Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-09-08
A Chinese Hamlet.

I An EVENING At TIE TAH oUE-SO-TTH THEATRE
IL SHANGHAI-THE LEGITIMATE DRAMA As
THsRE PREsENTED-BEHIND THg sCENEs-
MYSTERIES or CHINESE CREEN-RooM
Shanghai orrSsPonience Of the N. Y. Evening Fost
The Tah-Que-So-Yeh Theatre Is the finest
native theatre in Shanghai, and one of the
/ best in the kingdom. One Is sure TO find
there hrst-class actors performing the choicest
| plays IN the language and to see an audience
| which Is representative Of the better classes
| Of Chinese society. In the absence Of other
/ legitimate evening amusemcnts, foreigner
can do worse than pass an hour or two III the
Tah- Qde-So-Yeh.
W e meet Characteristic imposition At the
J threshold, foreigners having to pay double
the price OF admission charged natives; but.
enduring this, We pay our Mexican coin and
enter. Many points OF dissimilarlty between
Chinese anu American theatres are at once
apparent. The hall Is very large, almost
square, unfinished within and unpainted.
ami, To a person accustomed to the gorgeous
interiors OF americans theatres, looks very
cheap and bleak. The stage projects from
one end of the hall, and Is entirely destitute
oi crop-cuTtaln or wings, being in fact moth
lng but platform, and the actors come
upon 1t from doors opening into the green
room IN the rear OF the main building. The
body Of the hall, or the pit Is occupied
by "a system Of tables and chairs not unlike
" hat is seen in q German coucert-saloon.
Around this part Of the room risc benches
on the SIDE and rear, on which slI the less
fashionable patrons. Above these benches a
single gallery extends On taIee sides Of the
room, breaking up into prOscenium boxes as
II reaches the stage on either side.
We seat ourselves "a. one OF the tables in
the PIT and devote ourselves TO the drama
already in progress. But our attention l.
Immediately diverted by the appearance of
an attendant, who sets before Us curious
luncheon of tea, oranges, swsetoued water
melon seeds and rice balls We make q
mantul attack on this strange meal. but
with very Indifferent success, and tLtn give
ourselves entireiyto the drama. Oar closest
attention Is necessary II we wish to under
stand In the least what l. represented for
not only do the actors perform IN Chinese,
which IN Itself Is an obstacle 10 our az
probation OF action and dialogue. hlt they
recite the text IN such a sing->Jng ia.~Ct;l
and with such pCculiaritieS OF dialect that
native is often unable 10 interpret u us
more than tie general meaning Of the play.
Il seems very absurd 10 a foreigner tlaJ gAc
Chinese should T2tTonzc a. performance
which they cannot understand, until he
reflects On The r,pular,rv of ;be l,alnn opcra
and the success. OF s4.yili or Ssebacl ia his
own land
However, with the guide at oar elbow We
can catch. IN = vague wav. the t.ot. and We
find il rurnin- here As eyervwbfre. oD ..tbe
grand r,s.ion mans nuuba--.re wife
ior instance. murder, him and ebar,es the
deed on nuuber-tvo wife. Mrs Two demo.
tie cbarye. hut cannot e-caue from tie
meSbe, ol the law. and Is condemned IL
death. In her extremity She atueal, ID the
king. who. Touched fy Ter rrav,r-. and more
uarticularlv fv hsr Eesuty. first rlrior-
and then msrrIes her. naturally yexe,
number one. and II also arouse, a re>tlc
lover Of number TWO. to whom Size lad
rlirhted her troth on hsr husbands denise
and who had bslriendcd her On her tim
The ru.ti. had ratriotie motives as well that
incersed bi,. srairsr tac king. and. inspired
by botb ners5nal and rutIie cmDiry. raised
n bosti H. force and marched acair.t him
The armies met and a terrific combat en-
sued. in which both tie kin. and arch-rebc.
porformol rrodi-ies If yal0r and agility.
Finally the t.ay wound ur. as far as nv
INTERPRETATION could 90. iu grand exhib.-
ti5n BY the combined forces Of ground and
lofty rimbIing. leaving the srect4tors in an
anxious uncertainty as to the t..e olal tie
draHalis persona.
On another evening I saw play tina.
suggested Hamlet in is main u1;. y
king went llrtu 10 suH Ju-ate q Itnt4 ti- tl-
tain who Lad risen in arms against him.