134 



and of hearing. 



Garrick fond 

 of pantomime, 



Audience 

 part. 



ftage 



and scenery. 



Ceiling of the 

 stage. 



ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEATRES. 



Little inconvenience was felt as to seeing at Drury-lane ; 

 but every body, who wished to hear, complained. As to 

 the actors, to make any impression, they were obliged to 

 raise their voices above the natural pitch ; to substitute 

 pantomimic gesticulation, in the place of inflexions of 

 voice; and to use contortions of features instead of the na- 

 tural expression of the eyes, and the easy movement of the 

 countenance. It is in vain, that critics inveigh against the 

 bad taste of those, who prefer show, and pantomime, and 

 processions, and dancing, and all that the French call 

 spectacle ; unless we can hear the sentiments and dialogue, 

 it is useless to write good plays; but all the world loves 

 spectacle. Both these tastes should be gratified. Garrick, 

 as I have heard him declare, was always entertained with a 

 pantomime : he told me how many times he had seen Har- 

 lequin Fortunatus with delight—the number I forget, 

 however I am sure, that it far exceeded the number of 

 times any man could hear a good comedy or tragedy. 

 Surely the literary and the visual entertainment <*f different 

 spectators might be gratified. In the first place, th<? audi- 

 ence-part of the theatre mould be left smaller, and lower, 

 tlian it was at Drury-lane, Its shape might undoubtedly 

 be improved, by constructing it according to the known 

 laws of accoustics : but this, if rigorously attended to, would 

 contract the space so, as to affect too much the receipts of 

 the house. 



T he area for the stage might be as large as it was for- 

 merly ; but the scenery should be adjusted so as to contract 

 the stage to reasonable dimensions. To confine the voice, 

 the wings should have leaves, or flaps, hinged to them, so 

 as occasionally to close the space between the wings, leaving 

 sufficient room for exits and entrances. When large objects 

 require admission, these leaves might be turned back, and 

 would then allow the same space as usual between the 

 wings. This would he an additional convenience to the 

 actors, while they stand in waiting to enter on the stage, 

 as it would screen them from the cold. T he ceiling of Xne stage, 

 which at present is made by strips of painted linen hanging 

 perpendicularly, should be made of well varnished iron or 



copper 



