Home Pastimes; or Tableaux Vivants | Page 2

Bridal Prayer, 162 The Guitar Lesson, 163 Roger Williams preaching to the Indians, 164 Crossing the Line, 167 The Wedding, 169 Hiawatha sailing, 171 The Village Stile, 173 Florence Nightingale in the Crimea, 175 The Fireman's Statue, 177 Joan of Arc at the Siege of Orleans, 178 The Parting, 183 Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness, 185 The Fight for the Standard, 187 Jonathan's Visit to his City Cousins, 189 The Three Graces, 190 The Guardian Angel, 191 The Pyramid of Beauty, 193 Coronation of Queen Victoria, 195 The Brigands, 198 Death of Sir John Moore, 200 The Fireman's Rescue, 203 Catharine Douglass barring the Door with her Arm, 205 The Masquerade Ball, 207 Irish Courtship, 209 The Fairies' Offering to the Queen of May, 210 Belshazzar's Feast, 213 The Valentine, 217 The Fairies' Rainbow Bridge, 219 Little Eva and Uncle Tom, 222 Love triumphant, 224 The Banditti, 226 Portrait of Louis Napoleon, 229 The Return from the Vintage, 230 Lovers Going to the Well, 232 The Italian Flower Vase, 234 Portrait of the Madonna, 236 The Shoemaker in Love, 237 Prince Charles Edward after the Battle of Culloden, 239 The Flower Girl, 242 Presentation of Fireman's Trumpet, 243 The Painter's Studio, 245 Portrait of Gabrielle, 247 The Elopement, 249 Fireman's Coat of Arms, 251 The Soldier's Farewell, 252 Ike Partington's Ghost, 254 The Peasant Family in Repose, 255 The Soldier's Return, 257
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NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS, 259-264

INTRODUCTION.
The Tableaux Vivants may be new to many of our readers, although they have been produced and have been quite popular in Europe, and to some extent in this country. For public or private entertainment, there is nothing which is so interesting and instructive as the tableau. The person most fitted to take charge of a tableau-company is one who is expert at drawing and painting: any one who can paint a fine picture can produce a good tableau.
The individual who makes all of the necessary arrangements for a series of tableaux is generally called the stage manager. His first work is to select a programme of tableaux; and in this list there should be a variety of designs, comprising the grave, the comic, and the beautiful. A manuscript should be used in which to write the names of the tableaux, directions for forming each, the names of the performers, the parts which they personate, the styles of the costumes, and the quantity and kind of scenery and furniture used in each design.
The following diagram will illustrate the manner in which the manuscript should be arranged:--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | NAME OF TABLEAU. | NO. ___ | --------------------------------------------------------------------| |Directions for forming|Ladies.|Personation.|Gentlemen.|Personation.| | costumes, &c. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------|------------|----------|------------| | |Scenery, furniture, &c. | | | | | | | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
After the manuscript is completed, it will be necessary to select the company and assign the parts. The number of persons required in a first-class tableau-company is forty. It will be necessary to have that number to produce large pictures; fifteen or twenty-five persons will be sufficient for smaller representations. In forming the company, the following persons should be selected: six young ladies, of good form and features, varying in styles and sizes; six young gentlemen, of good figure, and of various heights; two small misses; two small lads; two gentlemen for stage assistants; one painter, one joiner, one lady's wardrobe attendant, one gentleman's wardrobe attendant, one curtain attendant, one announcer. If a large piece is to be performed, such as the Reception of Queen Victoria, it will be necessary to have fifteen or twenty young gentlemen, varying from four to five feet in height, to personate military and other figures. Each person should have written instructions in regard to the scenes in which they take a part, giving full descriptions of the costumes, position, expression, and character which they are to personate; after which they should meet in a large room, and go through a private rehearsal. It will be necessary, previously to appearing before the public, to have three rehearsals--two private ones, and one dress rehearsal on the stage. It will be well to have a few friends witness the dress rehearsal, which will give confidence to the performers, previous to their dêbut before a large audience. As soon as the company has been organized, and each performer has received his several programmes, it will be the duty of the stage manager to see that the various branches of the profession are progressing in unison with the rehearsals. Each tableau should be carefully examined, and a list of the machinery, scenery, wardrobe, and furniture of each piece noted down, and competent persons immediately set to work on their completion. The selection of