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company," selected with considerable judgment from the entire household," in the due performance of their self-imposed task; and in return the author and artist make this one stipulation, that on such occasions they shall be included in the "free list."

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CHAPTER II.

STAGE CARPENTRY AND LIGHTING.

THE simplest form of arrangement for a private stage is, of course, that which was adopted in what are still sometimes called "the good old days" of dramatic literature,-before the introduction of scenic appliances, and when actors, no matter what might be the character impersonated, appeared in their every-day apparel. To revive this custom, all that would be needed for our "private theatricals" would be an ample cloth suspended at the back of the stage, after the manner of what is technically called a "flat," upon which should be affixed a tolerably conspicuous label, informing the audience of the locality in which the action is supposed to take place. Add to this some imitation of the Greek

chorus, to explain between the scenes the action and purport of the play, and theatrical representation would be reduced to the most primitive and facile arrangements.

The difficulties of the scenery, for instance, of John Howard Payne's comedy, Charles the Second, may thus be overcome by providing these placards:

THE ROYAL PALACE.

OUTSIDE

COPP'S TAVERN,

"THE GRAND ADMIRAL."

A ROOM

IN

COPP'S HOUSE.

These would indicate all that the audience requires to be told as to the locality of the action of the play.

Such procedure, however, would, it is believed, scarcely meet the taste of the present generation of amateurs, and the following directions are framed with a view to more ambitious efforts at private dramatic performances, where the aim is to afford every facility for acquiring, as far as

practicable, the most modern appliances of the art.

Another almost equally simple means of preparation for stage purposes, and which is applicable to almost any ordinary private room, may be thus described. Let the pianoforte be moved so that the player shall sit with his back to the further wall, or that side of the room where the window is usually placed. On each side of the piano place a chair with the front part of the room.

its back towards

Now rest on the

seats of the chairs the feet of a kitchen clotheshorse, which, resting between the back of the piano and the backs of the chairs, will be kept firmly in upright position. On the clothes-horse hang an ample curtain reaching to the floor, and it will be at once seen that the room is very considerably altered in appearance, and two good exits are provided, one on each side of the curtain. To make the thing still more complete, add on each side a screen with two leaves; cover each with drapery, and a very fair impromptu stage has been produced, which will be quite sufficient for many little domestic pieces in one

scene.

In what follows it will be supposed that a

double drawing-room of moderate size, with folding doors dividing the two rooms, has been chosen for the theatre; the front room being intended for the auditorium, and the back room for the stage. If this back room should happen to be provided with a French window opening on to a balcony, with a flight of steps leading into a garden, it will be all the better for its new purpose. The next step is to call in the aid of the house-carpenter to arrange the proscenium and the necessary fittings for the stage and scenery.

The natural place for the proscenium is the opening or division between the two rooms; and as every ordinary peculiarity of the room is to be, as far as possible, rendered available in this process of conversion, the folding-doors are to be thrown back so far as to form a slope from the opening, and thus on each side become the face of the proscenium. This will help the appearance of distance between the stage and the audience, and materially aid the general effect. The foot-lights will also contribute to this end, and the actors will find this strong line of demarcation very beneficial in their efforts at assuming the various characters. It may be found that the position of the folding-door on the side