Mounting Plays.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5204, 10 February 1892, Page 4

Mounting Plays.

Sir Augustus Harris has been giving some information with regard to the mounting of plays. It seems that the mounting of the opera of "Othello" alone cost Sir Augustus L 15.000 this year. On last year's opera season the accountant's book showed a return of L 50,819. The expenses, however, were so great that there was little on the profit side of the balance. On the night the German Emperor visited Covent Garden the receipts reached L 5658, but LIOOO went in the decorating of the Imperial box. His revival of Italian opera in the Jubilee year cost him L 16,000, but the next year he got his money back." A Drury Lane pantomime costs from L 16,000 to L 20,000 for dresses, scenery, etc. A big procession costs from LSOOO to L6OOO. A good principal boy means from L6O to LIOO a week, a troupe of acrobats L7O or more, a first-class clown L3O or L4O, and a sprightly dancer L3O to LSO. Then there are many other salaries of L 45. L3O, L 25, LlO a week, whilst the ballet averages out at 30s a week, with extra for mornings. Other salaries for the week are also to be taken into account, namely, carpenters, Ll9l 3s 3d ; property men, L 129 12s 6d ; gas and electric light men, L 26 3s Sd ; limelight men, L 26 9s Gd ; wardrobe, dressers, and others, Llll 4s lOd; paintroom artist, L 334 10s lid ; and orchestra, Ll6O a week.