The laying of Brookes’ electric main was commenced. Mr Henry H. Vincent (stage manager) & Mr H.P. Hall (artist) of the St James’ theatre called with reference to an Observatory scene in a new play. Showed Great Equatorial, Lassell & Astrographic Equatorial. The last seemed the most suitable.*
William Christie, Astronomer Royal8
*
*8
Rebekah Higgitt says.....
Here we find another use for large telescopes - inspiration for theatre design! A review of the "Brilliant First Night" of Henry Arthur Jones's "The Masequeraders" at St James's Theatre in Picadilly in April 1894 can be found online, a performance that was only marred by a "short and weak last act". Presumably it is only coincidence that it was this act that featured the telescope: "The last scene is laid in the observatory on Mont Saint Garidelli, in the Maritime Alps, near Nice. The room is dark, save for a shaft of moonlight which illuminates the large equatorial telescope in the inner room".
