Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1978 - 32

manner that recognizes their relevancy to current practice while not
detracting from the contemporary flavor of his approach to scenography. Discussion of the lighting aspect of scenography receives
considerable attention. both in theory and practice. A wide range of
topics. including the often overlooked one of cue notation and the
latest advancements in the field of lamp technology (the HMI lamp),
make the lighting section one of the most thorough in the book.
The chapters on safety and electrical codes in the theatre deserve
praise, simply because of their inclusion. The appendix on fire prevention in the theatre with its carefully detailed flammability test
procedure is most useful. Bellman clearly demonstrates the impact of
the Occupational Safety and Health Act upon play production today,
emphasizing the responsibility and right of everyone to work in a safe
and healthful environ men\. Specific safety precautions in such areas
as electrical practice. plastics work. fly system and rigging procedures. dry ice smoke effects. etc. are further detailed in appropriate
chapters throughout the book.
The teacher of technical theatre will find Bellman's esthetic development of scenography and the resultant role of the scenographer to
be one of the book's most unique features. Following a European
trend, the scenographer. as a single artist who determines all of the
visual elements of a production (i.e. scenery. costumes, lighting,
properties. and special effects), has become increasingly a part of
American play production during the last few years. Art estheticians,
like Susanne Langer. provide Bellman with the philosophical basis
upon which he evolves his interpretation of the scenographic
process. Thoroughness marks his explanation of the scenographic
process. as he relates meaningful practice to esthetic theory by
clearly drawn examples. Bellman defines the production meeting, for
instance, as any communicative situation in which artistic information
is exchanged in the process of producing a play.' He then provides
(somewhat reminiscent of Gordon Craig) a hypothetical dialogue
between a director. a scenographer. and an actress who intends to
play Lady Macbeth and "whose special interest in the total esthetic
development of the production makes her useful to our study." The
"total" approach of deriving appropriate practice out of a sound
esthetic basis lies at the heart of the scenographic process.
While the book abounds in practical examples of modern stage
technology. some old. some new. the author insists that available
technology must serve the theatre in a proper context. He says. "This
seems to be the only way to connect art and technique in an area
filled with increasingly complicated technology. Otherwise mechanics threaten to overpower the ultimate purpose of theatre. which must
be ar\." Scenography and Stage Technology, An IntrOduction merges
art and technique better than any other introductory tex\. It takes the
loose threads of traditional stagecraft and weaves them into a new
scenographic fabric.
David A. Siegfried
Cleveland State University

The Art of Stage Lighting, Second Edition. by Frederick Bentham.
New York: Theatre Arts Books. 1976. ISBN 0-87830-009-0. 361 pp..
illus.. S16.95.
For those of us fortunate enough to have spent a few intensive days
in master classes with Frederick Bentham when his appearance in
the United States. in 1975. was made possible through the auspices
of USITT. the publication of the Second Edition of his book. The Art of
Stage Lighting, marks a pleasant reunion with a man who was a giant
in the field of stage lighting long before most of us knew the difference between a leko and a fresnel. or a lumen and a lux. For the less
fortunate. many who have neither met the man in person nor through
his books (S tage Lighting, 1950: The A rt of Stage Lighting, 1968). his
latest effort will be an insightful look into the humanity of Frederick
Bentham. as well as another excellent reference tex\. My list of
seminal figures in this narrow but indispensible art of the theatre
would certainly include Bentham along with Appia. Craig. McCandless. and Rosenthal. One must not be misled. however, into thinking
of him only in terms of his expertise in stage lighting. for he is equally
knowledgeable in the fields of ar\. architecture, and music, and he
draws heavily on this broader perspective to illustrate and illuminate
his views concerning the aims and esthetics of stage lighting.

As in the earlier edition of this tex\. the material is informally
divided into three main sections. In the first section major revisions
have been made in two of the three chapters dealing with the time
and space framework of stage lighting. Chapter 1 summarizes the
recent trends in architectural development and scenographic innovation which relate to the process of lighting, and we are left with
little doubt concerning Bentham's opinion of very large and very
complex production facilities (he does not like them!). Regretfully
missing from this chapter are some of the pithy and erudite "Benthamisms" that sparkled in his introductory chapter to the First Edition. In Chapter 2 the major change involves the addition of descriptions of post-1968 theatre construction in Britain, particularly of the
National Theatre. These added pages are interesting. but unfortunately they pay little attention to the ramifications for stage lighting
inherent in the design of "end stages." Chapter 3. "The Development
of Stage Lighting." remains relatively intact from the First Edition.
The second major section of the book, which deals with the technology of stage lighting. remains largely unchanged except for an
expanded section on memory control systems. Insofar as Thorn
Lighting and Strand Electric were major innovators in the development of computer boards, the descriptions of their products which
are carried over from the First Edition. serve as important documentation of the basic thought behind the great proliferation of
similar devices on both sides of the Atlantic.
In the final chapters. the discussion of the processes involved in
"painting with light" has changed little, and wisely so. Bentham's
insistence on studying the works of the great artists and their use of
light in art as a prelude to designing lights for the theatre is finally
getting a hearing in this country as manifested recently in so many of
our trade journals. It is regretful. therefore, that his chapter on "Colour Music" has been relegated to a much abridged appendix, since it
deals directly and meaningfully with the conceptualization of light as
an esthetic medium.
While this book is important and interesting in its definition of
British and European lighting equipment and practice, it will probably
not be chosen by many in this country as a primary text for college
courses in stage lighting. It is. however. an extremely useful adjunct
reference source. and it should fi nd a place on your shelf right next to
Bentham's previous books which. despite the appearance of this new
edition. retain their value and viability in an humanistic and historical
contex\.
Bruce W. McMullan
Dartmouth College

Stage CraNs by Chris Hoggett. New York: S\. Martin's Press, 1977,
ISBN 312-75495-7, 282 pp., illus., 512.50.
Chris Hoggett has distilled his years of experience working in
school productions to produce this interesting and informative book.
The majority of the book's pages contain illustrations-either his own
neat drawings or photographs of productions. Much of the work
illustrated is the product of junior high school age boys. and shows a
standard of craftsmanship that would do credit to some of our university theatre departments. The book is divided into ten sections covering the areas normally covered in American texts as well as sections on costume accessories, makeup, and masks. A glossary. and
lists of materials, suppliers, and books complete the volume.
The book is written for students in a basic stagecraft program at
the high school level. Thus there is no mention of the use of power
tools, of air casters, or of any of the appurtenances of modern stage
,echnology. The sections on properties, armor, and costume accessories are complete and detailed. The primary methods of construction for them are papier-mache and felt, but of course the ideas can
easily be adapted to other materials such as fiberglass, Celastic and
so on. Apparently the versatile glue gun is not familiar to the author.
for the many drawings show glued string as an ornamental device.
The rest of the text does no\. in general. match the level of the
sections noted above. The sections on the acting area and design are
very basic, though clear and well illustrated, but there are many
omissions, great and small, in the remaining sections.
The most important of these is the utter lack of any kind of emphasis on safety. For a book intended to be used as an introductory text,

Theatre Design & Technology

USITT IS pring, 1978

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1978