Modern Make-up.—The art of the wig-maker has kept pace with the general perfection of theatrical devices. The old man's bald or semi-bald pates were formerly constructed of light felt or soft buckskin and coloured with dry chalk, ochre and ver million until a flesh-like hue was obtained. The up-to-date peru quier builds his bald wigs on blocks that shape the article to the real proportions of the head and with hard, shell-like pates. Wax and papier mache were used at first, later celluloid of a natural flesh colour. Through this the hair is sewn shred by shred with a needle formed like a fish hook. In the case of full wigs for younger characters a soft flexible cap of silk gauze or bolting cloth is fitted to the head and the hair sewn through. For the purpose of quick disguise a composite wig consisting of pate, forehead, eyebrows, nose and moustache is a device that has been found effective but the disadvantage it possesses is that it takes away all expression of the face. It resembles the mask of the Com media dell' arte. There have been odd experiments in make-up such as in Granville Barker's production of Midsummer Night's Dream (London, 1914) wherein the fairies' faces and wigs were bright gold.
Beards made on wire frames and hung over the ears, and moustaches pinched into the nostrils by wire have been replaced by natural looking appendages sewn on gauze and attached to the face by spirit gum—a compound of rosin, mastic and alcohol. The most artistic result, however, is accomplished by the use of crepe hair, a vegetable fibre that is braided into long ropes and cut off, combed out and pasted to the face piecemeal. Sheep wool dyed was formerly used.
Grease paint, a valuable invention of over a half-century ago, is a composition of oil, spermaceti and wax, suited to any com plexion, ruddy, sallow, Moorish or fair, and runs in colour scheme from white to black. (See COSMETICS.) Mascara for tinting the
hair is made in various hues of pressed gum and colour and applied with a wet brush. Face powder is of talc tinted with lake colours. Minstrel black is a compound of burnt cork and glycerine. This was used for the stage negro until brown grease paint showed the wiser way. Even Othello was at one time black ened with charred cork. Clown white has a basis of zinc oxide. Formerly white lead was employed but this was found to possess dangerous qualities. Its use caused the death of the most famous of American clowns, George L. Fox. Rice starch is the usual material for whitening the hair. There is little difference between the preparation of the face for the stage and for the screen. The latter requires a more minute method and must allow for the colour prohibitions of the camera. (See MOTION PICTURES : Make-up.) With the newer possibilities of make-up the actor should be chary of its use in the theatre. It is often quite unnecessary. Too great an overlay of paint hides expression and inhibits the play of facial muscles. The subtle changes of emotion are often hidden and lessen the effect of the actor's work upon his audience. Many artists of the theatre use practically none at all. The Italian actress, Eleanora Duse, discarded it entirely. Modern stage light ing which strikes the actor's features from many angles is so searching that it reveals paint instead of complexion unless colour is sparingly put on. It must not be forgotten that a great part of an actor's charm lies in his unconcealed personality. The deadly white skin, the over-rouged cheek, the flaming mouth and the heavily lined eyelid all make for unappealing grotesquerie.
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