The Washington times., 1912-02-02

house, as large as a good-sized boudoir,
can be carried on mans shoulder.
As unusual care was taken with the
"Chantec'er' scenery, 20 II mas peen
with the costumes II Is q complicated
proposition to alter men and women
Into birds, beasts, and reptiles, or TO
magnify trees, houses, I'm fact, every.
thing in sight, to eight times the usual
size. Ha'
chance to be invited behind the
scenes at the end OF a performances
should not feel surprised IL after the
400. 900 feathers that are used In the
n,ay have passed and repassed across
a hencoop during the moulting perl
cd. Only these stage feathers are so
costly that one man is employed Tor
no other purpose than rn,socs TO PICK btIs fhem n
feather expert from Paris travels
with the company, TO Iron the feath-
crs and to replace them In the ex-
traordinary costumes. 49, -.
course, has at least $4,000 feathers,
the. most brilliant plumage. of many
cocks OF the walk. 1t can hardly be
said that chickens were raised raised -, to
the bounds of possibility are not
stretched In stating that every one
Of these feathers was hand picked.
and carefully selected The task OF
did not end with the French. dress
makers. Rather. as soon as the p1umage
reached this country. Mr.. Alexander
Sssd hd onfs Ss tss ss and
to the conclusion that 1t is ten times
easier to. make the most elaborate
evening dress. than to create one of
these nn hrnIer ines. foWs eWesv tnerf mere
of the body must run In harmoni-
GUS curve into every other part. Each
feather must smoothly overlap at
lust the proper distance to give a
are not the only innovations in
"Chantecler."
Scent of Woodland Brings
Refreshing Sense of Realism.
One other sense, a new one, has been
appealed to In order to produce the
feeling Of reality-the sense of smell
For when the curtain rises In the second
act tile hillside, at the edge. of the
woods an exquisite odor drifts out tc
the audience. giving each person a feel.
Of the early morning. Then, when tht
fourth act, In the middle Of the forest
10 disclosed comes another fragrance
the pungent smell OF pine trees Unles:
It might be easily believed that one
were in that woods. Everything on the
stage becomes increasingly real. The
scene appears more vivid; the words
| sound more natural.
Infinite Detail Required
TO Train Human Fowl.
| A book might be written regarding the
little details that were practlced over
and over again before "Chantecler''
was considered sufficiently perfect TO
h<. t..l -. ha lrz
ens OF rchearsals before the farmyard
lss Adems ideas of what they should
be Rehearsals we're we'll under way
before members Of the company could
become used to the costumes Of the
birds and the fowls. and their carly es-
heels we're worn. and il was necessary
that when walking the men and wonien
who represented the birds and fowls
should lean forward. This brought un-
used muscles Into play. and lamehcss
was the result
AS may be imagined. the COSTUMES are
exceedingiy warm, hut once the actors
Ead become used to them, they found
hsvs sS 10 errors f he,n now SSses Msns
of the women in tho company wears
stays, and all resort to the juvenile
style of make-up-:aat Is. make-up de-
void OF facial lines.
1t Is said the simpics, Of the costumes
IN the rlay is mo"a expensive shan the
most elaborate dinner gown Of feath-
ers alone there are more than $4,000
worth. and the bill of the Paris cos
tuner Is .vouched for by Charles
Frohmsr to have been more than
SCI. 600
Iiefore "Chaiitecler" wue given to the
american public by Miss ADAMS, she
had rehears"d II l27 times, and each
time had given 1t her per snnll diI cction.
JUEIA MURDOCH.