New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06
GROTESOUE ANIMALS FOR STAGE PRODUCTIONS.
HOW IDEAS OF ACTORS ARE Worked OUT BY MEN
WHO USE PAPER lACHE md WIRES WITH SKILL

With the increase Of popular interest in musical
extrayerauzas on the stage a art unusual anG
almost uncanny has sprung into being WIN
costumers and decorators the stage folk nave Ions
elaborated but with the artisans VINO now win
a few wires some papier mache. much skill ana
mora patience convert n good looking actor rs
actors 60 into either n laughatle parody OF some
well known domestic animal OF some beast uuly
hideous and repulsivo the stage is yet not Wei
acquainted.
s,nns without us commented one Of the foremost
in this particular line OF art the otner gay ana
there was more truth than fiction In the remark
When shows such for instance. the the Babes In
TovIand" now AT the Majestic Theatre. come upon
the stage these who work the seemingly i'm
possible I'm wire and papier mache are almost as
essential to success as the audiences themselves.
Probably not one IN ten Of those who have seen
the .big black spider sit down beside her and
drive Miss MuIct away at tbe Majestic has sym
pathized with the spider or even given rap how
he came TO be a spider. anyway. Those overgrown
frogs with their awkward hops have wonder
fully Iifelike appearance. but they owe u All 10
the artist in wire and pnpier mache.
Persons Witnessing a performance In which sew
eral Of these extraordinary creatons arr produced
together cannot realize the amount Of study and
work required make each move as smoothly and
naturally II does.
work" salG an arts; IN ptown shop the
other afternoon, as he rested for moment In his
endeavors TO make huge donkey head as life
Ike in every particular possible
That's right" agreed his assistant. rs ne
s,rafrbtened his hack and shifted tho close fitting
head he had been wearing while his ehlof sd-
justed 10.
Now. take this head for Instance. It's TO be
worn by-bv-who's this-why. that Jack In a Md
summer Nights Dream'-you know who mean
We'll now look here See those stringsr' and
he pointed 10 two rows OF thin. but very strong
cord hanging at either side OF the donkey's neck
..>Sow watch them" and he pulled hrst ono and
then another untn all OF the twelve had been
ruied AS each was worked the papier mache
donkey ala the unexpected. HIS lips rolled back
IN a broad grin, his mouth few open In hearty
~FIai Har' his turned In every eonesivaole
position and entirely independent OF each other MS
eyelids blinked naturally. and he made "goo-goo
eyes in response 10 the twitchny 81 another string
IN a manner 10 excite the envy Of the author OK
that art.
.Nov. that was no foot OF a job" explained the
chief as he relieved his assistant OF the cumber-
some headgear. Ito work out that thing. OF
course this isn't dressed up yet This Is Just the
foundation. Just wire and papier mache. This has
20 be coated with hair and painted up 20 make II
look natural
Took a whole lot OF figuring TO get that thing
right You see, the actor gets an idea; he comes
20 us and outlines what he wants. We get to-
g-ther on IT, OF course. the actor generally has
big ideas about what can be done. We know. how
ever and Just do the best we car.
that head there we've just been looking over Is
worth. roughly about $50. These others" and he
pointed TO the array OF apes faces. lions. tigers.
elephants and other animals grinning down from
the rafters and from nearly every side. are also
very expensive things some OF them costing more
than this head. and some Of them less.
lust before the theatrical season opens r.
/ busy time. Then they come In US with flood
OF new ideas. and they always in great hurry
for US 70 work them OUT
To many OF the actors taking animal kindred
parts on the stage much credit is due for the In
genuity they display IN devising and carrying out
their parts One OF the most striking illustrations
OF the amount Of study that be put into such a
part Is afforded by the spider the Babes In Toy
land" on the stage the spider Is Robert Burns
"Bobbie' Burns his friends call him when I'm poet
zeal mood Unlike the poet however. this Mr.
Burns is an athlete When Julian Mitchell con-
ceved the idea of having giant tarantula grating
about the stage during the laid In the spiders
! forest. MIR. Burns called upon. His costume
first designed two legs short according 10
the fashions prevailing in the best tarantula So
I ciety. Mr.. Burns proved this by purchasing a
tarantula brought from California. This tarantula
/ he kept I'm a bottle in his room. To perfect his
imitation OF the Insects movements he studied It's
motions closely His imitation of the slow hesi-
tating movement OF the insect now said TO be as
near perfect It is possible to get.
! Theoretically the imitation OF a huge spider IA
easy; in actual practice II is not so easy
/ 1T Is hard strain a mans arms and legs
says Mr.. Burns. ito move about supporting the
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