The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-13

pretended to be nothing more than a series
OF the best finished pictures possible Of
scenes typical Of the War Of the Rebellion
threaded on the simplest possible plot
which could carry the characters and the
interest in their movements from one pict.
ure to the next. So rigidly had this idea
Of simplicity been enforced upon the play.
wright that the drama would have been
almost as vivid had there been no spoken
parts at all, as indeed there were none in
the eliminating scene, the rush Of Wilson's
raiders at Rocky Ford, several days after
Lees surrender with the final attack Of the
Confederate cavalry, made on horses diving
into the stage river, submerging both
themselves and their riders In the plunge
and then swimming TO the rear Of the Fed
eral line for a flank attack.
II was inevitable, with the tremendous
mechanical problems involved in the strk-
ing and setting Of such great areas of scenery
and properties a. were required for the
forming Of pictures as vast and complete
in detail as were these Andersonville tab
leauX. that the frst night audience should
suffer some inconvenience from delays
But those who knew that three months OF
experimenting with such a complicated
situation as that involved in the battle
scene was only ended at an early hour
yesterday morning, wondered that the
delays were as short as they were and knew
too that with such progress in acceeration
as that made in the last twenty-fourhours
there would be no ground TO complaint
after a week OF actual working practice.
THE REAL COUNTRY CIRCUS.
It was the feeling Of Mr.. Thompson, APP
parcntly. that 10 most people a circus loses
much Of its ancient charm and SAVIOR when
it IS transported into a city and carried on
under a roof-where there are no heaving
tent tops, no peanut vendors and no cold,
cold, ioa cream lemmo"; where the three
shell man docs not weave through the rowd
ahead Of the country constable and the bar
ker docs not exhibit the tattooed man and
the dog faced boy for a tantalizing instant
In front Of tho side show flap, In an en-
deavUr TO restore those classic delights
10 the urbaniZed circus, the first scene Of
"A Yankee Circus on Mars depicts the cir
Gus lot in a country town with a bucOlic
populace in full appreciation OF the visit
Of the show.
The Hippodrome stage Is nearly as big
az the ordinary circus lot and few actual
circlses have as many people hang
around them in a small town as there were
in costume when the stage managers
whistle sent the choruses forward from the
wings out upon that stage last night.
In this scene, brief as Il was. them we're
songs which caught the applause Of
the audience until the prepared encores
were worn 10 a fra zzlc. One Of them,
The Bogey Man, accompanied by silt
walkers dance by George Bennett-in a
costume and makeup likely 10 leave the
small folks Of New York very respectful
20 their nurses for a week at least afte
seeing him-was altogether and distinctly
ca tchy. Even he'd It not been catchy II
wo ID have got distinction from the ma Rnif-
cent voice and presence of Albert Ha rt,Si9nor
Tbunderdrio, the show lions tanner. The
spirited Performance Of the Russian Miska
in the part Of The Escaped Lion which is
in cidental 10 Sipnor Thunderdrto's entrance
ia a chez rful va ration in animal limitations
as New York has known them.
The action discloses that the circus is in
business difficulties and about to be sold
at auction by the Sheriff, This calamity
is ave rted by the appearance OF Marian
mcsse nger, a sort of glonfed harlequin
person, enacted by Ben +, Grinnel who
after insinuat ting himself into the circus
crowd with his serpentine whirlings, an
nounced and carried out his instructions
from the King OF Mars for the purchase OF
a Yankee circus and its transpO ration in
a mammoth airship 10 Mars.
BIGGEST CURTAIN, swIFTEsT CHANCES.
With the dropping Of the biggest asbesto OF
curtain the world ever saw the audience
had its first introduction TO the Hippo
drome scene shifting army In action. Nearly
half Of the big stage is in front OF the curta in
No scenery Is hung on this apron Ctech-
nically so-calledl, but there are huge mats
to be removed and replaced. II was q
show in itself to see the way the white
uniformed army under Boss Scene Shiftel
Wakefields command few at their task
and whisked things out OF the wav
In the space OF time while things wer'
being adjusted behind the curtain ther'
was a pc 70 nance OF { aimed elephants
eduoatei 10 the point OF bowling ana rsine
tslept ones. within year Of their c2pttr'
IN an Afr can jungle. The youngster'
aged ttat this was great.
1t really is not worth while to try TO eX
plain in cold type the splendor OF the scenic
/ setting on which the curtain rose after the
intermission. Mr.. Arthur Noegthn, VINO
/ executed all the scenery used in the Hip
podrome, elaborated with the Orienta
I instincts in the diversified mind OF Frederic
Thompson in arranging a courtyard IN th'
! capital Of Mars Much has been told II
/ preliminary articles about that HIPPO
! drome scenery Of dragons forty feet high
! of single pieces Of gorgeousneSs bigger
/ than sectional attempts at spectacular eject
/ which have occupied the whole back stage
/ of ordinary theatres. Visitors 20 Coney
/ Island have had distant and imperfecl
limitations Of Mr.. Thompson's wiZardhk'
use Of electric lights. subdued and In ful
fash But no one who had not seen thu
thing grow under his eyes could repreS
a gasp when the courtyard's barbara
splendors came out from the dim moon
light shadows in which they were at frs
/ concealed.
WONDER oF THE MARIAN CHORUS.
The stage was quite empty except for tn
Rola' AIR inner, pacing the wall an'
studying the skies then in groups Of thirtie
/ md foTfies each one more RlitteTing II
I the peacock hues Of it, robes and equipment
! than the one before, there entered tn
! chorus Of Martians, milkmaids royal guards
. heralds, amazon guards councillors, cham
berlains, and the like, three hundred in all
! singing in a mighty chorus The Som
/ Of the Milky Way. Nothing like II wa
ever seen on this continent before-an'
there was nobody last night with the temerit
to say that anything like Il had ever bee
M"SILvHR PLATE THAT WEARS"0