Variety (March 1911)

10 VARIETY PROPER STAGE LIGHTING By HARRY HISSING (Of the Globe Electric Co.. New York) It does not seem possible that pro- ductions may be made more lavish, as far as the setting is concerned, than.they are at the present day. It Is also becoming recognized that while the setting is of the greatest impor- tance in the proper presenting of a theatrical offering, it alone will not bring success. This applies particu- larly to the two-dollar-show, mainly because in the two-dollar-show, the scene runs long enough for the audi- ence to become satisfied scenically, giving time for the auditor to look around. In vaudeville, owing to *the rapid fire character of the work, a good setting has helped many an act over the breakers. Undoubtedly, the critic never judges a picture by its frame. Nevertheless, many a home finds place for a chromo, just because it is set oft by six inches of gold leaf and plaster. As the limit has been reached with canvas, paint and properties, the fu- ture development of a scene seems to be along lighting lines. This does not mean a waterfall must be injected into a scene because the back drop shows a soda fountain in operation. Quite the contrary. The highest praise that can be given the stage electrician is when he achieves a lighting effect without the means becoming apparent to the eye. Probably the principal reason the finale of the second act of "Sleeping Beauty and the Beast," produced at the Broadway theatre some years ago, was considered so ef- fective scenically, was the fact that the scene had been held during its progress in warm amber, and sudden- ly, before the fall of the curtain, switched to a brilliant white. The effect was startling and applause In- variably followed. The tendency nowadays with the increased facility of high power lamps is to over illuminate. The producer does not seem to remember that light- ing is essentially a matter of contrast. Probably the greatest stage manager of his time to know this (as anyone who saw the dilapidated scenery going Into the theatre and the marvelous beauty of a setting during a perform- ance will quickly realize) was Sir Henry Irving. The eye is just as instrumental in carrying an impression to the brain as the ear. If the eye becomes tired, the ear does not receive the atten- tion from the brain it should. This point was well borne out in a comedy scene the writer has in mind, not as well received by the audience as it should have been. Only after the elec- tric bracket lights on the scene, about seven feet from the floor and which were In the same line of sight with the audience as the actors' faces, were put out, did that scene secure its full dramatic value. Another case, almost the contrary, may be remembered In "The Darling of the Gods," where at a crucial moment of an intense scene, David Belasco caused to be flashed a strong searchlight In his actor's face, jolting the audience just as hard as if he had set off a charge of dynamite. With the increased effectiveness of the moving electric scenic effect and its consequent appeal to the audience, has come a desire by the producer to stick in running waters and rising moons, ad lib. Many a dramatic sit- uation has been spoiled because the audience was watching a cloud do a Marathon across the back drop in- stead of looking at the villain steal the papers. It seems to be a bitter pill for the producer, to learn that an effect which has cost him several hundred dollars should be shut off ten seconds after the rise of the curtain when it has done its work in creating the proper atmosphere for the scene to follow. In the finale of the first act of "Madame Butterly," at the Metropoli- tan Opera House, after one sits pa- tiently through an act of musical dia- log, and settles back comfortably at the opening strains of the finale mu- sic (thinking that at last we are go- ing to hear something worth while) Mr. Producer steps in and has his elec- trician wink some small candlepower electric bulbs in the foliage to dis- tract attention from the music, mak- ing us think we are seeing lightning bugs; those typical stage lightning bugs which always light In pairs. Why they always do this, nothing but a desire to economize in copper will ex- plain. The effect of light on the emotions is a most interesting study, and is part of the province of the producer. Augustus Thomas has been making use of color schemes to achieve an effect in phsycological plays. Every- one knows instinctively that to create a cold atmosphere, we use blue or green lights running into white, to bring warmth, amber and red. The day will come in the Ameri- can theatre just as it has abroad, when the dramatic actor will find that that bane of stage settings, the high- candle-power footlights (which throw . sharp shadows from his chin to lite oyes) should be replaced by a strong light from above—nothing from be- low. As the monologlst in vaudevil'e will discover that by standing within the proscenium arch, he can be more effective than by attempting to stand on the leader's piano. The footlight is the result of <he unscientific development of stage pro- ductions. It was first employed In the early days of the drama when a "this Is a church" card represented a three-story building. To secure enough light, the lamps were placed on the floor, directly in front of the actors. No