The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-05-23
By Woodbury. S. BrintnalI

~ etrating, the stage managers
voice demands instant recog-
milton. wavering figures re-
sumo former poses. individuals cease
TO be merely members of a group.
1t is the final picture Of the perform
snce; the last curtain. A cable goes
whizzing through an aperture in the
floor. mingled with the s-w-i-s-h of the
rising curtain; tumultuOus applause
sounds from the front OF the crowded
house and the faint Odor of flowers
floats through the proscenium arch up
stage. Perhaps the play is a musical
comedy with a blaze of light, finale OF
song and the grand old flag; perhaps
drama or a problem play of today;
down stage. the leading woman in the
arms of the leading man, spot light
playing upon them both. in the back
ground the mob, sullen. angry or cheer
ing, in obedience to the directions Of
the playwright's script or the COM
nands OF the stage manager. 1t is the
picture OF the last act The play is
over. The curtain falls
From the front Of the proscenium
arch the orchestra crashes out an exit
4 arch that causes tagging feet to
cst Itch its rhythm. Men and women are
adjusting their wraps.
Great actor. that man." He speaks
critically.
And wasn't tho mob just splendid"
his pretty companion answers enthusi-
sstically. Think of living in those
DAYS; why. they were simply ferociousi"
Poor. ferocious mob. Disintegrating,
dissOlYing ia moment, in the twin
king Of an eve. to assume the individ-
Ualism Of its component parts as the
curtain falls: tired in spirit and body,
damned by head carpenter and stage
hands alike. invariably getting in the
way, doing the wrong thing at exactly
the right moment, despair Of door
tender and stage ger-thus is the
mob.
Somewhere a buzzer's sharp "z-z-z-z-
Z-z-izizp-p" announces all through.
The stage manager stops to mark UP
the length OF the performance. Hur-
rying figures going off stage, calls from
the dressing rooms, stage hands work
ing in deep shadows under Pickering
arcs. drops like spectral forms rising
TO the loft; this. following the last cur
tain, forms the picture on the stage.
And the mob-the supers2 One Of
them struggles along, heavy eyed, dull,
q type OF the city's life. He might
be so. certainly -. and there is the
suggestion of what ms ghl haNe been
IN his walk. stumbling oyer q set
piece he shrinks from the heavy blow
OF z SLdS6 mana. aimed as q COnSe-
Quence OF his unseeing carelessness.
Almost grotesque. yet is there dignity
about the man. The lines in his face
are those Of sorrow and misfortune.
rather than those of dissipation and
wrongdoing. The mouth is weak. the
chin lacking ia firmness. The helmet
he wears IS 100 large. the pink trunks
Ear too small carmine hued cheeks that
long since have lost their bloom Of
youth look CHASTITY in the pickering
light tie is but one Of many.
They come up from the basement
dressing rooms, these same supers, who
are apart by themselves, whose lives
may be enigmas. Rank and file they
form in line on Sunday night after
? the performance. shifting. uneasy, ap-
prehensive in manner and look; 7ot-
sam and jetsam OF the city, old timers
and newcomers; here a young man
from The university, suping to gain
knowledge Of the technic Of the stage;
there. a derelict OF life. just now car
rying a stage spear for 81 a week. In
truth. a motley crowd
helped Herbert Osborne Farjeon,
stage manager at the Alcazar theater,
pay OF such a line not long ago. Tween.
~ or more were waiting in line for
their weeks salary.