Theatre

THEATRE, (from 19eacrOat, to see,) a building used for the performance of plays, and other scenic representations.

The magnitudeof a

theatre must depend upon the number of spectators, and the style in which the exhibitions are intended to be got up. It would not be easy to describe in words all the apartments necessary to the construction of a theatre, nor their uses, or proportions to each other, as these must depend upon arbitrary circumstances ; but the following abstract of the report of Mr. Wyatt, the architect of the pre sent Drury Lane Theatre, with a description of the plan, will furnish a valuable elucidation.

arranging the design which 1 submitted to t

he com mittee for rebuilding Drury Lane Theatre, and which the committee have done me the honour to adopt, 1 have been guided principally by the considerations which are explained under the four following heads, namely : First, the size, or capacity, of the theatre, as governed by the width of the proscenium, or stage-opening, and by the pecuniary return to be made to those whose property may be embarked in the concern. Secondly, the form or shape of the theatre, as con nected with the primary objects of distinct sound and vision. Thirdly, the facility of ingress and egress, as materially affecting the convenience of those going to every part, of the house respectively ; as well as their lives in cases of sudden accident and alarm. Fourthly, decorum among the several orders and classes of the visitants to the theatre, as essential to the accommodation of the more respectable part of those visitants, and consequently of great importance to the inter ests of the theatre." [Mr. Wyatt here details, under their respective heads, the space requisite for the various depart ments of the theatre ; and then proceeds thus to the com parative width of the stage openings.] " The annexed statement of the dimensions of the stage-opening of several large theatres will be sufficient to show, that 35 feet is a very moderate width for that opening.

[The statement alluded to by Mr. Wyatt, is as follows : Parma, 40 feet ; Turin, 39; Bordeaux, 39; Argenta, at Rome, 36 ; Milan, 40 ; San Benedetto, at Venice, 40 ; Theatre Francais, at Paris, 40 ; Theatre Italien, at Paris, 33; present Theatre at Covent Garden, 37 ; late Theatre in Drury Lane, 46, afterwards reduced to 3.3 feet.] " And although it appears, in that statement, that the stage-opening, in the theatre that was lately burnt down in Drury-lane, was laterally two feet less than that proposed in my plan, this fact is not to be received as a criterion for the dimensions most suitable to that part of a theatre ; for, in the late theatre, the stage-opening was originally 46 feet ; but, upon an alteration which was subsequently made in the proscenium (for the purpose of introducing stage-doors,) the breadth was reduced to 33 feet ; not because a greater breadth than 33 feet was considered to be inconvenient and improper, but because the reduction to that breadth of 33 feet afforded an opportunity of combining, with the alteration above specified, the introduction of some private boxes in a part of the proscenium which would otherwise have been lost space.

" Having assumed that the

size, or capacity of the theatre, must depend principally upon the width of the scene opening, and having, stated the reasons for the limit which 1 have applied to that opening, 1 have next to remark upon the size of the house, as it relates to the pecuniary return for the capital embarked in the concern. It is proposed, that the largest return which can be obtained, consistently with a due attention to the interests of the public, is the legitimate right of the proprietors, and, consequently, that (after having determined the width of the stage-opening upon a suitable scale) the most capacious form which can be possibly con structed to admit of distinct vision and sound, is the form which ought to be chosen. It appears to be a very popular notion at present, that our theatres should be very small, but if that popular notion be suffered to proceed too far, it will tend, in every way, to deteriorate our dramatic perfor mances, by depriving the proprietors of that revenue which is indispensable to defray the heavy expenses of such a concern, and to leave a reasonable profit to those whose property may be embarked in the undertaking. It should be remembered, that the unavoidable expenses attendant on any theatre of a superior order in London, (whatever be the dimen sions of that theatre,) must of necessity be very great ; and that less than a certain return for those expenses cannot maintain such a theatre to any good effect. Assuming the boundary which has been described as the limit of the stage opening, and confining the front boxes (which is absolutely necessary for purposes of vision or sound) within a given distance from the front line of the stage, it is quite unques tionable, that a segment of a circle, including three-fourths of an entire circle, contains the most capacious area which can be formed within those given points ; and, therefuz e, if that form be also one which is well adapted to distinct. vision and sound, it ought, upon the principle before stated, to be chosen in preference to any other. It should be remembered, that the remarks which 1 am now offering, apply to the size or capacity of the theatre, as relates to the pecuniary- return for capital embarked ; the subject will be hereafter considered in its relations to sound and vision ; in the meantime, view ing it as the form which is capable of containing the greatest number within the given limit, I shall assume it as that which the proprietors are entitled, for their own interest, to adopt.