one in the centuries that followed had the courage to move them anywhere else, there they re- mained. That is all they should be used for—to light the feet. Steele Mackaye tried to educate the theatre builder by placing a mammoth strip of lights behind the proscenium arch, getting his light effect from HOLDING OUT WARFIELD. Chicago, March 1. David Warfield with his new play, "The Return of Peter Grimm," will not come to New York until next fall, tor two reasons. One is that It Is so huge a success here that it will run to spring, and the other is that David Belasco cannot put It into either ol his metropolitan playhouses, and doesn't propose to share the receipts of what he regards as such a poslthe certainty with anybody else. Mr. Belasco is said to chafe under the necessity of "splitting" with tn< theatre out here and intends by next year to have a theatre of his own in Chicago, where he can place his suc- cesses at such times as he feels proper. According to present plans, War- field opens at the Belasco-Stuyves- ant in New York the middle of next September with the confident expect- ancy that it will run there for a couple of years without interruption. WRITING "ROSE" PLAY. George B'eban has returned to town after having completed a tour of the Orpheum Circuit. The Italian character actor will rest for several weeks and then busy himself collab- orating with a dramatist who is to elaborate the little one-act playlet "The Sign of the Rose" into a four- act drama. In this piece Mr. Beban is to star under the management of Klaw & Erlanger next season. "LAST SHOT" FOR CONQUEST. Ida Conquest will appear shortly in vaudeville in a dramatic offering named "The Last Shot," a story of the Boer War, which she has secured through Havez & Donnelly. there. But as this meant a solid ceiling for a sky and a cyclorama for all scenes instead of the usual drop and sky Loaders, he was considered too radical. The best form of scenic lighting at the present day for exam- ple are 'The Johnstown Flood," "Cre- ation," etc., which are done in this way. With the advent of gas came bet- ter lighting results. Borderllghts were fashioned to throw the light di- rectly against the scenery. This was on the theory of 'let's light some- thing, so we will light what is near- est to us, the scenery." When electricity replaced gas, the same form of borderllghts was used. It has only been for the last year or two that the builder of stage equip- ments had the courage to design a borderlight throwing the light direct- ly on the stage, light the people and pecuring enough illumination by dif- fusion to illuminate the scenery. Hard and fast rules cannot be laid down on the subject of stage lighting. Each case must be treated separately. The underlined principles seem to re- quire consistency. If you are looking for applause rather than effect, don't follow Nature too closely, but show the audience Nature as he thinks it is -not as It really Is TESTIMONIAL PROPOSED. A movement Is on foot to tender William Seymour, general stage direc- tor for Charles Frohman, a testimo- nial when he retires at the conclu- sion of the current season. By that time Mr. Seymour will have completed fifty years of active service in the the- atrical business. He began as a call boy, served as prompter, utility man, property man, advance agent, baggage man, stage carpenter, scenic artist, business manager, etc., until he rose to tbe position which he now occu- pies. As an actor Mr. Seymour played in the companies of Booth, Barrett, Char- lotte Cushman, Edwin Forrest, Mc- Cullough, Modjeska, Lotta and the late Joseph Jefferson. WAYBURN TO REST. Acting under the instructions from his physicians, Ned Wayburn, the producer, dropped all work immedi- ately and left for an ocean voyage Thursday. He will remain away about a month. TWO "UP IN THE AIR." Bob Irwin had two sketches submit- ted to him last week the titles of which were "Up in the Air." One was by Edgar Allen Woolf, the other by an unknown author. Although each bore the same title, they dealt with stories of different nature. The Woolf piece will be produced by Mr. Irwin In the near future. It is an aeroplanlc novelty for two peo- ple. STOCK STARS ENGAGED. St. Louis, March 1. Melbourne McDowell and Virginia Drew Trescott will not separate as was their recent intention, but will come to the Imperial here March 12 to head a stock company for four weeks. They will play the old reper- tory which Fanny Davenport made famous before and after McDowell became the husband of that noted ac- tress. "La Tosca," "Fedora," "An- tony and Cleopatra," and "Grismon- da." SUMMER STOCK SHOWS. Syracuse, March 1. Florence Rockwell may be engaged as leading woman for the Welting (Summer) Stock Company. Montreal, March 1. A stock company will be the sum- mer attraction at the Orpheum thea- tre here. DAMAGES FOR ASSAULT. Louisville, March 1. Charles V. Burton, formerly mana- ger of the Burton Players under con- tract at the Walnut Street theatre, and J. Thomas Ward, resident mana- ger of the house, had a fistic encoun- ter in the Seelbach Hotel, Feb. 2. This week, Burton, through an at- torney, filed suit against Ward for $5,050 damages, claiming that the lat- ter had committed unwilful and ma- licious assault on his person. Mose Gumble left Monday for Chi- cago, to be gone the week, stopping off for a day in Detroit.