The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-04
RADIUM ON The STAGE.
Loie FuIIer's Latest Sensation in RIA
dlum Dances.

From the New York Times.
1t was sure to come. 1t has come. Ra-
dunn on the stagel The only wonder is
that some one of the hustling, up-to-date
ahead-o time American managers did not
think of 1t first. But they Wilt probably
get to 1t before long. For from Paris
comes the story Of Loie Fuller's latest
sensation, radium Dances" which she has
shown to M. and Nine. Curie. The ia
nous physicists are said to have remark
ed that the American serpentine lady
had made them look upon their own dis
covery in a new light. The name "radfum
dances" is not. as might be imagined, a
fancful one. No actual salt of radium Is
manipulated by the lady in the production
of her new effects. But she uses sub
stances very nearly akin to radium These
are certain 1uorescent salts, extracted
from the residue of pitch-blende, whence
the CURES obtained the mysterious mat
ter discovered by them. 1t has, in fact.
been supposed, as will be remembered.
that such salts derive their fiuorescence
from the influence of radium. So much
for the justification of the name given
to the new dance. The spectacle itself
is weird and fantastic in the extreme.
The few guests asked by Loe Fuller to
witness in her studio the performance,
which has not yet been given in public.
are marshaled at one end of the gallery,
with all lights put out. Through slit
In the curtains opposite q green glow
is seen. Suddenly an apparition comes
into view. 1t is vague form, only dis
tinguished by the hundreds OF tiny glow
worms which it seems to carry on its
flowing ralment. The tissue of twinkling
stars floats about circles, sweeps along
the floor, or is waited up until it is
shaped into a sort of great luminous vase.
The dancers face Is ever seen, her form
is vaguely OWNED when outlined by the
glowing lights. The apparition vanishes,
to be followed by another more weird
still
Above a perfectly invisible head, which
you only suppose to be there, shines a
blush halo. Below, clothing an unseen
figure, is a long robe, which is merely
one great patch of the same ghostly
light. The apparition slowly moves to
solemn rhythm, seems to invoke heaven,
the halo being thrown backward when
the head is, as you conclude, uplifted,
and finally, the robe of light sinks on to
the floor. when you infer that the fig
ure kneels. The second ghost vanishing
third appears, a monster glowing moth,
with shining antennae a foot long, eyes
which are globes of light, and wings six
feet high, glittering with luminous scrolls
in all colors. The moth f1utters round and
round the studio, then out of our sight,
but reappears instantly, accompanied by
smaller. glowing white butterfly, which
beats its wings over the monster lumin-
GUS insects head. Lamps being relighted,
we are brought back to reality out of
ghostland, and, having an opportunity of
examining the dancers dresses, find that
they are made Of a peculiar kind of
silk completely impregnated with certain
fiuorscent salts. In complete darkness
only the portions of material thus rem
dered luminous are visible. Hence the ex-
traordinary ghostly effects. In the treat
ment of stuffs by fuorscent salts lies the
originality of the invention.