The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12
new THEATRES IN GERMANY
THE LATEST, THE SCHILLER, HAS
NEITHER AISLES NOR BOXES.
Entrances at the sides I'm Beriin's New
PIayhOuse-Ths Safest Auditoriunh'
They s~ay-ChanBe In the Proscenium
Arch 70 Increase Feeling OF Illusion

Afch 10 increase Feoi'Aie vi
The latest ideas in theatre building
abroad are shown in the Schiller Thsatre'
which has been finished reoently in Chariot-
tanburg, near Berlin. Two OF the most
vital changes are the absence OF aislee n
the total lack Of boxes.
In place Of the usual doors at the rear.
says The World To-day. there are rows OF
them down the sides and 1t is through these
aide entrances that the spectators maxi
their Uay to the seats. The space devoted
70 exits IL thus more than doubled.
The distance between the rows OF seste
Ia greater thar 1t ordinarily Is with US q
the effort necessary TO reach one OF the ing
foyers at the side 10 less than 1t is when any
one having an inside seat in one OF u inca
tres tries to get to the aisle, There 10 no
slow procession down the aisles at the oiose'
and the hall can be cleared in a remarkably
short space Of time.
The great Ring Theatre disaster in Vienna
has made German officials extremely oau-
tious, and they conducted q long inquiry
Regent or the Schiller theatres to be built.
After exhaustive Investigations they de-
cided hat the new type OF auditorium was
the safest Of all. Such o hall can De Cleared
quicker than the old form and there Is
greater safety for all, as It Ia IN the aisies
and at the exits that the oreadeo hangers
Turk.
The Schiller Theatre, recently dedicated,
consists OF three connected buildings, with
a garden that is thrown open henlMeatner
permits. The main structure contains the
stage and the great theatre with seats for
i'456 persons. It IL possible to out Of part
Of the hall 80 that there will be only sSs
seats, a.,
THE stage is enormous, az compared with
the auditorium, and contains a great variety
OF ell the latest and best, machinery LOT
scenic effects. In a second building there
is a restaurant, with q festival hall above.
In the third structure a small hall has been
provided for popular entertainments.
In shape the auditorium resembles q
fan about half open. II the spread out
able angle one is given a fair idea OF the
incline and general plan Of the floor. The
decorations are Of the type that combines
simplicity and beauty. straight lines being
used as much as possible.
The EliSabethan revival q the plan
of hanging drapenes on the stage In lieu
of scenery both show that there Ia dis
satisfaction with prevailing stage prao-
tices IN other lands than Germany, but
the proposed solution Of the problem being
tried In ChariottenDuTS Soonls faf moro
Germans do not abolish scenery and the
effects to which they object. They modify
them instead, and in 30 doing obtain re-
markable results,
with us there is a positive line OF de-
marcation which stands between the actor
and the spectator, the prosoenium arch,
which separates the real world from the
establish the desired feeling Of Illusion
the hermann devoted their attention first
to this arch. They found that the feeling
Of artihciahty was lessened when the pros
oenium arch was disguised as it Is at Bay
reuth.
In order to accomplish this two arches
were put in, the curtain being thus re-
moved further from the spectator than is
the usual custom. Two fire wells n
two steel curtains are thus placed etween
the audience and the stage.
In the buildings devoted to opera there 10
a black void between these arches; the
Mystic Gulf as Wagner called it. The
space is closed, however. when dramas are
presented. as the spoken t1ns lacks the
One Of the most efective aids In the hands
Of the German i~nnovators is a simple device
the mere handling Of the lights in the
proper n Here again tradition 10 de-
fed and there is absolute darkness over the
seats.
A small lamp, covered by a shade, indi-
Gates the location Of the nearest exit. With
the auditorium dark comparatively little
light is neee-s1 on ths stage and theFv, at
what appears - b a considerable Ssstsace,
the figures move.
Performances in these new theatres
begin early, sometimes at 4 O'Clock n the
afternoon IL a big opera IL 10 be presented.
and continue until about 10 O'Clock, with q
long intermission for supper. On q pleasant
day the patron is at liberty to arrive early
and to take his ease in the attractive garden
until the hour for starting the performances
arrives. It is not necessary to leaves theatre
OF this type for a meal unless one wishes to
do 80, for there lie the spacious restaurant
where all can be accommodated.
Then, while waiting for the curtain to 10
up once more, the visitors stroll in the gar
den, or sit at one sid resting until notified
that the performance is about TO be resumed.
AZ Bayreuth and Munich this signal Ia in the
form Of the traditional trumpet fanfare used
at the primitive theatrical performances
during the middle ages. =
II may seem a simple matter 10 have false
prosoenium arches to place the stage al
a greater distance n TO dim the liEhts.
but the results are remarkable and are out
OF all proportion TO what one who has not
seen for himself would imagine.