feet high ard 2Gt
| feet long. \ curtain Cf this size woult
| hide mora than half Of the frontage oi
the National gallery and much Of the
| roof of that large building.
Over -, 900 dresses are Worn during
the production of India" many Of tht
| performers wearing three, four and fiv'
in the piece. Tho number Of spang lei
used runs into millions, and tie sequin
| on the Indian dresses are alIaos. with
out number. Nearly as many wigs o
dresses are used. Of the number OF dan
GERS shoes whicl: are wornoEt durin:
a months performance is would be har,
| to give al accurate report, EEt 2,OO'
would ho near tho mark.
! All the scenery, the curtain and tn
stage are moved by steam power, fOr ~
| human cffOr: aloao could build mp som
OF the stage pictures produced. From
every point Of viey. this theater proba
bly, holds the palm for hugeness an;
easo in managing t.--London Tit-Bits