Before the Footlights and Behind the Scenes: a Book about "the Show Business" in All Its Branches: from Puppet Shows to Grand Opera: From Mountebanks to Menageries; from Learned Pigs to Lecturers; from Burlesque Blondes to Actors and Actresses: with Some Observations and Reflections (original and Reflected) on Morality and Immorality in Amusements: Thus Exhibiting the "show World" as Seen from Within, Through the Eyes of the Former Actress, as Well as from Without, Through the Eyes of the Present Lecturer and Author |
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Page xiv
... Better Accom- modations for Players . - The Marked Changes which Theatres have Undergone of Late Years . - Better Scenery and Costumes . - Better Music . The Reserved Seat System . - Early Introduction of Private Boxes - Opposition to ...
... Better Accom- modations for Players . - The Marked Changes which Theatres have Undergone of Late Years . - Better Scenery and Costumes . - Better Music . The Reserved Seat System . - Early Introduction of Private Boxes - Opposition to ...
Page 23
... better things in store for them in this far - distant land . Soon after their arrival , my father was born . In ... better than the men he was writing about , he went on the stage , -and did act better . And in this way the theatrical ...
... better things in store for them in this far - distant land . Soon after their arrival , my father was born . In ... better than the men he was writing about , he went on the stage , -and did act better . And in this way the theatrical ...
Page 33
... better on the subject since the time of Tacitus ; for one of the modern writers of that nation ( Zingerman ) says , ' We are greatly a dramatic people . Nothing but good can result from the 34 VULNERABLE POINTS . widest indulgence of ...
... better on the subject since the time of Tacitus ; for one of the modern writers of that nation ( Zingerman ) says , ' We are greatly a dramatic people . Nothing but good can result from the 34 VULNERABLE POINTS . widest indulgence of ...
Page 54
... better to meet than to follow , for his aspect was serious , venerable and majestic - in his latter time a little paralytic . His voice was low and grumbling ; yet he could time it by an artful climax , which enforced 0000 THE STAGE ...
... better to meet than to follow , for his aspect was serious , venerable and majestic - in his latter time a little paralytic . His voice was low and grumbling ; yet he could time it by an artful climax , which enforced 0000 THE STAGE ...
Page 78
... better knowledge than she of the different peculiarities of the epochs in which her plays were laid . Her costumes in Marie Antoinette were copied from pictures taken from life ; and her court dress in Elizabeth was one which it was ...
... better knowledge than she of the different peculiarities of the epochs in which her plays were laid . Her costumes in Marie Antoinette were copied from pictures taken from life ; and her court dress in Elizabeth was one which it was ...
Contents
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Common terms and phrases
69 eyes actor actress American amusing appearance artists audience Barentin beautiful Black Crook boxes called Carrie Lee character child Cincinnati color Coriolanus costume course COVENT GARDEN critics curtain dear debut drama dress Drury Lane Edwin Booth engaged eyes face father footlights French friends gentleman Gibeau girl give hand head heard heart hissed honor Jenny Lind jewels Juliet lady laugh London look Macbeth Mason ment mind mother Mowatt Nashville never night Ole Bull once painted Paris Pennyweight performance person piece play players poor pretty profession prompter Rachel rebel rehearsal replied Romeo Romeo and Juliet rush scene School for Scandal seemed shillings soldiers stage manager stage-struck star street supe tell theatre theatrical thing thought tion told town voice walk week week's salary woman words York young
Popular passages
Page 275 - I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine : But this eternal blazon must not be To ears of flesh and blood.
Page 297 - The times have been That, when the brains were out, the man would die, And there an end ; but now they rise again, With twenty mortal murders on their crowns, And push us from our stools.
Page 381 - Lucretia Borgia.' This was also the theatre of predilection with Mercadante, who is now ninety years of age, and blind. It was here, also, that took place a tragedy which alarmed Europe at the time. Nourrit, the great French tenor, had gone to Naples, and all expectantly waited his first night, which he confidently anticipated would be the greatest triumph of his life. ' William Tell' was the opera chosen for the occasion, N"ourrit not fearing to make his debut in the most difficult tenor role known...
Page 412 - Of all the cants which are canted in this canting world — though the cant of hypocrites may be the worst — the cant of criticism is the most tormenting! I would go fifty miles on foot, for I have not a horse worth riding on, to kiss the hand of that man whose generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into his author's hands — be pleased he knows not why, and cares not wherefore.
Page 268 - an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," a life for a life; Shakespeare, too : " Accursed be the air on which he rides, And damned all those that trust him.
Page 53 - Othello, the mixture of love that intruded upon his mind upon the innocent answers Desdemona makes, betrayed in his gesture such a variety and vicissitude of passions as would admonish a man to be afraid of his own heart, and perfectly convince him that it is to stab it to admit that worst of daggers — -jealousy.
Page 483 - Th' insulting tyrant, prancing o'er the field Strow'd with Rome's citizens, and drench'd in slaughter, His horse's hoofs wet with Patrician blood ! Oh, Portius ! is there not some chosen curse, Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven, Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man, Who owes his greatness to his country's ruin ? PORTIUS.
Page 412 - I would go fifty miles on foot, for I have not a horse worth riding on, to kiss the hand of that man whose generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into his author's hands, be pleased he knows not why, and cares not wherefore.
Page 50 - Mr. Betterton (although a superlative good actor) laboured under ill figure, being clumsily made, having a great head, a short thick neck, stooped in the shoulders, and had fat short arms, which he rarely lifted higher than his stomach. His left hand frequently lodged in his breast, between his coat and waistcoat, while, with his right, he prepared his speech.
Page 54 - A distinguished theatrical performer, in consequence of the sudden illness of another actor, had occasion to prepare himself, on very short notice, for a part which was entirely new to him ; and the part was long and rather difficult. He acquired it in a very short time, and went through it with perfect accuracy, but immediately after the performance forgot every word of it. Characters which he had acquired in a more deliberate manner he never- forgets, but can perform them at any time without a...