The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-24
T II E A 7 z E s
| n @ [ D
MEXICO
EDWIN MORDANT RELATES SOME
ODD INCIDENTS.
Many Customs Changed by Visit Of
American Dramatists-Time
Honored Institutions Eliminated.

Edwin Mordant, the popular star OF
THE Great Divide company, which
closed a successful engagement at the
Grand Opera House Saturday evening.
has travelled widely, both In Mexico
and Canada In recalling today numer-
GUS incidents In connection with his
most recent sojourn in Mexico, the
subject of Mexican theaters was touch
ed upon which brought forth a host Of
"Reminiscences.
"To a theatrical man" he said,
there Is much that is interesting
along the lines Of my profession to be
found in Old Mexico
Visiting the City of Mexico with the
first English speaking dramatic COM
pany to play there, [ had an excel
lent opportunity to view the theater
from every standpoint We were COM
PEELED to change many customs. and
introduced some that were new to the
Mexican. For instance, they had never
used incidental music through the ac-
ton OF plays. or during intermlsson,
During that period the men in the au-
dience vii arise. light cigarettes, and
with hats on, turn around and gaze
over the house through glasses. With
us all that was changed also the Gus.
tom for the men to visit behind the
scenes
They use no stage director to pro.
duce plays, but the prompter. who sits
under n raised hood near the footlights,
reads the lines and they are repeated
by the actors on the stage after him
This is very annoying to the auditor.
for the prompter does not modulate
his voice. There Is no action, and
plays sound more like monologues.
Consequently our method of production
was a revelation. The signal for the
raising mad lowering of the curtain
came from a large bell. which could
be heard above everything. destroying
the atmosphere Of climax We elm
mated that time-honored Institution
and installed the "buzzer" Our quiet
methods and system "pauses" In ac-
ton made many of them think we did
not know our lines. The properties
and furniture are the finest I have
seen in theaters, but the scenery
well, it was paper
Still it is surprising what could be
done with it Material for a dozen
productions could be put In two trunks
When they wanted to build up set
they spread out the painted paper
scene, and, with strips of wood two
inches wide and six feet long, frame.
work is built by overlapping each
piece. The paper scenery Is then fast
ened to it. using small discs of leather
through which nails are driven. 1t is
frail, but effective
1t takes very little time to disman-
tie scenery. and the framework is tax.
en- apart TO be used for the next pro
duction" The stages are small. like
wise dressing rooms The auditoriums
are long and narrow. and have from
three to FIVE galleries. Series OF box
es are built along the side. and the
theaters have a Good seating capacity.
They have no knowledge Of the use OF
lighting for effects In productions. The
theaters use electricity. but crudely
installed
One peculiar institution Ito us) was
the "mouners' boxes" They are built
! on the stage, back of tho prosccnium
arch and just out of sight of the audi
torium, SO that when tho main drop
Is down the occupants are on the
stage. A lattice-work screens them
from those on the stage, or not. as
they desire.
A bereaved family is not supposed