The idea of dramatic representation is to produce the impression of
reality, and the value of such representation is in direct measure with
the force of such impression. In this connection stage scenery and
effects are of the utmost importance. When properly used, they add
tremendously to the realism of dramatic representation. We see this
clearly proved in London to-day at such theatres as Drury Lane and His
Majesty’s. The success of the big productions at those theatres depends
almost, if not quite, as much upon the quality of the scenery and
effects as upon that of the plays performed or of the actors and
actresses engaged. This is shown by the views expressed by the dramatic
critics and the public generally. Perhaps the production at Drury Lane
is a strong melodrama. What is most discussed in connection with that
production? Almost always some big and novel effect, such as the
representation of a race between aeroplanes or a battle between
submarines. Again, in the case of a Shakespearean production at His
Majesty’s, the talk in the green-rooms and at the dinner-tables of
London is often more of the scenic beauty of the production than of the
achievements of the actors and actresses, and the talk of the ‘man in
the street’ follows the same lines.
The ancient Greeks and Romans were very fond of the drama and have left
us some great plays, but they did not realise the value of scenery;
indeed, very often their performances were given without scenery of any
sort. The drama of the Romans, like most other manifestations of their
civilisation, was based on that of the Greeks. The greatest of the
Greeks as playwright and producer was Æschylus, who flourished about 500
B.C. There appears to be little doubt that it was he who first
introduced scenery in connection with dramatic representations. To him,
too, the credit is due of having erected the first permanent theatre.
Previously, the dramatic performances of the Greeks had always been
given in the open air.
The scenery used by Æschylus was stationary scenery; indeed, it was not
until more than 2000 years after his period that movable scenery was
first introduced. There has been much discussion as to the actual date
when this took place. Some students of the Elizabethan drama have
asserted that movable scenery was used by Shakespeare and his
contemporaries; but the proofs of this are not at all definite. The
general consensus of opinion is to the effect that Davenant, the English
playwright, was the first to apply this novelty. At any rate, there is
convincing evidence that in or about the year 1662 he produced a play
with the accompaniment of movable scenery. Probably this scenery was
very clumsily contrived, but it embodied the principle on which the
cleverest effects of the present day are based.
And how clever some of those effects are! It is worth the while of
anybody at all interested in theatrical matters to inspect the scenery
arrangements at an up-to-date theatre. At every turn he will find
something to wonder at and admire. Quite recently at one of the London
theatres there has been installed a new electrically driven equipment
for raising and lowering cloths, sky borders, curtains, and for setting
ceilings, etc. It has proved a great success. Wire is used instead of
the old hempen ropes, and this is an enormous advantage from the
fire-risk point of view. Further, it has enabled the number of stage
hands to be reduced. The equipment works with far less noise than the
ordinary hand system, and much more quickly and certainly. It seems
quite likely that before long this electric-power system will be the one
adopted at all the big theatres, but for the smaller theatres, and
certainly for the halls at which amateur companies usually give their
performances, the old system will continue to be used.
There have been a number of books issued during recent years on the
subject of Scene Painting and Stage Effects. I have read all of them,
but have come to the conclusion that none effectively covers the ground.
Some of these books are evidently produced as advertisements of dealers
in paint for scenic purposes. Those dealers doubtless know much about
the making and mixing of paints, but it does not follow that they are
acquainted with the art of placing the paint on canvas, any more than it
follows that a maker of pens or paper is a literary man. Others of these
books are far too technical, both as regards matter and style. The
perusal of them cannot possibly be of much assistance to the amateur in
scenic painting, however intelligent he may be. It almost seems as if
the authors did not really wish to impart information, but only to
publish a book showing their own intimate knowledge of abstruse terms
and definitions.
I think the present book will be found to be free from the faults to
which I have just referred. It is not an advertisement of any man’s
goods; it has been kept as free as possible from technical difficulties;
and it is an honest endeavour to cover the ground with which it deals.
The book includes within its scope the whole art of scene painting. It
deals with the problem of perspective in as clear and simple a way as
possible. It gives designs of typical scenes and of the furniture
appropriate to such scenes. Further, it contains much useful information
as to stage building—from a platform for a drawing-room entertainment or
a fit-up tour to an elaborate permanent structure. In addition to all
this it describes in detail the working of scenery, including curtains,
full scene sets, a chamber set, etc.
