The herald., 1896-07-05
dancing. Mr.. John William Black
Scene, New York City.
Time Winter and Spring of 1884.

l Old Prattsby, who still insists upon
dancing. MI John William BLACK
Sfeme' Time' Winter NsM elM and Spring of 1884
| The Orpheum will be a Mecca for
| grave and CAV studiously and frivol-
ously inclined this week. for besides the
| usual array of good music, feats OF
strength and skill and merry roofing
| there will be display of the most marv-
elous invention OF the age, an invention
] the possibilities of which in the field of
| amusement are unlimited-Edison' $
| Vitascope.
| The vitascope possesses all the good
| points of the kinetoscope, the stereop-
| ticon and the panorama, and yet widely
differs from them all. 1t is an intricate
piece of mechanism which casts upon a
screen life-siZe reproductions OF various
/ scenes, all alive and in motion. On a
| huge white curtain one can see the daSh
of ocean pillows or watch the endless
| procession of New York street pass by
| or see a skirt dancer go through her
| graceful evolutions, all with so much
| reality it is hard to believe one sees
only shadow and not the substance.
| The theater will be darkened. Sud
! denly piece of Broadway in New York
| at the busiest hour will be flashed out
upon the white curtain. The audience
| can see the hurrying throng of people,
| the jam of carts, trucks, carriages, horses
and all perfect and real life, except that
| one cannot hear the noises of the street
| The vitaScope was given its first pub
| lie exhibition only two months ago, at
| Roster & Balls in New York. 1t took
| with the crowd instantly and ever since
| they have thronged to the places of
amusement where it has been displayed,
| unable to see enough of it. The vitascope
| is being exhibited at several places in
| London. One of these costly pieces of
| mechanism was recently brought to the
! Pacific coast and for a number of weeks
has been displayed nightly in San Fran
| cisco.
| OF all the scenes shown, and each is a
| gem in its way, none have so caught
| the popular fancy in San Francisco and
elsewhere as the famous scene where
| May Irwin is kissed by John H. Rush.
| Everywhere the audiences have gone
wild over that, so lifelike is the play of
| lip and eye and the swift change of eX-
| preston on the faces of the pair.
The exact construction of the vita
scope is a carefully guarded mystery, for
| Edison hopes to bring his pet idea to
| still higher development, and does not
| want anyone to outstrip him in the race.
| 1t is known, however, that instantan-
| eous photographs are taken of the scene
| it is desired to perpetuate, at the rate
| of about forty-siX a second. These pho
| tographs are developed. The film, fifty
| feet in length, is then passed through
| the vitascope at the same speed with
which the pictures We're taken. The pic
| lures are thrown upon the screen magni-
| fled by a small but powerful lens to lit
| tie more than life size. The pictures
| change with such incredible speed that
| the effect upon the spectator is as if
| he were looking a reality itself.
The vitascope will undoubtedly prove a
great drawing card, but it is not the only
novelty for the week. Hugh ]. Emmett
l v,11 11-A =, ,te H,,e% ATN,,
| day evening. Mr. Emmett has built up
a fine reputation in New York as club
| entertainer His special faculty is ven-
| triloquism. His act is high class me-
! lange of musical limitations. quaint &C.
| centricities, sparkling repartee, imita-
| tions of the violin ,etc. Mr.. Emmett is
| sure to become favorite.
Papinta, most bewitching of dancers,
| will appear in new lilly dance" which
| is said to offer even greater possibilities
| of changing tintS and intricate mazeS
| than the fire dance which was so marked
| a success all last week. Papinta will be
| clad in no less than 500 yards of delicate
| silks. Her dancing depends quite as
| much for its charm on the way she uses
| her hands and arms, in manipulating
| the filmy draperies, as it does upon her
twinkling feet. Papinta thoroughly un-
derstands her art. The four people she
takes everywhere with her understand
| the management OF the COmpllcateO
light effects. and the result is sure to be
a myriad dance of SURPRISING beauty
made vastly more charming by its multi
plcation in huge plate glass mirrors.
, | 1t is seldom indeed one can find in {
single vaudeville house at the same
time three such pre-eminent attraction:
| as the vitaScope, Papinta and the Nicer:
brothers. These last are wonder. AL
last week the spectators marveled at the
wonderful strength and agility they
| manifest in their work on the tight wire
and the news that they will remain
least one more week is sure to be heart
with pleasure.
The Washburn sisters have also beer
re-engaged. The two young women
overfowing with good spirits, are enough
to put an owl in good humor. Lawrence
| and Harrington, toughest and most life
like of all the 'Bowery boys" and tough
girls" that ever trod the vaudevill,
stage, as they are the first, have made
a hit and their popularity is sure to in
crease. Bimbo and Tehi will also ap
pear. introducing a number of mystify
ing tricks of necromancy and legerde
| main.
There will be the usual Sunday matt
nee this afternoon, and at this even
ing's performance two of last week
favorites will make their farewell bows
Lizzie B. Raymond, the clever youn;
woman who has filled the town will
wonder at her costumes, and McAvo.
and May, grotesque comedians, will to
day finish their engagements.
Cir cen Foom Gossip