The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-12
a Chinese Theatre I'm San Fran
PiaNO.

T0m The San FTaacisoo Morning CALI
A few weeks ago the proprietor Of the Chi
nese ese Theatre on jackson street returned from
china, bringing with him a company of ninety
performers that had been performing for
many years at Canton, and who had wide
equation for talent as acrobats, vaulters
vOcalists, and general performers. Their
wardrobe is of a most gorgeous STYLE and
cost in China, where everything is SO cheap.
a pewer of money. Their arrival as a
matter of course, caused considerable excite
ment among the Chinese bon ton, because in
tne troupe were several ladies whose feet
We're no larger than a mans little finger.
lhe theatre on jackson street, which is as
large as the Metropolitan, was crowded
to excess on the opening night and each
evening since. The fame of the company has
gradually extended beyond Chinese circles,
and every evening now sees quite number
OF Americans in the audience. Last night we
dropped in for few moments, and were asto-
., nished at the scene before us Near the
door sat a silent old fellow rolling up betel-
. nuts and quiclIlime, and selling "chaw" to
the audience as they came in. The females
were the greatest patrons of this luxury, and
Scarcely one failed to invest five cents in a
chaw. short distance off were several
Well-known politicians, who were evidently
Under the convoy of prominent Chinese
c0mprddore. The stage was filed with actors,
musicians, and spectators; for if the actors
have enough room to stand and move about
they are content. The music (?)-shades of
Mendelssohn!-was considered grand by the
Chinese, but to our ears it was nothing but
I terrific din, caused by the beating of gongs,
I the clashing of cymbals, the squeaking of
fddles, the beating of drums, and the footing
/ Of asthmatic trumpets. 1t gave us a head
ache that we did not recover from for
ten hours. Our guide informed us that the
play being represented was an epoch in
Chinese history covering q period of about
sixty years, and that it generally required
from fourteen to twenty hours to represent it,
but under pressure it could be ground out in
nine hours. When we arrived, it had arrived
at that pitch where n rebellion had broken
out, and the adherents of each party were
preparing to decide matters by the gage of
| battle. Troops were being marshalled and
reviewed, inspected, and harangued to the
highest pitch of courage. The cavalry were
y represented by fellows carrying switches and
the taking of the switch from the hand of the
/ rider was, by violent presumption, con-
v sidered to be dismounting. One body of
a cavalry were painted to look as near like
a devils as possible, and without hesitation we
will accept them as such. Another lot were
gallant zoo-zoos, and wore the conventional
big trousers of the Zouaves. These latter ap-
peared to belong to the attacking party, and
4 were ''eager for the fray" for they dared their
antagonists to come out and have ''square
thing" of it. After great deal of prelimi-
nary fussing, the battle began, and then we
we're treated with display of acrobatic feats
such as are never seen out of a Chinese thea
ire. One fellow, who had a penchdnt fol
getting upon table to crow over his victory,
was continually getting knocked ''head-over.
heels" by one of the rebels, who would come
upon the stage turning somersaults, until hC
would reach a certain distance from the
: table, when he would straighten out, while
turning and plant his feet in the breast o.
his adversary vito tremendous force. Somt
of the performers had great fondness TO
climbing upon three tables placed one on tol
of the other, and turning fip-fap, light OF
their backs on another table, ten or twelve
feet away. A double sword and spear com
bat displayed considerable skill, and wa
fought with real earnest, for several of tn,
combatants received severe wounds, iron
which the blood poured in streams This de
lighted the audience, and their applaus
nerved the actors to greater courage and t.
more valorous deeds. While some Of thei
feats of agility are wonderfully well executed
j they have not the grace and finish that are t.
be seen in our gymnasts; in fact they appea
to do everything by main strength and awll
wardness.