A theatre consisting of three-fourths of a circle, with a pro scenium according to my plan, which shall limit the stage opening to 35 feet, will contain, in four different heights, 78 boxes, holding 1004 persons ; with four boxes (of larger size than the rest) next to the stage on each side of the theatre, capable of containing 188 spectators, in addition to the 1004 before mentioned, amounting, in the aggregate, to 1,192 per sons, or £417 4 0 A pit, containing 911 persons, or 159 8 6 A two-shilling gallery- for 482 persons, or . 48 4 0 A one-shilling ditto for 284 persons, or . .14 4 0 exclusive of four private boxes in the proscenium, and 14 in the basement of the theatre, immediately under the dress boxes. Suppose the four private boxes in the proscenium to be appropriated to the managers, and certain other persons connected with the theatre who shall pay no rent fur those boxes, the remaining 14 private boxes will let as follows : namely, the 12 smaller ones for £300 each, and the two larger ones for £500 each, for the season, (being at the rate of £23 per night for 200 nights) which, together with the foregoing amount, produces an aggregate total of £662 6s. 6d. Adverting to all the foregoing circumstances, 1 have no doubt that the advantages of the form which I have adopted will readily be admitted, as far as the form relates to the capacity of the theatre, and to the financial considerations attending thereon,. and I shall therefore, having shown what appears to be the best form with respect to size and capacity, now proceed to the second head of the discussion, namely, the former shape of the theatre, as connected with the objects of distinct vision and sound.—lst. With reference to distinct sound, the safest method in deciding upon the shape of a theatre appears to be, to adopt a form which is known to be in itself capable of conveying sound with facility ; to construct that form of materials which are of a conductive nature ; and to avoid all breaks and projections on the sur face of such form, which can tend to interrupt or impede the progress of the sound when once conveyed to any part of it. It is generally admitted that a circular enclosure, unobstructed by breaks and projections, possesses the power of conveying sound with facility, and that wood is the material which combines the greatest number of desirable qualities, as to conduction, resonance, &c. &c. It does not absorb the sound so much as some materials, and does not conduct it so much as others; which medium is acknowledged to be an advantage to the clear and distinct conveyance of sound. That wood is sonorous, and capable of soft, clear and pleasing tones, is sufficiently demonstrated by the effect of it in musical instruments.-1 shall take it for granted that whatever be the form of the theatre, it ought in every part to be confined within the limit to which the voice is known to be capable of expanding : and, certainly, 1 hazard nothing in assuming, that the nearer the shape shall conform to those proportions which would be described by the natural expansion of the voice, the more equally the sound will be heard in all parts of the theatre. After reading Mr. Saunders's account of the experiments upon the voice, which he describes in his Trea tise on Theatres, I was induced to try the same experiments myself, and after changing the relative positions and distances of the speaker and hearer, in a variety of ways, and after several repetitions of each experiment, the result corresponded as nearly as possible with the statement given by Mr. Saun ders, and clearly proved to me, that the natural expansion of the human voice, when moderately exerted, will be in the pro portion of about two-ninths farther in a direct line, than it will laterally ; and that being distinctly audible on each side the speaker, at a distance of 75 feet, it will be as plainly heard at a distance of at least 92 feet in front of the speaker declin ing in strength behind him, so as not to be clearly heard at much more than 30 feet from his back. Upon this principle, I have in my design made the widest of the area of the theatre, upon the level of the dress-boxes, 5S feet, allowing 9 feet 6 inches for the depths of the boxes: upon that floor, a projection of 18 inches more than is given to any of the boxes above, making together, 67 feet 6 inches between the extremity of the stage on one side, and the back wall of the boxes on the opposite side. But it should be remembered, that the speaker will not at any time be placed laterally, at the very extremity of either side of the stage, and even if be were to be sometimes so situated, the distance between him and the opposite side of the house, would be eight feet within the expansion of the voice in a lateral direction, and 27 within its limits in a direct line. Referring to all the con siderations connected with the remarks, I have no hesitation in believing, that the circular form is preferable to any other form. And having, upon the principles above stated, fixed a limit for the diameter of that form, I next come to those considerations connected with sound, which ought to operate upon the longitudinal dimensions of the theatre, or upon the space from the front line of the stage, to the boxes immediately facing that line.