BEHIND THE SCENES.

Southland Times, Issue 1161, 19 May 1869, Page 3

BEHIND THE SCENES.

The recent increase in the number of metropolitan theatres has induced the 'Daily News' to publish an interesting article on the management of these insii- ., tutiops. The proprietor of a theatre gets a good percentage on the outlay of his capital so long as the rent is paid. This, together with taxes and insurance, gene- - rally amounts to about £70 a week, so J that it is necessary that the lessee should be a thoroughly responsible person if the lessor is not to lose his money. This ( : amount is a tolerably large item to begin . with, but it is only one of many. Newspaper'advertising costs £40 weekly, and bill-posting another considerable sum. Several months ago theatre managers met -together in order to concert some means of diminishing this expenditure • I but they were unable to agree, and so the walls in London are more than ever covered with pictorial representations of [ the most sensational scenes which are put upon- the various stages from time to time. "The Wardrobe costs many hundred j pounds, although actresses are obliged to find. their own bonnets, boots, and gloves, and .actors in plays of modern life find their own dresses. Scenery costs £500 a .year, independently of the staff re- : , quired for superintending and shifting it. , As the scenes have to be shifted with the

rapidity of lightning, the number 01 scene- shifters is legion, and they h«/ve tc he well drilled by the master carpenter It is very seldom that the scenery of one piece will do for another ; but there is a certain quantity of forests, interiors, aud gardens kept ou stock for farces. The gas amounts to £30 a week. Pew dramas are without moonlight effects ■ these are produced by the lime-light, arid the moon in a Christmas pantocaine costs £20 a week. The orchestra is paid £30 a week. The salaries of stock actors vary from £12 to £2, and " stars" often get as much as £60. The first are great sticklers for etiquette. No one, bow. 'ever, wilT'ever play a part of a hair's breath out of his own particular line. If a first walking gentleman were asked to • play a third walking gentleman's part, he would be as indignant as an Attorney - Gfeneral were he called upon to defend a ' pickpocket in a Police Court. Managers axe often blamed because minor parts in apiece are badly played ; they cannot, however, help themselves, because good actors will not play them. Actresses stand even more on their dignity than actors; their mutual jealousk-s exceed even ■ those of fine ladies. Audiences must often have remarked that in burlesque songs arid dances are introduced in defiance of the requirements of the situation. The reason usually is that Miss A. refuses to play unless, like Miss 8., she be given a song, or, like Miss C. a dance. The " stars" like to play in a piece in -which all the interest is concentrated in themselves, and in which there is no expensive Bcenery, so that they may the more -readily get engagements in the provinces. These two requirements are just what the public do not like; they disapprove of meagre scenery and of " one-actor" pieces. Ballet girls get 25s a week, and are by no means of the " fast" type usually supposed. A play is paid for either by a percentage on t!ie profits, or so much a night, or the play is bought. Three or five-act plays, when not paid for by a percentage on profits, usually cosi from £200 to £300, or from '• £3 fo M 5 each night they are acted. The price of a good burlesque varies from £50 to £120. Farces are seldom worth .more than £10. Their success usually depends more upon the actors than the authors. These particulars suffice to show that a theatre is a very speculative affairso'far as the lessee is concerned. ~The increase in the number of theatres makes the chance of profit more doubtful than ever. In order to meet this excessive competition the East hnd theatres have hit upon the device of lowering the price of admission, and having two performances the same evening. The ' Pall . Mall Grazette' states that in some theatres the admission to the pit is only 4<d, and at. one the admission to the gallery is only Id.