The Indianapolis journal., 1895-11-03
GHOSTS IN THE THEATER.
Some Of the Most Famous of Them in
the Annals of the Stage.
Boston Herald.

Boston Herald.
Ghosts and ghost stories were the thrill
ing features of the plays, Of short stories
and OF the three-volume novels of the days
of our grandparents. They were the pictur-
eSque accompaniment Of the days when
streets unlighted and when the fire
was a real fire in the chimney place and
not an invisible blaze hidden i'm the cellar
and sending hot arms all over the house.
The ghost disappeared with the advent
of modern miracles into every life. He was
laid by the advance of science, which has
given to all credulity. TO all tae fascinating
mysteries of superstition and to all blind
faith in the supernatural, the cut direct.
The ghost has been explained away. He is
to-day only a subject of sport and Frank
Stockton
Yet in the days of Shakespeare the ghost
was the ever-present tool for making the
flesh creep and crawl, while to-day we can
not help but litter over all the Banquos
that We have seen as they come gliding
onto the stage, with their ghastIy makeup
and one hand rigidly pointing to the cash
in the throat. We may not laugh at Mr..
Irving's Banquo, but if 10 one filters that
will be victory, indeed. The bloody ap-
parations they hitch up out Of the CAL
dron or out of the door through which the
caldron has disappeared to frighten Mac
beth never give us chill, and as for the
5ses dreary prog progeny of Banauo. carrying their
that Is simply to latter-day audiences a
advertisement. Caesars ghost, In the tent
G5 ine Bru1S M P5i ar Sars s Hrophhesying the meet
evil life on the plain at Tamworth are no
more nerve destroying than the air-drawn
dagger of Macbeth, or the unseen ghost of
Tybalt in Juliet's chamber. Only Hamlet's
father thrills us, and not even he unless
Hamlet wills it successfully.
Naturally Ii must have been different in
the days for which these plays were writ
ten, for you find the ghost as a needed and
effectfve hgure in all the plays at that time.
and, indeed. up to the beginning of this
In Otway's tragedy, Venice Preserved.
not seen in Boston for many a year. but
famous parts OF the great Siddons. there
We're two ghosts in the death scene of poor
BeIyidera; Two bloody ghosts they were.
Jaffier and Pierre. In the latter productions
Of this play. as 1T survived down TO the
middle of this century, these bloody appa-
rations were omitted. and Belvidera saw
his imagiEa ton.
webster's play. 1.-The White Devil. or
vittoria Corombona,'"' has a ghost in it. and
the Elizabethan period, but the greatest
popularity of the ghost drama came to
pass pass in 9,s the days Of John Philip Kemble.
Castle Spectre" was the most popular Of .
series, which included The Tale of Mys-
terry and .The Bleeding Nun" The Cas-
tie Spectre was produced at the Drurv
Lane Theater. cast TO the full strength or
the company, headed by John Philip KEN
bic himself. and with Dora Jordan as the
heroine.
This was the beginning of the me,o-
drama. The piece was a stock piece for
years. though few of the generation proha
bly, remember it. "The Castle Spectre,' was
treated by the critics of that day inst "a
it would be treated to-day. They rayed ar
il. the public went to see IL, and the play
prospered. while more artistic shows went
begging. 1t was only the old but more ex
tinct fact-sensation. sensation Whatever
is striking the world will see. and art to
the dogs
1t may surprise many who only know
John Philip Kemble's reputation for en-
phatic hut slow dignity to read that durin.
the course of the play. The Castle Spec
tre." he was required to do an act rarely
expected Of an actor OF his sort Indeei
IL was an act rather athletic. There was
scene when the hero. that was Kemble had
obtained admittance TO the castle Of he
enemy to rescue Angela. the heroine ne
had to climb from q sofa to a gothic Win
dow high above IL, and at the approach 20
some one fall from the height 1i4t dovn
on the sofa. at full length. and preiend TO
The dlxniaed John Philip d,d Il. and n.
critics found "a tIet act In their ssiima tion ss
~.