New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-26
sTAGECRAFT.
You NAV Soon Sit in Auditorium with
Footlights on All Sides.

/ Whether the drama promises new ten
denices in the way Of realism. radiealism
and general broadening Of scope In the
mex, year or intends 70 stay where 10 Is
wherever that may be-is a moot ques-
tlon some persons see Indications OF
regenera:ed drama unfettered by puritan
/ ism and commercialsm. boldly taCklinS the
largest and deepest problems. leading the
public mind rather than following II AT a
distance. walking alongside OF literature
and music I'm their best manifestations
They point TO this and that play as fore
runners of the dramatic dawn. when the
stage viii AFFORD meat for strong men as
well as food for babes and carameis Tor
matinee girls. Certainly II would appear
that questions Of sex. Of social relations
ami other matters Of Importance are SET
forth on the American stage In a way that
would have Oeen impossible few years
ago. The recent productions at The New
l Theatre seem 20 have accentuated the ten
/ dencv toward a drama OF reality and i'm
pOrtance
/ However IL may be with the content OF
the drama. the mechanics Of presentation
are attaining marvellous perfection.
/ stagccrast has become a high science. The
! stage of The New Theatre. said 20 be the
\ most wonderful in the world, gives one
notion OF the present mechanical achieve
nent and OF future possibilities
/ IL takes a man ike Claude l. Hagen.
/ technical director OF The New Theatre and
responsible for It's scientific triumDhs. 70
foresee the anal goal. Mr.. Hagen'a ideal.
\ which he partly realized few years ago
/ at COney Island. is a circular annulaT re-
| volving stage. with the auditorium IN the
/ centre reached by subways beneath the
| stage OF course. only one segment Of the
, revolving stage would be visible az time.
/ the rest OF IL being curtained BY interior
/ walls. A dozen elaborate scenes Of play
/ could be permanently built on such stage.
/ the actors could walk from one scene 70
another. and there would be no intermis-
sion at all between the acts. The perform
sEce would be continuous. and three plays
could be presented in the time IL takes now
10 give two. Not only would such a meth
cd perfect dramatic illusion 10 the last
[ point but IL would meet the modern de-
rnand for quick action and time saving.
Mr.. Hagen would illuminate his stage
| OF the future with a single gigantic light
swung from an arm above the proscenium
| arch and acting as q sun. with a natura!
/ motion, regulated by clock worls. from east
70 west. This stage sun would rise and
set with natural shadows. which would
! inform the audience Of the time of day.
For night scenes the sun would be trans
formed into a moon going through her
natural motions. Doubtless the stars would
be called upon 20 enact their proper parts.
= With the light of miniature solar system
! upon the stage. the actors would have 10
change their makeup methods 70 conform
TO nature.
Such perfect stage. outnaturing nature.
question of time when enterprising man.
ager viii exploit the idea The real draw
back. il is feared. is to get drama worth
enshrining IN such an ideal mechanism.
And what OF the Irresistible advance OF
the moving picture: The popularity Of the
10-cent picture show has aroused the in
ventor 10 the hustling point. and next year
he will offer not only moving pictures,
but moving pictures in color and. not
alone that. he will have the vitagraph ac-
conpanied by the sraphOphOne in perfect
accord, so thar the pictured characters
viii be speaking their parts and in the
proper voice tones Of men. women and
children. Although this mechanical drama
has. been attempted here before. the com
binatiOn has never Yet worked in unison
But Berlin Is now having good drama %
this sort. and il Is promised 70 US very
shortly.
Opera. Of course. is to be given in the
same way. Faust" for instance, is
scheduled To be produced IN a few weeks
by a-phOnograDh-or whatever the
combination shall come 20 be called. And
now that the mere marvel of the moving
picture is no longer felt, Audiences are
becoming critical OF the views offered them.
One Of the vitagraph companies has made
Beach and f. W. Townsend 20 supply them
with bright, swinging comedy, seriO-ccmedy
and melOdrama TO interpret through the
flashing medium OF the moving picture.
And besides this. Roy Nortons and Rich
ard Harding Daviss novels are 10 he
"draEaatized' by the cinenIatograph.