OCR Text |
Show STAGE ILLUSIONS. How Thunderstorms, Rain. Hall and Snow Are Imitated. A curious part of 6tago Illusion is that which may bo comprehended under un-der tho term theatrical meteorology. Whatever may bo the stato of the weather ouisldo, tho stage manager within can bring about rain and hall, wind, or a thunderstorm at will, and tho illusion Is sometimes so complete as to muko nervous members of. tho audlonco Insensibly shudder. Hniraud rain are represented by a closed wooden wood-en cylinder about -six feet long, which Is obstructed Inside by various cross pieces, u quart of peas completing tho nrrnnRement. By turning this cylinder cylin-der first one WHy up and then tho other tho pens rattlo through it with close Imitation to the 'soutitt of heavy rain on it roof. The wind urrnnge-mont urrnnge-mont corislsta of a whoel about two feet In dhiraoterset In a framo hko that of a grindstone. This wheel is furnished with ribs-bn Its periphery somowhat liko the floats of a watcrwheol, nnd drawn tightly ovor tho ribs is a piece of thick silk. Whon the wheel Is turned tho ribs rub against the silk, and by turning thu handle first quickly and then slowly, a very good Imitation Imita-tion of tho soughing of tho wind Is produced. Lighting may easily bo Imitated by using chemical or oleotrl. cal means, nud tho' mind mode of pro-duclng pro-duclng thunder Is by shaking a largo sheet of flexlblo Iron plato. Somq theaters have, however, a far more elaborato and effeotlvo thunder arrangement, ar-rangement, which Is used as an auxiliary aux-iliary to the sheet or iron when a storm Is supposed to roach its height This consists of a number of raunoii balls hold lu n trough aud allowed to rail at tho right motnont, and to run ovcrntioor abovo tho celling of the theater, A snow Btorm is brought nbnut by a perforated revolving cylinder cylin-der above tho stage charged with paper cuttings, Unfortunately, thrso moss-ongers moss-ongers of frost havo a bablt of resting on all kinds of projections and dislodging dislodg-ing themselves Jn subsequent 6cenes when their prosonco Is not desirable. Chaber's Journal. |