A Representation at the Hotel de Bourgogne.
The hall of the Hotel de Bourgogne, in 1640. A sort of tennis-court arranged and
decorated for a theatrical performance.
The hall is oblong and seen obliquely, so that one of its sides forms the back of
the right foreground, and meeting the left background makes an angle with the
stage, which is partly visible.
On both sides of the stage are benches. The curtain is composed of two
tapestries which can be drawn aside. Above a harlequin's mantle are the royal
arms. There are broad steps from the stage to the hall; on either side of these
steps are the places for the violinists. Footlights.
Two rows, one over the other, of side galleries: the highest divided into boxes.
No seats in the pit of the hall, which is the real stage of the theater; at the back of
the pit, i.e., on the right foreground, some benches forming steps, and
underneath, a staircase which leads to the upper seats. An improvised buffet
ornamented with little lusters, vases, glasses, plates of tarts, cakes, bottles, etc.
The entrance to the theater is in the center of the background, under the gallery
of the boxes. A large door, half open to let in the spectators. On the panels of this
door, in different corners, and over the buffet, red placards bearing the words, 'La
Clorise.'
At the rising of the curtain the hall is in semi-darkness, and still empty. The
lusters are lowered in the middle of the pit ready to be lighted.
The public, arriving by degrees. Troopers, burghers, lackeys, pages, a
pickpocket, the doorkeeper, etc., followed by the marquises. Cuigy, Brissaille, the
buffet-girl, the violinists, etc.
(A confusion of loud voices is heard outside the door. A trooper enters hastily.)
THE DOORKEEPER (following him):
Hollo! You there! Your money!
