Читать книгу Two Wrongs Make a Marriage - Christine Merrill - Страница 4

AUTHOR NOTE

Writing a story featuring an actor is so much fun, and it gives me a chance to share with you some theatre history research that did not make it into the book.

The stage in Jack’s day was raked, with the front being lower than the back. Going upstage was actually like walking uphill. Scenery included a painted backdrop and flat wooden wing-pieces painted to match. These gave the audience an illusion of depth, and left actors with places to enter and exit on both sides of the stage. At the front of the stage footlights, or floats, rested in a trough of water to prevent accidental fires should a candle tip over, and they could be lowered below the stage when not in use.

The theatre’s chandeliers had to be raised and lowered as well—but never during the performance. Once the candles were lit the house lights were always up, which made it easy for the audience to watch each other as they watched the play. As they are now, the cheap seats were in the upper balcony or gallery. If the audience there was unhappy, they booed by hitting their boots on a loose ‘kicking board’ in front of their seat.

And, as there are now, there were theatrical superstitions. Green has always been an unlucky colour for a costume. Not only is it unfavourable to most complexions, it was supposedly the colour Molière was wearing when he died on stage in 1673.

Happy reading. And ‘break a leg’!