The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-07-25
A Chinese Theatre in Frisco.


The San Francisco Chronicle de.
scribes the opening of the new Sing
Ting Yuen theatre in that city as fol.
lows "About ], 800 persons were pres.
ent during the performance, which
lasted from half past seven in the even
ing until half-past two Sunday morn
ing. Many Americans, among whom
were few ladies, took advantage of the
occasion to witness the Chinese play,
but none except the celestial visitants
stayed until the last scene of the pro-
longed drama was finished. The cos.
tunes were gorgeous beyond descrip-
tion, and all made especially for use on
the opening night. The stage presented
the usual characteristics. There were
fh end ddndhepIaid thst ei5eg elaga99aAe Vi9A
which every one VIII presume to be
wise saws from Contucius until he is
told the contrary on very good author
ity. The property-maD kept his traps
on one corner of the stage in sight of
the audience, brought forward articles
of dress or furniture when they were
wanted, and restored them to their
nook when they were no longer needed.
When not busy he made tea and drank
1T before everybody-the play all the
while progressing-and even summoned
some of his companions from the au-
dience to imbibe the refreshing bever-
age with him in a convivial way. Ey-
erything was in the freest and easiest
style. The audience smoked cigars
and cigarettes, and the musicians who
played the exhilarating yee-hin and
clashed the deafening cymbals inhaled
m anwhilethe de- Scious fumes of opium.
The orchestra vas composed, beside
the yee-hin, ofThe tien sok, the sam
tien, the ton<Goo, and one or two other
pieces of M dious strains whose names
are not known to the average Amer
lean. The reporter sat in the
topmost galley, between a Chinaman
who was sNSg his big toe in the in
tervals of his dramatic rapture and a
dirty Celestial who understood enough
Mclean to explain the general drift
and tenor of the play. The plot of the
play had the usual deviations towards
with royal wars enough to
satisfy the most bloody-minded specta-
tor, and now and then domestic cpl
sode in which the scandalous element
was not lacking. A husband and wife
for instance, appeared upon the scene,
the former accompanied by two COWS
by small Cinnamon with |
beasts heads. The wife has lofty aspi- |
rations and does not like her liege lord |
because of his devotion to agricultural /
pursuits. Enter the heavy william in |
The guise of an invalid, as a destroyer |
Of the felicity of the hearthstone. He |
gets access to the discontented wife, |
and elopes with her Enter husband |
With two cows-which he instructs to
i've In harmony, and on the green
grass, otherwise mating. He falls
lsleep, and they fight it out on that
inc. Enter a vile robber in miserable
iress. He gathers the two COWS by the
lorns and is making off with them,
when the owner awakes and rescues his
Exit husband. Enter gay
with recreant wife. Emanciat-
ed thief beats the gay deceiver, and |
Iea1n WIN unuearu- oI Uorgnres. after
laving expired in agony, the faith1ess
Eife deliberately gets up and coolly
7alks off the stage. Another general
7ar, and so on, ob HbituDl. The thea
re is a large and convenient building,
rected for the purpose; and is said to
ave cost $50, 900. The seating is am
lie, and the means for entrance and
Kit quite sufficient for the wants OF the
lace