Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-21

on the stage at the Forsyth theater,
all in the person of Mr.. owen Nc
| Giveney.
Huh" scoffed the sweet young
thing, when the actor had completed
his marvellous feat of quick changes,
st can't be did"
Being person much given to the
vaudeville habit, she was as sophisti-
Gated as you please. Thus all the
| regulars are affected. But never
mind; she was wrong this time. be-
cause it could be did," and Is. And
even when you watch Mr.. McGiveney
back OF the scene, making his
changes, you are not disillusioned.
Rather your admiration is heightened.
Hence this explanation.
Changes in Three Seconds.
1t requires him no longer than three
seconds to make any change of cos
tune. And depend on 1t. there is a
complete change-wigs, shirts, jack
cts. coats and everything.
This is made possible as much by
| the dexterity of his two assistants
| back of the stage as by his own art.
Bill Skies, for instance. is on the
stage, growing at the world. In the
wings the two assistants have Fagin' S
makeup ready-the wig, beard, long
| coat and hooked nose. Bill Skies
strols our of sight of the audience.
Immediat ely This studied stroll be-
comes a frantic dash He plunges to-
ward Fagin's wig, held out toward
him by one of his assistants.
AS he plunges, he filings out his
arms. and the other assistant with
one hand whips off hte Bill Skies wig
and with the other snatches the BIZ
Skies coat.
Assistants Kept Busy.
The actors head shoots into Fagin's
wig, TO which the whiskers are at
tached. Assistant Number One has
Fagins coat ready, and Mr.. Nc
Giveney's arms are in the sleeves
quicker than thought. Fagin. COM
'pletely arrayed, totters out onto the
stage.
Then the two helpers snatch the
next change. the costume of Nancy,
and hold it ready for the actor. Fa-
gin backs off the stage, and Is grab
bed by the watchful pair in the wings.
one hand whips off the Bill Skies wig
other slaps Nancy's hairdress on his
head and whips a skirt tight around
his waist In the intervening half-
second. McGiveney has seized Nancy's
shawl which hangs ready on tripod
and Nancy is off.
Then the helpers fall TO shooting
talcum powder into the sleeves OF the
coat of the Artful Dodger, who next
appears, so that the actors arms may
slide easily into place.
IT is all done with a CELEBRITY that
is marvellous, and that makes more
than interesting a sight of the me-
chanics of the act.
Was College Lecturer.
Back of the stage, behind the paint
ed scenery, where the romantic glare
of the footlights does not penetrate,
and where the music of the orchestra
is heard but dimly, there is supposed
IN exist the domain of disillusion-
ment. But in the case OF this act,
back stage is the most interesting
point of inspection. Sometimes Mr..
NcGiveney might be persuaded 10 do
II all i'm the open. and then the KNOW
ing vaudeville watchers VIII stare,
sure enough.
was hui lately lecturer on Dickens
n English colleges. From his in
fplligent study of the novelist he ac-
ouired his knack of artistic interpre-
IA ton of the characters.
Then he conceived and worked out
Tho quick change act, with the help
N his brother, Jack. an English actor
The two enlisted the services of a
friend who is a Frenchman of noble
family. Mr.. McGiveney assures you
and they set out TO startle the show
going world The brother and the
French Count are the two assistants
behind the stage.