New-York tribune., 1911-11-05
STAGE GHOSTS
Evolution of SpeCtreS From Veil
Clad "Spooks" to Every
day People.


ed. most unappreciated of all dramatis per-
soma, ,he stage ghost. to fail TO note that
in the general Improvement Of all things
mundane in these modern times his spec
tralship has come up wonderfully with the
rest. Where in years past they used to
have to dim the lights turn on the moon
and arrange special circumstances Of hor-
ror so that n figure in white cheesecloth
might sneak across the farthest corner Of
the stage. to-day we sit in the theatre and
watch Peter Grimm. to take a particular
case, return TO the scenes of his life in the
flesh. looking in every respect as he dld
when we saw him alive. With the eNccp-
tion Of a dimming of the lights to aid his
entrance there is nothing spookke about
Peters spirit No wells trail from his
shoulders. no chalk cracks on his check.
II is a puzzle TO determine whether the
development shows an added or decreased
imagination on the part Of the spectator.
Not that il matters, except as thlng 10
ronder over. whether il IS moro magma
tive TO create heing strangely clad. moN-
ing in mystery and with manners ana
thoughts other than those of world people,
or 20 do away with all signs and symbols
and let fancy picture a change OF state
-he, the eve cannot see For this is what
the latest improvements in stage ghosts
have brought us 10.
one Of the first attempts to improve the
veiled shade" Of the first days of stage
spectres was that Of Professor Pepper. VINO
I'm 1855 gave an exhibition in the Royal
Polvteohnic Institution at London oi ms
method OF producing the ghost Illusion
Nv various methods Of lighting ell wen
enough known to Inc stage electricians ol
today"
Another departure from custom was mace
by the late Kyric Bellows father Inc
elder Bellew sometimes gave readings oI
various plays, chiefly Shakespeare to Whch
large audiences gathered. on one occasion
Nv Bellew decided TO try novel expert
rnent lie would read Hamlet ana "'
the same time engage a company 10 "C'
,be play i'm pantomime as ne READ H. ile
was man of many original notions WIN
regard 10 the stage. and ~ thlS p'iloi VI
ence he worked out one OF them III n,'
Arrangement Of the ghost OF hai'le'
father. There were, it is true lhe "N-
,ooorligb, and wells. The high bastions oi
the castle walls were in the oacke'ou'''
,-or novelty. however. snow. lately fallen
covered the scene. When the ehosU az
,oared he crossed the snowy courtyard
leaving Signs OF l'OA Alii'''''
,at anneared his tracks showed up plach
ats,trc+ The keen-eyed audience Al
once cav the marvel and were so attract
IT. eoot NJ s-agecraft that the sue
&c ~ II defeated its own ends, as u NdS
-. - ,,,noesib,e 10 get back their atten-
80 he fo1,oping lines and scenes
r., ,,r,anat;on of the clever hit of stage
- c,rrc out later The snow, pu'
,.o Aoor in bountiful quantities was
=. The Ghost trod upon II dry Shod anu
,.., ~ mark Hamlet dampened the soies
- bic bcots so that when he stepped o"
~. -. :, stuck to his shoes and lett Inc
blscl, footprints behind.
Another attempt 10 increase tho feals''
- -boste vas made in London prouu'
tion Of Hamlet some years ago me '''a
~. chat if the wells worn by the spnt
., the king were quite lonS. 80 that ,nrE
,,o,ld trail after him. the effect WoN'd oe
-roro that Of moving alonE spirit-hke ina"
Of walking IN the human way. Inc S'''F
,l,iv,ed Ghost could not create this NIosl'"
NJ course The spectre when nc 'IS' 'P
osred in This particular performance
croatnd = sensation in the audience. Inc
trailing effect was splendid. Hamlet now
.vor. was PLAYED by some Weli-Nno"" "''''
who had often done the part ana was a.
custoued to trainlcss spooks. AS ne lol-
lowed lis fathers spirit across the stage
ho all AZ once trod heavily on the tiailhg
rhoet. \ dreadful tearing was heard ioI-
lowed bv the crash Of the ghoStly helmet
20 the stage The spirit thus denatured
and revealed fed behind the scenes to moe
from the sudden roar of delight that shook
the auditorium.
Between the era of cneesecloth-clad ghosts
and the modern svmbolless ones came the
period Of the vision on the screen. Ana
this device is. OF course. stilt much used.
In Sir Herbert Trees version OF Mac
beth" being given now in London al his
Naiestv's Theatre tho ghost Of Banquo
appears and disappears In his canopleo
Chsir at the festive board by Schemc ol
lights which are concealed in the chalr'
when the lights are turned on the VISION
g. seen seated in a luminous glow; "hen
they arc turned off nothing can be de-
focted in the empty chair.
In the first plays based on spirltualsni
tSardou even used this device) the ghosts
remained off the scene altogether merely
making their presence felt and heard py
Yappiugs. eccentric moves on the part VI
the tables. pictures. etc.
Il is an interesting novelty. this latest
development In stage BnOSts useu III -
Return OF Peter Grimm" TO sec the spirit
of the departed hero Of play walk
down 10 the footlights i'm his business SUIT
end with his hair brushed as usual. his
hat cooked on his head and his cheeks
full and rosy with health After all. 1t may
come 60 be regarded as a pleasant change
from the gloomy forebodings with when
The old style Of ghost was heartlessy. II
ricturesauely intended to fill the audience
And think OF the possibilities which the
now method opens TO the stage ghost. In
the old DAYS no actor OF note cared 10 SUD
merge his face figure and personality be-
meath the trappinGs Of the other world ahd
10 limit his stage appearance to a hitunS
passage I'm the moonlight and few words
crowled in mufiled chest tones. But What
actor would refuse the chance 10 take
long and prominent ghost part with all It's
possibilities of subtlety in acting. when he
could appear on the stage among his old
earthly friends and relatives in the fuII
light and clad in his most becoming az
tire.
ABOUT DANCERS AND DANCING.