Show sensational STAGE EFFECTS THE modern moden drama is nothing it if not sensational the scenery must be fruitful in mechanical effects the posters as gorgeous as those of the circus and the play itself must abound in the sensational and aad the spectacular so much is this the case that there is a constant strife between rival aspirants for popular favor to outdo all competitors peti tors dotso not so much by superior r rendition n of what is termed the legitimate drama as by some new business wr stage effect that shall cap the climax of the ridiculous orthe or the horrible and bring down thunders thun dera ot of applause from the critical gods who tilt sit in solemn conclave in the upper gallery perhaps the most remarkable attempt to capture popular favor in this line is that of lewis morrison in san francisco the chronicle ok the says fully people witnessed one of the greatest effects ever brought out ou on the stage in sin han francisco st at the california theatre during the week just closed namely the henley regatta scene in the play A dark secret 1 the intense realism of the scene a river over which traverse tra verae skiffs sculls and a steam launch have nightly awakened the enthusiasm of the andi audience ence to the highest pitch the boats six in number in which are seated gaily dressed girls enjoying a holiday on the watery water and the whittling whistling launch osborne and alexander present to the audience a picture so true to life that they are lost in wonderment at how it was all brought about the regatta scene in front is enlivened by mrs barnum with a series of dances which brings down the house chett comes in peterson Po terson the as winner of the race and while the audience roars in delight the victorious rower blushi blushingly naty bows his ac the steam steam yacht meanwhile increases general interest in the scene by loudly tooling its welcome to the successful sf ua and the curtain goes down to lively music the most exciting and realistic portion of A dark dar secret is the sc scene eue in the fourth act where stephen norton lewis morrison throws may joyce miss bliss anute mayor into the river after an unsuccessful attempt to wrest from her certain proofs which she possesses that he Is guilty of murder miss mayor shrieks struggles les and sinks but Is rescued from a watery grave by martin brooks frank carlyle who appears just juat in the neck of time and dives for her in regulation style ills his appearance from the depth at curtain fall holding the rescued maiden iu in hist his arms simultaneously with the arrival of a f ully fully manned boat fairly convulses the gallery gods who do not rest content until the movers in the scene come dripping wet to the footlights la in answer to an encore the river is an ingeniously 1 contrived water tank teet feet in size and two feet six inches in height containing gallons of water in the centre opposite tile the old church the water is seven feet deep for a space ten feet square it is here where the valiant rescuer makes his dan gerof dislocating his neck or suffering other injuries the front of the tank is made of glass secured by zinc and adorned with fo ferns ans making a cow corn water approach the mass of water is heated by steam and will be changed once a week during the run of the play 1 I consider this a highly sensational effect said lewis morrison last night the people want it and I 1 bellev believe vi we ve are giving them something new although though I 1 do not think miss mayor enjoys her part particularly when it comes cames to the plunge in the river at first she suffered much and became really ill but she is growing stronger nightly yes we must cater to public taste by the by I 1 have another sensation in store for the people after thie play has had bad its run drop in some other time and I 1 will give you lull particulars |