Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-04-03
4 HUGE THEATER.
London Has Stage TO Hold an
Army

Army.
London now possesses not only the
largest wheel but the biggest theater
in the world. Until recently Chi
cago, with its tremendous Audito-
rum theater, may be said to have
had the largest building erected
solely for theatrical displays, but
now, says Tid-Bits, Earls court,
with the Empress theater, goes one
better than the American city. Tho
only building in London in which
theatrical displays have been given
to be compared with the Empress
theater is Olympia. AS this huge
structure was not built expressly for
theatrical purposes, the claims of
the Empress theater still hold good
Imagine an iron and brick building
towering above everything at Earls
court except the great wheel, almost
as long as Trafalgar square, and
nearlyas wide! The span of the roof
is only beaten by one. erection of the
kingdom, that, we believe, being the
span of St. Pancras station. This
roof-span Of the Empress theater is
220 feet, while the height from
ground to lantern is no less than 1T
feet, or more than half the height of
the monument, and only seven feet
shorter than the duke of York's col
umn in Carlton House terrace.
AS the Auditorium is one of the
largest in this country, so, too, is
the immense stage. In designing
this latter work, Mr.. Imre Kiralfy
has adopted some remarkable and
curious devices. The entire stage
can be moved about here and there,
and put up in sections in 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 EN-
press theater there is room for at
least 5000 people, without undue
crushing, and at least 1000 perform
ers, in addition to 500 workmen-
carpenters, Shutters, property men,
etc.-are on it in one scene in the
production. When to this main
stage is added another 20 feet in
depth, which can be made to appear
and disappear at will, some idea may
be obtained as to the hugeness of the
place.
To provide for this immense num-
Der of performers there are scores of
dressing-rooms at the rear Of the
stage. To light this great stage and
the auditorium over 50 electric arc
lamps are used, while 20 lime lights
help to produce the beautiful color
effects now seen in every theatrical
display. In addition to these greater
lights over 5000 incandescent burn
ers are in use all over the building.
Certainly in the way of curtain
the Empress theater has the biggest
in the world. 1t is a rich and elab
crate piece of artistic work, IS feet
high and 260 feet long. A curtain
of this kind would hide more than
half the frontage of the National
Gallery and much of the roof of that
large building.
Over 1000 dresses are worn dur
ing the production of India, many Of
the performers wearing three, four
and five in the piece. The number
of spangles used runs into millions,
and the sequins on the Indian dresses
are almost without number. Nearly
as many wigs as dresses are used.
OF the number of dancers shoes
which are worn out during months
performances it would be hard to
give an accurate report, but 1000
would be near the mark.
All the scenery, the curtain and
the stage are moved by steam power,
for no human effort alone could build
up some of the stage pictures pro-
duced. From every point of view
this theater probably holds the palm
g. l,,r.o,,o.,, ~ 4 On 10 g., ,ooooo,;r;+