New-York tribune., 1905-11-26
MISS EASTMAN.

| picture and article found in the search and the
volume Of these notes became the basis and the
authority for the production in every detail
The scene painters. using the book Of notes az
guide, visited. in turn such of the galleries and
libraries contained material bearing upor
their particular art Sketches made Of
landscapes, architectural elevations and mural
decorations. and from these sketches the models
of the settings were made. The result is that
the drop in the second act presents an accurate
panoramic view of the city of Pisa, and in the
interior scenes every arch, door. pillar windoT
and tapestry is an exact counterpart. in design.
Of what was to be found in the palaces Of Italy
Of the Renaissance period.
The necessity for absolute accuracy was
shown in rather an amusing way soon after the
run of "Monna Wanna" began The entire pro-
duction had been inspected by Mr.. Fiske and
his staff time and again. and considered
beyond reproach. It happened. however. that
one night there came to the theatre military
man who is an expert firearms and their
history. After the performance he cOmpi-
mented Mr. Fisk6 the play, the acting and
the scenic inyesture; but" said he, there is
one grave inaccuracy in the production. The
shot that is heard in the distance in the second
act is too modern in sound So sharp report
is made only by present day arms The guns
of the fifteenth century gave out a dull. muffed
report. The sharp report destroys the atlnos-
phere. the illusion. 1t is very bad. sir. very
badr'
The next night the fault was remeded. The
property man devised a plan by which present
day powder makes sound five hundred years
old!
In the second act of 1.-The Girl o. the Golden
West" Mr.. Hunter Belasco's stage manage
each night directs half a score of men who
never appear to the audience but who are all
needed to produce that furious blizzard that IS
so realistic as almost to chill the audience.
Three of these men turn the cranks OF wind
machines (Which are composed OF strips of eau
vas weighted over wooden paddle wheels), an
other works a whistle in can OF compressor
air and others regulate the fall of snow from
three snow bags overhead. This snow is white
confetti, and it falls behind the door of the
girls house and becomes visible, 1t gets into the
conflicting currents of air from two electric
fans and is blown and eddied about. When
"the boys make their exit, crouchfng figures
are waiting for them behind the scenes and they
are pelted with salt and white confetti, so that
to the audience it seems as If the gusts of wind
swirled the snow fiercely UP into their faces
when they stepped out of the door. The VIM
dows are continually ratified and pelted with
salt the play goes on, and now ana AGAIN
the scenery is shaken as if the house were shlV-
ering in the hurricane Of wind 1t takes many
men to do all this and they have to be carefully
drilled and directed. They get no credit for II
from the excited audience. who are caught up
by the reality of the scene, but they are DONG
their part The attainment of stage reallsnl'
indeed, depends much more than the actors,
and it is not created in a day. Belasco ana
Mrs FTske are the two masters of 1t in this
country, and they pay the most attention 70
accuracy OF costume and scene, drill most
painstakingly every super and every man De-
hind the scenes"