The Washington times., 1901-07-07

= r. n -
| dies The setting for IA Black Sheep
! which will be the bill this week, has been
| completed. and Will proxe something near
a revelation TO the patrons of Mr. Chase's
| playhouse. al
During the past three seasons there
have been a number of vaudeville produc-
| tiOns at the theatre requiring special
scenic effects and arrangements, but
nothing approaching the preparations for
the forthcoming series of Hoytian farces
single piece of the regular house seem
cry it is stated, viii be used in any of
the productions Thfrs here IS ne stage in the
stage setting and furnishings than
Chases. 1t as almost twice as large as
the ordinary stage.
Many novel effects are being aimed at
by the management. and the stage set
tinss will be the equal OF the lobby and
auditorium decorations of the house.
Something new in settings will be devised
for each weeks presentation. In "A Trip
to Chinatown for instance, the week
following "A Black Sheep, the third ect
will be laid on a New York roof garden,
instead of the conventional closing the
piece formally had. The roof garden
scene Will be one of the most elaborate
effects of the series lncandeScent lamps
by the hundred will be gracefully Iooped
as a canopy above banks of waving
palms. The house tops of Gotham will
appear in the distance.
sighted glasses and peered into the dim
near future. only to have revealed to
him the possible mishaps of the first pro-
duction of Captain Lettar blair" it is
not unlikely that he would have taken
to the tan grass without further ado
and wandered about in search of a Hen
dirk Hudson and his Jolly men. Sweet
would have been the draught and peace
full the slumber, for mayhap in time
when he would rub his eyes and give
a sleepy glance around there might
stand in place of the white building
known as the Lafayette Theatre tall,
dighffied. brown stCne structure with a
brass plate on the door reading Home
for IncurablCs.
The stage-manager's path is indecG a
thorny one, and ore who thinks to the
contrary only needs TO tread it TO learn
In Captain Lettarblair' there is a pret-
ty little scene in which a door-knob fig
ures consDicuously The knob IS drop
ped on the floor, and IL moved from the
particular spot on which il falls. dain-
ty and ingenious scene is converted into
a roaring farce. at the experse of the
actors. Last Monday night the knob
was dropped ITS prescribed position.
but owing to the weather probably. or
to Hans Robert s wig, several members
of the company were deluded into the be-
lief that the season for football had ar
rived and as they came on the stage, each
felt in duty bound to take a kick at the
door handle. Louise Macintosh led off
and the knob went sailing over the stage
with CHASTITY, rafting sound. and nestled
among the folds of a portiere covering
the farthest door. Under cover of a
subsequent scene. Miss Macintosh man
aged TO replace it, but no sooner had this
been accomplished than along came
Wright Kramer, ana with true aim he sent
the knob to the back of the stage with
a bang. Its position l,eing again restored.
things promised TO g smoothly, but Rob
l,.aA H~A f,f frer md
thinking that ii was about up to him, he
promptly stumbled over 1t, and the bit
of china took another trip. but by
great amount of maneuvring IL was
brought back.
The scene in which the knob played its
part-that is, the one prescribed by the
authoress-was slowly but surely draw
ing near when Mr.. Kramer reappeared,
and. with a jubilaDt. determined air and
a well directed blow Sent the unfortunate
little knob down into the footlights, and
it was absolutely impossible for anyone
TO rescue II. Mr.. Arden brought on
substitute in his pocket and very neatly
continued the scene without further mis-
fortune. ig a
In first night performances one natu-
rally looks for and excuses slight mishaps.
but when one thing happens half a dozen
times in succession simply through gross
carelessness and th0ushtlessness on the
part Of those enactiAg the scene IT must
De time for one Of two things-a rest or
closer application to work. While it may
not seem of Importance TO an outsider. the
position on the stage of any one thing.
whether it be a matchbox or a piano, Is
absolutely vital to the action of the play,
and when IL does not occupy that position
the whole scene Is cut OF focus as 1t
were. MIR. ATden's production of Captain
I.ettarblair was In every way thor
ough. well-devised and correct one, but
he certainly could or should not be ex-
pected to go behind each member Of the
and warn him or her that the
knob would surely be there as II had been
during the rehearsals and request them
to kindly subdue any inclination 10 aero
battles in connection with it. Mr.. Arden
invariably gives his audiences the full
benefit OF his best efforts, and 1t was the
least that the members of the company
could do to render him ali the assistance
in their power by exercising a little
thought and interest in what they were
doing. The discredit reflected Slaringiy
on them individually. for il was without
doubt a most fragrant exhibition of the
which properly belongs to
amateurs.