The sun., 1903-12-13

"Roland's Rinaldos cousin told you
that, too" .
1t is time to go behind the scenes. for that
is one OF the most interesting parts OF the
theatre.
Antoine Parisi meets you more than half
wav. 1t Is Antoine Parisi who IL the moving
power in the Marionette Theatre. He
directs, oversees, superntends the making
and repair OF wardrobcs and damaged faces,
and II is he whose wonderful voice issues
from the wings while the wooden marion
cites stalk across the stage. 1t Is voice
which ought to make fortune. II properly
directed. II is voice which thrills spa
troubles its auditors.
When Rinado seemingly says 4Mio
sposd' or "dddio" you forget the ridiculous
ness of the jointed dolls, the crude scenery,
the hot theatre, like the rest OF the audience,
through the medium of a marvellous vocal
chord. The dolls become endowed with life
and from that moment you cease to laugh.
The door of Imagination il unlocked and
Charemagne. Roland, Rnaldo and the
| rest are actors. handicapped with man.
nerisms, perhaps, but actors. not dolls.
Booth is said to have been able to play
Hamlet in evening clothes without making 10
ridiculous. Antoine Paris has followed In
his steps. "The Paladin of France" is pro:
duction worth the sacrifice of time and
comfort, simply and only because the man
who stands In the wings has Il full, deep
voice. chest tones that would be welcomed
on the grand opera stage. untiring energy
anu
He has, too, the melancholy OF unappre-
ciated genius. y have many plays in my
repertoire, he says with the help of an i'm
terpreter, "but do not think they care for
anything but the ones they see night after
night. l can do Aida" and many other
operas and tragedies, but it would be USE
less to attempt them here and he ges-
lures sadly toward the uncultured audience.
Perhaps, some time and he views the
Apgo-Saxon party as if through them he
His wife sits in the wings with large vol
ume open on her lap. 1t is entitled Tho
Seven Paadins," and furnishes the letter
press of the plays which are given every
as prompter and keeps a watchful eye on
the incoming and outgoing of the curious.
tall, muscular young man is the re-
nainder of the working force of the theatre:
cites appear and disappear. He shows
the mechanism and explains the modus
operandi in good English.
| "You see this bar and he takes one
wall. How Conred would love to put his
company to rest in that way and only take
them down when needed The. bar is
about two feet long, emerges from the crown
| OF the mariopette's head and ends in hook
which the young man holds over his finger.
Il stand here he mounts bench which
runs behind the scenic background. THE
bit of canvas at the top hides my hand and
|
the figure in my hand. have strings
connecting with the arms and the sword
or other piece OF armor. Try to lift one
| Of them"
The different members OF the party try
their strength and endurance. There are
! easier ways of ca rning living, as mariOn-
ette weighs about eighty pounds. To
! lift these over the back Of the scene, to
keep two in constant motion, to change
rapidly as the exigences of the drama
demand is no ght task
I Hung on beams are the stock company
of the theatre. waiting their turns. An
toine Parisi is probably the only manager
IN town who has no BILE with over-am-
bitious stars. with matinee heroes with
enlarged cerebelurns and throaty prima
donnas, He is unique in that respect as
in many others. 1t is medi val atmos-
phere. kings, queens. knights, paladins,
priests. usurpers and pretendcrs. clothed
in twelfth century costumes, await either
the castle wall and the lay of the trouba-
dour or field of the cloth of gold.
! 1t is place where art FOR art IS sake 10
the unwritten watchword.