The need for such a book is evident. Every town of any size has its
amateur dramatic society, and in the big towns and cities those
societies are to be counted by the dozen. Amateurs quite rightly pride
themselves on doing as much as possible in connection with the
performances they give; they make their own costumes and even sometimes
write their own plays. Now they will be able to paint their own scenery.
In the case of almost every amateur dramatic society, there is at least
one member who has some knowledge of the art of painting. With the aid
of the advice and information given in this book he will be able to
apply that knowledge for scenic purposes. Without such advice and
information, however clever a painter he may be, he could not so apply
it. There is a world of difference between painting a picture to hang on
the wall of a gallery or a drawing-room and to be inspected at short
range, and in painting a scene to form the background of a stage and to
convey a bold and definite effect to hundreds or thousands of people
inspecting it from all parts of a big hall or theatre.
In this connection I may mention a performance which I witnessed in the
provinces recently. It was given by a local amateur society. The play
was a good one, and the acting was good, but the scenery was lamentably
poor! It had been painted by two talented artists, both of whom have
several times exhibited at the Royal Academy, but they had failed
entirely to get the effects at which they had aimed. Looked at from a
few yards’ distance, the scenes were simply a blur of paint; yet, when I
went round after the performance and inspected them closely, I found
that as ‘pictures’ they were admirable productions. That is the
difference in a nutshell—a scene may be and should be picturesque, but
it is not a ‘picture’ in the Royal Academy sense of the word. At other
amateur performances I have seen various shifts resorted to. The
background of the stage has been covered by ordinary wall-paper and hung
with ordinary pictures. The effect has never been what was intended. The
play produced may have been a comic one, but, in my case at any rate,
quite as much laughter was excited by the faulty scenic effects as by
the jokes uttered by the actors.
As a matter of fact, there are very few working scenic artists; the
profession may quite fairly be termed a close corporation. The artists
realise that so long as their number is few, their individual receipts
will be high. Instead of welcoming any addition to their ranks, they do
their best to keep others out. To go to one of these scenic artists for
information as to his profession is simply to waste time. I heard a
story the other day of a man who knew something about the business, and
who wanted to learn the more intimate secrets. He obtained the
acquaintanceship of a skilled scenic artist and did his best to extract
those secrets from him. He failed utterly. He even went to the extent
one night of deliberately making the artist drunk, or nearly so, in the
hope that then the man would talk. The man did talk, but none of his
talk was about his art. Although not master of his faculties, he still
had the sense to know that he must not impart any information about his
art. He talked about his wife, his mother-in-law, and many other
interesting subjects, but not a word fell from his lips as to scene
painting or stage effects.
Some dealers sell paper scenes, which to some extent supply the need
felt by amateur societies—but only to some extent. The scenes are
usually of miniature size and are inadequate for large stages; besides,
the mounting of them on canvas is a difficult and expensive task, and
even when it is performed the result is often imperfect, for paper soon
crumples up on a canvas background. The best thing is for the amateur to
do his own work if possible. This book will make it possible. All the
various points are dealt with. The reader will learn as to the right
sort of canvas, the right sort of glue, and the right sort of brushes.
Valuable hints will also be found as to scenic artists’ frames, the
stretching of canvas, the use of pulleys to pull up canvas, stencilling,
and many more necessary matters. Exact diagrams as to all these are
given. The pages dealing with the construction of a platform will be
found very useful. On how many occasions is not such a platform wanted!
There is the need for one, not only for the purpose of dramatic
representations but also for concerts and various social functions.
The book deals very fully with stage effects. The reader will learn the
best and simplest ways of producing the effects of rain, snow, hail,
thunder, galloping of horses, etc. Occasions for the use of these occur
in very many plays performed by amateurs. The realism of such effects is
very great if they are produced properly. The truth of this may be
proved at any of the cinematograph theatres; the impression of the
pictures is again and again intensified by some effect worked behind the
curtains. Stage lighting is also adequately dealt with in the book. This
section will be useful to many amateur societies. It is not sufficient
to have the right sort of limes—there must also be a full knowledge of
the best way of working those limes. That knowledge will be obtained
from a careful study of the section in question.
Every endeavour has been made to illustrate the book in the best
possible manner. The plates showing typical scenes will assist the
amateur scenic artist very considerably. The diagrams as to perspective
have been made as simple as possible, with due regard to the necessity
of their illustrating the accompanying letterpress adequately. Indeed,
the whole note of the book is the coupling of simplicity and efficiency.