| OCR Text |
Show THEATRICAL PROPERTIES. Inge Contrtvnnros Three t'enlnrles Age I.Iks Tkoae uf Todny. In tha tniluctlun to Jonaon' "Bartholomew "Bar-tholomew Fair" we find the "Stage Keeper" says, "Would not a flue pump upon the etago have done well for a property now?" while In the old play ot "The Taming of a Shrew" one ot tho iiLvar who la to n,-t heftiro Rile eays. I'll apeak for ths properties. My Lord, ws lliual Have a shoulder of mutton for a property. prop-erty. Now, both thcae quotations show that "properties" three ceulurle ago consisted of much the same thing as they do today. The mention ot properties prop-erties In the stage direction or old play are frequent; a few Instances must mince. In Clreene'a "Jame IV," wa ara directed lo have "a tomb conveniently con-veniently placed upon tha stage," while In the same author's Alphon-aos Alphon-aos of Araggon" we read, "Kxlt Venus, or If you conveniently can, lot a chair come down from the top or the stage and draw her up." This Is Interesting both tor th fine consideration for the convenience of other which It Implies and also because It show that th ua ot mechanical appliance tor Introducing Intro-ducing g dens ex machine were not unknown. un-known. In Henslows's Diary w find an entry for a disbursement bar a somewhat similar contrivance "a pair of pullts lo hang Absalom." On this point, a on so many other, Henalow provides us with a great deal of valuable valua-ble Information. Iu hi Diary for 8ep-tember 8ep-tember and October. 1591, wa find that ha expended 1129 2s on properties tor "intra of Winchester." a larger amount than wa usiisl with him for on"' the properties for "Patient Gra'" cost hlni the much more giorfe' sum of 4 6s, while among ventory of properties belonging U& Admiral men wa find urh enf1 "Tsso' picture." "a tree of gtn apple," and "three Imperial ere' Gentlemen's Magaslne. |
