Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1987 - 41

BOOK REVIEWS

versals." A chapter which might
well have provoked some interesting
artistic and technical challenges is
instead given short shrift. A scant
five pages long and consisting of
mostly margins and photos recycled
from other chapters in earlier editions, this new chapter comes across
in an almost peremtory "do this, do
that" fashion.
ot nearly as disappointing as this
new chapter, bur puzzling nonetheless, is the retention of some very old
photographic sequences. Corson's
photos have always led the field by a
wide margin for the straightforward
depiction of well-crafted work. The
photographs usually managed to inspire as well as to instruct. And
while no one can quibble with the
success of Dick Smith's transformation of Hal Holbrook into Mark
Twain, one can certainly wonder if
those makeup materials and techniques are still the state-of-the-art
some twenty years later. The sequence is put into no particular historical context. In the same manner,
the "Dustin Hoffman- Little Big
Man" sequence was truly exci ting

What is becoming apparent is that
one text can no longer do it all.
Movies, television, and Corson's
own pioneering work have moved
the art rapidly along in the past few
years. As a consequence, the need for
fresh, clear thinking and demonstration is increasingly apparent.
Richard Corson should apply his formidable skills to reassessing and developing his work on color theory
and application, and to dealing specifically with truly contemporary materials and practice. For example, he
should expel such outmoded techniques as soaping the hair, using
honey, maple syrup, bran, and the
like for texture. If he implements
these types of changes in future editions, the author might continue to
stay ahead of the competition and
delight theatre artists for a few more
decades. Till then, we must be satisfied with, if not grateful for, this
newest edition of a pioneering
work.*

when it appeared in the fifth edition
back in 1975. owadays though, students of the art probably should view
that earlier work in the light of HoHman's makeups as Willy Loman and
Tootsie. I ow there's some material
for a serious "Sex Reversal" chapter')
Compared to the incisive and energetic fourth edition, the seventh has
clearly settled into middle age. It's
better dressed and more sophisticated, bur it's also gorren too big to
perch comfortably on a dressing
table. And the color coding system
(arguably Corson's greatest contribution) which was lean, clean, and
lively in the fourth edition has gradually grown so complex that it is
hardly useful for anything except to
cross-reference different products.
Its great potential as a basis for systematic color mixing and planning of
color relationships in a makeup has
been virtually abandoned.
Even though its age is starting to
show, Stage Makeup still has no serious challenger to its position as the
indispensable basic text. Bur some
new texts, Baygan's on prosthetics,
for example, are making an impact.

George Black
University of Virginia

We're Starting OurSecondSixtyYears

The

Theatre School
DePaul University

FounDed ast e GoOdll/(l1l 5cl1001 of Om/lI(l n :925
{ne o'oest and most respecteD theatre conser Jatar,
" America Sgreal

H~ea're C ..

CHICAGO

OURALUM 1

DEPAUL

You've nlrendy seen the work of:
Theoni V. Aldredge Linda Hunt Eugene Lee Karl Malden
Geraldine Page Lee Richardson Bruce Boxleitner

U\iIVERSITY

Baet
era
ameo
Abou Las

Igh[

Progmllls:
BFA
:..., :

MFA

CERTIFICATE
:."

For Information about auditions and Interviews. write to. The Theatre School. DePaul UllIVerslty. 2135 N. Kenmore. Chicago. IL 60614·4111 or call (312) 341·8374

TD&T . WINTER 1987

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1987