The sun., 1893-04-02
CHINATOWN'S NEW THEATRE.
~PooR OLD MAN." Br TIE HIN yU
HEN HU III HEk COMPhNK.

| Two BesutIfui Daughters, Ffous Sos. srt
Wicked Jaiier Are Leading Psrts-A
| Fiendish Orchestra - Watermelon Seeds
and Other Chinese Dencaeies.
Right In the angle OF the Doyers street bend
| there is narrow door about which q crowd OF
Cinnamon cluster every night II 10 but q few
steps from Chatham square. and the passer-
By in the square may hear on quiet night
sounds OF strange music mingling with the
buzz OF tho crowd We're 1t not for the gather
ing OF Cinnamon in the narrow street one
might pass by the little door and see no indi-
cation that within was something well worth
seeing. There are no sims or plscards
shown to attract attention and tell the public
that this is the entrance to the only Chinese
theatre east Of San Francisco.
To this place Sun reporter was conducted
o few nights ago by q friendly Chinaman.
who. for purposes OF abbreviation may bo
called Chung. that being one Of his extensive
collection of names. For whatever information
and ediHcntion the reporter desired from tho
performance. his thanks are due to Chung. 1t
was o'clock when they arrived at tho theatre
and. pushing through the crowd ut the door.
one OF whom stopped thom TO beg for the price
OF ticket, found themselves In n small square
hallway. on one side OF which two oval
apertures stared out like pair Of Mongolisn
eyes. Through one OF these holes the visitors
were Informed that they must push quarter
apiece for the privilege OF enterin z the theatre.
II they had come Mt half-past q. when
tho play begins. they would have been
charged rs cents At y o'clock the
admission fee decreases by rs cents
1t Is a quarter loss at o. and through the sue
ceeding hours up to midnight. when the place
closes. the charge dwindles by nickel Grada-
tions to minimum Of ono dino. II the door
keeper happens to be good d-natured he lets In
the crowd OF lounGers outside for a few mo-
ments before the finale.
Having paid their quarters the visitors had
the pleasure OF seeing a pair OF hands. pre-
sumably appertaining to u Celestial inside.
check the money OF on an Arrangement OF
marbles in grooved box. much like the de-
vice In primary schools by which young chill
dren are taught to count They then received
two pieces Of brown paper. ornamented with
complicated geometrical problems. which be-
ing turned over to the doork eeper. procured
them the privilege Of falling down short and
steep flight OF stairs and finding themselves
In tho theatre.
The body OF tho house. except for the slant
OF tho floor. might be taken Tor q Down East
meeting house. The floor Is OF bare wood. un-
painted and unvarnished. Small pillars at
short intervals support the low ceiling. Very
high. very narrow. and very hard seats with
stiff. straight backs invite the visitor to stand
up. These seats. evidently adapted to O Species
OF anatomy very different from the Caucasian. |
are as innocent Of paint as the floor or ceiling.
and enhance the general air OF Rrimness. OBJ
viously the owners have wasted no money on
this part OF the theatre.
At the stage end. however. everything is
gorgeous brilliant red plush curtain. ar
draped over and about platform at
the right OF the stage. catches the eye first.
This Is Q box. and 1t accommodates six spec
tators. 1t is generally reserved for diGnitaries
and persons OF Importance in the Chinese
colony. and thus the audien &C has the pleasure
OF looking upon greatness in its leisure mo-
ments we'll as Of seeing the play. II Mayor
Gilroy were to 20 to the Chinese theatre he |
would have to go in this box or else run the
risk OF grievin2 the soul Of tho managor.
The stage is Good-slzed platform. gor-
geously decorated with curtains. banners. |
notices nnd designs Of all kinds. dragons Of
gold and red. and impossible hued tropical |
vegetation prodomlnating. The one touch Of |
The Now World is an eight-day clock on the |
rear wa OF the stage. In tho rear OF the stage
sits the orchestra Of five or six pieces. Being |
hus removed by q considerable space from
he audience. they feel snfe In deriving from
heir peculiar instruments combinations OF
sound that ought to be punishable by death.
)ne particularly fiendish musical continuance
8 played behind q curtain. this being u stroke
u policy on the part Of tho management
There Is an air OF freedom from restraint on
he part OF the orchestra that is quite re-
reshing The mem bers play when they want
o. which is pretty much all the time. und
n the intervals OF rest they SIN oke cigars or
oze. A musician will sit around idle for
ew moments. then being seized with sud-
ZEN conviction that he isn't earning his salary
Till perform sawbuck act on his fiddle or do
double shuffie on the tom tom with an on
husiasm that arouses his partners In crime to
enewed endeavors. II between them all they
uccesd In drowning out the sound OF the
ctors' voices. 80 much the better. That is
artly what they are engaged for.
When Chung and the reporter arrived on the
Gene the Hu Yu Hen theatrical company was
erforming an opera called Poor Old Man."
he Poor Old Man Is an antiquated Chinaman
nth o voluminous white beard ingeniously
led on around the back OF his neck. This
Ives him truly weird appearance. To the
verage observer his principal misfortune
'ould seem to be that during the greater part
the evening he Is obliged to stay on the
ttaGe and listen to the orchestra. Occasion
i,y no comes e to, to TIE , front Of the stage.
SS that Hs,s Was sasns
Al Lord and Wicked Jailer and WAS taken
way from Ais Happy Home. his Beautiful
ns. ns beaptif1! Tla Daughters made their appear
ling and Fab Din Hong. represent the
aughtsrs They are men. put it would take a
nder the capital make.up in which they ap-
snr. One Is tall and pretty. with high cheek
ones. and bright color put on in an ar J
stis manner Inmd which M s9mS q our American
short; with very Wide eyes. und beautiful
eth. They began with a duet. In shrill nasal
'chestra dropped their cigars and started in .
DO their worst The rest rest Joined In. with the
,came sa1M G greater than he could bear. and he
eautiful Daughters finished their song and L
ok possession Of two front seats. They sat
OWN upon these In o gingeriy manner. as II
rniture was full of tacks. l
an and the cd Jailer rushed on the stage | q
om 2 p different "a entrances; III They met In the
gave vivid imitation Of two chol- D
lv ha WiokA Ad NIL hn | W