IN 



THl'ATHK. 



THKATliK. 



1M 



comparatively moderate audience ; but curtailments might very well 

 b* made elMwhere, for at present the whole building la frequently 

 much larger and more costly than actual necessity require*, the 

 " house " iUelf , be iu dimensions what they may, taking up a compare- 

 mall area of the entire plan, while the rest is occupied by 

 stately approaches and saloons, which, where economy rendered it 

 expedient, might be greatly abridged, and much plainer in style, and 

 some of them omitted altogether ai superfluous appendage*. 



In eome of the modern Continental theatre*, plans of which an given 

 on tin- previous page, the pomp dinplayed in the accessory parts of the 



scenic effects had bean introduced into theatres at the commencement 

 of the 17th century. 



THKATKK. Before the reign of Elizabeth theatrical representation* 

 appear to have been subject to no legal restraint beyond the liability 

 of those who conducted them to the vagrant laws. 



But, although players, as such, were subject to no general legal 

 restrictions, it is probable that the practice of granting licences from 

 the crown to such persons prevailed as early as the reign of 

 Henry VIII. The earliest theatrical licence from the crown now 



building far exceeds anything of the kind in this country. " In that at 

 Berlin, besides several other spacious apartments, is a mimic-saloon 

 88 feet high, 44 wide, and 106 feet in length in its upper part, 

 where there is a screen of six Ionic columns at each end ; the whole 

 highly decorated, and forming one of Schinkel's richest pieces of 

 interior architecture. The theatre at Munich has two staircases to the 

 boxes, with flights of marble steps 18 feet wide; sad besides two 

 saloons for the public (each 82 x 31 feet), there is a very magnificent one 

 communicating with the royal box not a mere ante-room, but what 

 would be termed a noble room even in a palace, its dimensions being 

 4 x 44 feet, and 25 in height. In both these theatres, and in that of 

 Genoa, the royal or state box is itself a room of some size, about 1 6 by 

 18 feet, more or leas; and according to the general custom of the 

 ntal theatres, this box (which occupies the height of two tiers, 

 and is adorned with caryatides in front) is directly in the centre of the 

 house, facing the stage, consequently in the very best situation of all ; 

 whereas the situation usually assigned to royal visitors in our theatres 

 is almost the very worst, so far as seeing the stage and the perfor- 

 mance is concerned. 



In regard to the form of the " house," a decided improvement has 

 taken place of late years ; and the circular plan, or one approaching to 

 it (either extended by the curtain being a tangent to the circle or 

 somewhat beyond it, or reduced by the curtain intersecting and 

 funning a chord to the segment), may now be considered the one 

 established as being the most pleasing and commodious that which is 

 best adapted for affording a distinct view of the stage to the majority 

 of the audience. But there is considerable difference of opinion as to 

 its being the best form in regard to hearing. In fact, the science of 

 acoustics is not yet thoroughly understood as regards practical purposes 

 in building : it is easy enough to ascertain beforehand how much of 

 the stage will be visible from different parts of the theatre, but not so 

 what will be the result as to sound, since that will depend upon a 

 variety of circumstances, some of them counteracting each other, and 

 not every one of them to be guarded against or foreseen. The shape 

 of the house is but one of these circumstances out of many : so much 

 will also depend upon size, upon the depth of the boxes and galleries, 

 and also upon accidental and such trivial matters, that any defect or 

 advantage so occasioned is not likely to be traced to them. Here the 

 chief guide is experience ; and experience seems at present to be in 

 favour of, at least not all against, the circular form; for the new 

 theatres at Mainz, Dresden; and other places where it bos been adopted, 

 are said to be satisfactory in regard to the actors being distinctly heard 

 in every part of the house. 



While in their internal embellishment and fitting up theatres afford 

 very great scope to the architect, though not so much as they might 

 do, they also afford opportunity for accomplishing much in regard to 

 characteristic external design. Magnificent as are the exteriors and 

 facades of the theatres at St. Petersburg, Berlin, Munich, Bordeaux, 

 and Nantes, with their poticoes and colonnades, there is nothing in 

 them that very clearly expresses their particular purpose, because 

 nothing that corresponds with, or indicates, the form of the " house " 

