Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-06
STAGING OF PLAYS.
differences In Methods Here ana
Abroad.
CNew York SUM

(NeW York SUM-
II read with interest" said an ACTOR
who had just returned from an engage
ment Of several years in London, the
SIMS account Of the trouble taken in the
preparation of a play for performances
here. / was especially interested In the
managers remark that he had not met
here with any American artists VINO
came forward to help in designing scenes
for plays. In London Edwin A. Abbey
is TO design the scenery and cos
tunes for Henry Irving's Richard H.
Alma Tadema was responsible Tor lhe
beautiful pictures Of roman Ire that
were the chief charm OF Beeroohm
Trees Julius Caesar 1t Is undoubtedly
quite true that famous artists In th'S
country do not take any part IN design
ing for the stage. but ] do not THINK that
it is because they are too modest or Would
object to doing such work. II IS
because they a-e never asked and their
services would ever be accepted by any
manager TO whom they applied. lie
would probably wonder at their presump-
ton i'm assuming that a man merely pc
cause he happened 10 be an artist should
suppose he could instruct professional
costumer in matters of designs, color,
and accuracy. The professional costumer
and designer knows enough about these
matters TO suit the manager. lie WOULD
look upon the artists Intrusion as pre-
sumptious and 90 right along with MS
wardrobe woman or the department store
ar ,he regular costumer who makes mis-
costumes for him. The artist would NOT
get n warm reception. and the reward
for his pains would probably be a snub.
81 don't believe that any artists have
ever made any attempt 20 take hand IN
this kind Of work here. In one Shake
spearean production made here two years
ago the scenery was all designed by an
artist. and so were some OF the costumes.
The scenery was very beautifully done,
and the particular merit OF the
thing was made more apparent than 1t
would have been under ordinary circum-
stances, owing 10 a simultaneous produc-
ton of the same play at another theatre.
The other production was done as usual.
with only the scene hands and the ward
robe woman to settle the questions for
which the artist had been responsible in
the first production. The difference was
astonishing In one there was a mere
tasteless tumble Of silks spanglss, paint,
and canvas, while the performance under
the artists eve showed the result Of an
artistic mind and training, and was domi-
mated throughout by one artistic influence
that knew what results it was striving
for and how TO attain them. But i have
never heard, in spite of that one succe.s-
full experiment, that this same artist or
any other was ever engaged atterward TO
repeat that experiment.
"The story told about the shabby, col
orless, and dull look Of Sir Henry Irving's
scenery in the daylight and Of its great
effectiveness at night sums up one great
difference between the scene painters here
and in England. There they paint with
out allowance for the fact that the pic
ture Is TO be subjected 10 the strong llu-
mination of the stage light. They make
no allowance for that difference. but
color the canvas just as If its effect We're
to be made in the daylight. But in this
country allowance is made for the light
and the colors are laid on more fiamboy-
antly, with the idea that they viii be
subjected to the strong stage lights. and
for that reason need intensifcation IN
every detail. The result OF this difference
is that the English scenery when il is on
the stage has a mellow quality, depth
and softness that will not be found where
the artist has increased the allowance OF
color and exaggerated the qualities Of
the picture in order that the strong light
to which it is submitted may not deprive
1t OF the effects he wants. Scenery paint
ed In England naturally looks rather
dingy when compared in the daylight with
the kind painted here. but when each has
been set up in its place the advantage is
not SO much on the side OF the local
product.
This use OF materials here and in Eu-
rope differs in quite the way that the
manager quoted in that article explained
Rich stuffs are growing commoner every
day In London and New York, where they
were always more used than they are In
Paris. With the Frenchmen IL Is chiefly
a question OF design and color. There the
fact is very properly appreciated that
color Is really the important question.
SO long as the effects in that respect are
wen done, the texture N not important A
drapery that hangs we'll ana roe.s orly