Sujet

Preparing for the Pantomime, 1881. Creator: M. P..

Légende

Preparing for the Pantomime, 1881. 'Rehearsing Valentine & Orson pantomime, Covent Garden Theatre: The Genii of the Shield and the Demon; The bewildered manager; The Fairy examining her stage trap; The Bear Leaping [and] Hugging; The Obstinate Horse; A noble Saracen and his mask; Drilling the Army (to be) of noble Saracens...It is altogether erroneous to suppose that there is the slightest fascination or allurement in the busy, throbbing life behind the scenes...Just let us come behind the scenes and see...an organised confusion. Those who are inexperienced in the mere business of the stage cannot conceive how order can be produced from all this chaos...But, although the confusion of this stage would appear inextricable to the mere layman, practice has made perfect, and everyone knows, more or less, what to do at the right moment...Without absolute discipline a pantomime would be impossible, and obedience is exacted, from the most popular performer down to the humblest scene-shifter...there is framed for the guidance of everybody, from the highest to the lowest, a cede of signals that must be obeyed by the popular artist who is paid a salary of forty pounds a week down to the humble supernumerary who comes on for a shilling a night'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Notre référence

HRM25A42_380

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

45,8Mo (3,8Mo) / 28,5cm x 40,3cm / 3364 x 4759 (300dpi)

Mots clés

scenic female women woman people male man men arts light dance playhouse entertainment art guy theatre wings dancing preparation British dancer dancers humour stage performance performers performer performing scenery century vista Britain manager silly preparing newspapers press print concept actors rehearsal acting controversy stage set B&W practising actor practicing rehearsing trapdoor backstage controversial preparations engraved engraving actress pantomime 19th century Thespian black & white black and white B W actresses nineteenth century The Print Collector Carlovingian Carolingian Covent Garden Theatre footlight Illustrated London News Saracen theatre manager wood engraving ILN Saracens newspaper theatrical manager panto behind the scenes trap door 19th-century footlights M. P. P. M. pantomime horse The Illustrated London News Valentine and Orson