 itoelf within. Moller, we believe, was the first who made the internal 

 plan discover itself from without, by making the auditory at least the 

 corridors and saloon surrounding it project out as a spacious semi- 

 circle, in the facade of the theatre at Mainz. The same form of 

 exterior has been given by Semper to the new theatre at Dresden, 

 which U also remarkable for the display it makes of sculpture. The 

 new Covent Harden Theatre,, it may be observed, is as deficient in 

 character as any of the earlier structures of the same description men- 

 tioned above. Its internal arrangements are also of a very common- 

 place nature. The forthcoming competition for the new Opera of 

 Paris may perhaps elicit some originality uf treatment; but as 

 n,'.'!. ru habits interfere with the taste for theatrical amusements, 

 it U to be feared that theatres themselves will hardly inspire any 

 great art 



After all it is the stage, with its multifarious contrivances and 

 complex mechanism, iu scenery and pictorial effects, which manifest 

 the extraordinary perfection to which the moderns have carried the 

 scenic art. It duos not enter into our purpose, however, to speak of 

 stage mechanism, which is a subject and study by itself, and not other- 

 wise connected with theatres and their architecture than as being 

 made use uf in ih>- former. Those who seek for information <>f the 

 kind will meet with many platr* showing the stage construction and 

 nymoiith 'J liuatn-, ill Koulstone's ' Public and Private 

 BuiMing!i, in Oavo's ' Arcbitoctonique di Theatre*,' Ac. ; and, with 

 more general and n>ni|>lrt inxtructinn*, in Ktephenson's work on 

 the muchiii' ry of theatres. We will only observe that very great 

 improvement*! and numerous contrivances for producing staffs and 



extant is that granted by Queen Elizabeth, in 1574, to James Burbage 

 :md four other persons, "servants to the Karl of Leicester," which con- 

 tains a proviso that the performances thereby authorised, before they 

 are publicly represented, shall be seen and allowed by the queen's 

 master of the revels ; a stipulation analogous to the licence of the 

 lord chamberlain under the Licensing Act at the present day. These 

 licences from the crown were originally nothing more than authorities 

 to itinerate, which exempted strolling players from being molested by 

 proceedings taken under the laws or proclamations against vagrants, 

 and also superseded the necessity of licences from local magistrates. 



Although theatrical representations became much more general in 

 the reigns of James I. and Charles I., no laws were enacted for their 

 regulation, with the exception of the stat 1 Car. I. c. 1 , which sup- 

 pressed the performance of " interludes and common plays" upon the 

 Lord's Day. An ordinance of the Long Parliament, iu 1648, was 

 directed to the suppression of all stage-plays and interludes, but 

 though occasionally enforced with much rigour, it failed to abolish 

 these entertainments. The stat 12 Ann. stat. 2, c. 23, in general 

 terms, classed players of interludes as rogues and vagabonds ; but the 

 stat 10 Qeo. II., c. 28, s. 1, expounded the former statute, by enacting 

 that " every person, who should for hire, gain, or reward, act, repre- 

 sent, or perfonn any play or other entertainment of the stage, or any 

 part therein, if he shall not have any legal settlement whore the 

 offence should be committed, without authority by patent from the 

 king, or licence from the lord chamberlain, should be deemed a 

 and vagabond within the stat. 12 Ann." This provision is now 

 repealed by the etat. 5 Geo. IV. c. 83, and players as such, whether 

 stationary or itinerant, are, at the present clay, not amenable to the 

 law as rogues and vagabonds. By the 2nd section of the above statute, 

 10 Geo. II. c. 28, which, with the exceptions just mentioned, is still in 

 full operation, and forms the law of the metropolitan, theatres, it is 

 enacted generally, that " every person who shall, without a patent or 

 licence, act or perform any entertainment of the stage for hire, gain, 

 or reward, shall forfeit the sum of 501." By the 3rd section it is 

 declared, that "no person shall for hire, gain, or reward act, perform, 

 or represent any new interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce, or 

 other entertainment of the stage, or any parts therein ; or any new 

 act, scene, or other part added to any old interlude, tragedy, comedy, 

 opera, play, farce, or other entertainment of the stage, or any new ]]< 

 logue or epilogue, unless a true copy thereof be sent to the lord 

 chamberlain of the king's household for the time being, fourteen 

 days at the least before the acting, representing, or performing thereof, 

 together with an account of the play-house or place where the same 

 shall be, and the time when the same is first intended to be first acted, 

 represented, or performed, signed by the master or manager." The 

 4th section authorises the lord chamberlain to prohibit the perform- 

 ance of any theatrical entertainment, and subjects the persons infring- 

 ing this prohibition to a penalty of M\l , and the forfeiture of their 

 patent or licence. The 5th section provides that " no person shall be 

 authorised by patent from the crown, or licence from the lord . 

 berlain, to act, represent, or perfonn for hire or reward, any interlude, 

 tragedy, comedy, opera, play, farce, or other entertainment of the 

 stage, in any part of Great Britain, except in the city of Wer.tmiti.-tcr 

 and within the liberties thereof, and in such places wh 

 shall personally reside, and during such residence only." The 7th 

 section enacts, that " if any interlude, tragedy, comedy, opera, play, 

 farce, or other entertainment of the stage, or any act, scene, or part 

 thereof, shall be acted, represented, or performed in any house or place 

 where wine, ale, beer, or other liquors sliall be sold or retailed, the 

 same shall be deemed to be acted, represented, and ] : r gain, 



hire, and reward." Within a few years after the passing of this act of 

 parliament, the clause which restricted the power of granting patents 

 by the crown to theatres within the city of \\Y-tmiiiHtcr and places of 

 royal residence, was found to be productive of ir ; and 



special acts of parliament were passed, which exempted several largo 

 towns, in which such entertainments were desired, from the op' 

 of that clause, and authorised the king to grant letters for establishing 

 theatres in such places. 



A further relaxation of the rule established by the stat. 10 Geo. II. 

 c. 28, for the regulation of theatrical performances, was effected bv the 

 statute 28 Geo. III. c. 30, in favour of places which could not be 

 expected to bear the expense of a special act of parliament. By this 

 latter statute, the justices of the peace at general or quarter sessions 

 are authorised to li'-en-.- tie- |.erfonnance of any such tragedies, 

 comedies, interludes, operas, plays, or farces as are represented i 

 patent or licensed theatres in Westminster, or as have been MI! . 



Lord Chanil.cil:iin,:it .my |.l,vc within their jurisdiction not 

 within 20 miles of London, Westminster, or Edinburgh, or 

 of any patent or licensed theatre, or ten miles of the king's residence 



