The theatre of science; a volume of progress and achievement in the motion picture industry (1914)

C6e Cijeatte persons paying for admission to these seven theatres in the "Long Acre" district. In that same week (May 4-11) not a single new stage production was offered, but besides the maze of film productions regularly released there was produced within those six days "The Sea Wolf" (Strand), "The Lightning Conductor" (Comedy), "Antony and Cleopatra" (Candler), and — if ever the much-abused "AND" was needed to emphasize the relative importance of one offering, this is the time — the ITALA Company's unparalleled production of "Cabiria," in the ballroom of the Hotel Astor at 3 p. m. on Saturday, May 9, 1914. That Augustus Thomas was asked to address the audience — an audience such as would attend a Caruso matinee — to better prepare it for what was to come must have been due to the famous playwright's appreciation of what "Cabiria" would do for the future of a new art, never so apparently in its infancy as at the close of the 150 minutes of perfect projection, during which blase playgoers and seasoned first-nighters sat or stood in absolute bewilderment. Yes, Augustus Thomas knev/ what this "Cabiria" revelation meant, «ven to such as he. There is no intention in this volume to review the production ; the writer is not a critic, and is content to leave the selection of adjectives to the Alan Dales and the Acton Davies, of newspaperdom ; but such a production as "Cabiria" can only be equalled by American manufacturers of film when they are as firmly intrenched in studios abroad as are the Itala and Cines companies of Italy. Moreover, the hundreds of scenes were revealed as if each had its own director and as if