The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-09
a JDpuuese PLAY.
THE EXCRUCIAT1NG TRAGEDY IN WHICH An
ORIENTAL LOVE AFFAIR Is PLUNGED.
fGOl1en IOiusl

lGOlutn loln,.
During the entire performance k7trlumb0
(boys clad i'm black robes, with hoods like
those worn by the Inquisitors) attended
upon the actors and arranged their dresses.
| then retired on all fOurs up the stage and
Squatted like monkeys, with their backs to
the audience. who were supposed not TO be
| cognizant OF their presence. Ii was very
cOmical TO see the imps crawling about and
handing the leading people their pipes,
etc. The action Of the play was As follows
The blind Sdmuroi (gentleman) promises
TO marry the geiShd Singing girD. The
heavy villain. her lover, who is a gambler,
finding that he is about 10 lose his sweet
heart. determines TO rob the SdHlrdiS
house and TO kill him. The stage reyoyes,
new wings are pushed forward, and W.
behold garden and the outside OF man.
sion. with the moon shining upon the
scene. The girls lover enters silently,
accompanied by his wld-eyed comrades.
They indulge i'm long, bombaStic asides
of much pantOmime, indicative OF what
they intend TO do; they stealthily APP
proach one Of the paper windows OF the
dwelling, push il aside, crawl in, and
make their exits to delirious music, ex-
pressive OF murderous designs. A crash is
heard inside the house, then Il succession
OF dull thuds, and one after another the
bold, bad men" are artistically " fired -
back into the garden. As the last OF the
robbers falls sprawlng upon the stage the
blind Sdmrdi appears in the opening and
delivers speech out OF the right cor
ner OF his mouth, describing how he was
awakened by his assailants. and how he had
dubbed the crowd with 4 weapon that be-
longed to his honorable deceased father
He steps down upon the stage, pirouettes
and detes unseen enemies to tread on the
tail Of his kimOnO. Meanwhile the rob-
bers recover their senses and retire, me-
nacing him in pantomime. Enter geishd,
tnkling her guitar. Blind Sdmurai pauses
and listens.
"Ah. tits my beloved O-cho-cho," Miss
Butterfly
Another love passage ensues-he speak
ing teDderly out of the left corner OF his
mouth and amoroIsly clasping his arms,
and she responding in shrill falsetto and
significantly hugging her guitar, while the
orchestra INDUCES in Wagner-ike strains.
Naughty geiSh0 leads the confiding Samu-
RAJ towards q pillar-ike stone lantern, bids
him fearful farewell, gives a signal TO
her lover, and rctires, waddling like
duck. Orchestra executes more
savage music. Reenter heavy villain,
followed by fresh detachment OF assas-
sins, who silently surround the brave
youth. The act now rapidly approaches
It's climax; the audience hold their breath
and gaze iiXedly at the performance.
Though the gallant sdmTdi IL hedged in
win glittering, naked weapons, he defiant
~ utters long speech that makes the
women sob and rock themselves, and
causes the men to murmur and suck in
their breath approyingly. Suddenly he
draws his sword, twirls upon his
toes, delivers blows with lightning
rapidity, and sewers limbs with al
dexterity amazing to behold. Heads
ny about like cannon balls, and
land In extraordinary places. One drops
ON the top OF the stone lantern, where
lt continues to wink and blink at the spec
lators, another falls on the summit OF
post and rolls bis eyes ferociously at the
'onquerer. The stage Is smothered with