The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-21

where . minor play takes possession Of IN
sass and the scenery appears as mer
painted canvas. or In q performance q
Moliere's -lmpromptu do Nersailles' Il
such instances the scenic field L. identica
A with the general conditions Of tho interio
a NJ the theatre building and no invisibl
fourth wall IL In question. hut whenevo
the scenic field In a modern theatre 10 com
posed OF fabric strictly imaginary. the Vis,Ia
|, presentation Of three bounda ries of the scen.
, elects the imaginary representation Of fOul
boundaries inevitably and automatically
In the first act Of Tho Great Divide the
thought Of Ruth Jordan at bay before heI
drunken AsaAilants would he q Theatrical
absurdity N she were not regarded ~ com
pletely immured In her ranch cabin. More
over. the theatrical effect would be as quickly
dissipAted N tho cabin itself were not re-
sarded as isolated In and completely snr-
rounded by the level sands and sagebrnsh.
Or In general. whenever the fabric Of the
three walls IL erected on the hint OF scenery.
the fabric OF the fourth vail. comprising
In its turn vast countries and far on hori-
IONS. IL erected at the same time inevitably
and automatically. In this sense an i'm
| aginaFy use Of the invisible fourth wal.
10 constant and Indispensable factor Of
the scenic illusion In practically every the
atrical performance.
Unlike the other walls. tho fourth has no
position. Obviously IL cannot bs con
ceived a. having any other position than
that which IL would logically occupy. II
cannot Occupy its logical position. We
cannot conceive the vast countries and far
on horizons a. lying utwArd from the plane
OF the proscenium. The forest OF Arden.
though II must be continuous. cannot over
grow the auditorium. The Arizona desert
though IL must surround Ruth JordAn's
cabin on all sides. cannot coexist In one shot
a ftal Of
ominou- fabric Of dungeons, stairways.
courtyard parapets which encompasses
the scene OF C!sTsnes,s murder cannot stun
the playhouse to the roof IL by such
scenic hints ~ red light and brass fender.
the disposition OF chairs and the aim Of the
actors gaze. We attempt TO locAlizs the
fourth scenic wall by specifying = fireplace
in the fourth wall % the room we not only
mutilate room which otherwise would |
appear complete but In 50 far a. our attempt |
approaches success we sweep out Of exist |
ence the fabric representing all that lies be- |
yond the fourth wall Of the room. IL IL the |
passing OF the third moor back next door
when. a. in such scenes the fourth scenic
wall includes the idea OF an actual wall, the |
attempted locAlization. In so far a. IL sue
Ceeds at all. succeeds only in facing the
audience with the reverse side 81 the room
wall while the a. ton Of the play Ia concerned
with the diverse whether such a device
II itwere really productive Of scenic result.
could he said to contribute 20 the verisi-
Multitude OF tho set may lie doubted
The fourth scenic wall cannot hous., vivid
Instances Of activity or being owing to the
TACT that visual ina gerry & excluded from the
'ourth wall even In actual experience, and
Dwing TO the further fact that representative
imagery In the fourth wall Of actual expert
NEE can only he evoked from a Consciouslv
position. 40 related TO the Oh
srver's field Of vision thai the fourth wall
egion remains invisible In the theatre
imagery Of this sort could
'nly he experiences by the spectator from
'osition on the stage dow front and facing I
~ The fourth scenic wall therefore remains
Iotional in fabric. IL merely tho spacial and :
extural counterpart 81 the rest ~ the seq q
ndary neld. and can support none 81 the ,
rafic Of the PLAY Even II the localiyation 4
4 the fourth wSll could be effected the tram =
4 the play NJ course would still he excluded {
rom y The advantages Of such localila-
ion, then. can only he sought IN iis strictly {
Genie effect. and this effect appears q con.
49, In IN" destruction Of The four wall n.
ision
Subject to correction. submit this on. n
ne. whi'h arm aware Ntll seem too obyi-
'i- in parts and too aummarily categorical
I others. by way OF Az attempted II st.ment
the conditions Of theat ricAl representa-
on ~ limited by the condit ions Of scenic
luslon- ! think that perhaps the license
, localize invisible walls IA which our
rtOrs. our producers and even our play
rights oCca-onAlly indulge Is a heritage
-om earlier days. Is a habit formed when
~ stage was not enclosed found useful
own tn the recent time Of the Il isappear-
nee Of the apron and incongruouSly re-
'inesi IN our technique today. But tes,
this supposit ton would involve those moot
lest ions Hs to the character and even the
Sistence Of early scenery which remain
ramatic scholarship And perhaps ~ IL
ardly ne"es-aTN to uncover the historical
-iRin Of artist iC hlunders before protest
g against their rspet II ion in practice and
lsir attempted iustihc a. ION IN theory
Let u- not hefuddle ourselves with catch
oru- about the prosCenium. However
'etul the "atchwords may be in historical
udy The scenic fabric 81 our iheatrp With
!, so-called picture frame pro~cenium"
~ no means ne same thing a. the inaRi-
lilNe fabric Of framed painting let
not be mi-led. either. by the comparison
hiCh ~ often made bet tween our fheatri-
J scene and the interior OF a room from
hich one wall has been stripped away
owever expressive the simiie may he al
. converse j. not true the interior Of a | ",
ON from which one " all has been strippad =
ray Is not in the least like our theatrical va
enc And II anv one finds himself called ca
dramatic CRITICISM ] suggest he might
of,ably Test the statement that tho fourth
III In scenic Illusion IL not supposed 10 and
mot he supposed 10 stretch across IN,
.Ee AZ he line OF the footlightz
wv oRE. august 20 DAVID LLOYD