The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-07-24
A Thrilling Drama Enacted at the
Chinese Theatre.
SAVED BY A MAIDEN AUNT.
tricated from Their Difficulties This
Evening-The Chinese Theatre Rented
to a Troupe of Japanese Thespians.

The Government recently rented
the Chinese theatre to some enter
prising japanese. The Govern
ment made a mistake. Had it
hired a few Japanese actors and
opened the theatre as an annex to
the Insane Asylum, it would have
made fortune.
The place was crowded last
night, The japanese four hundred
was represented, as well as the
lower stratum of the Mikado's sub
jects. There were fair Japanese
maidens with their sweethearts i.
There was hardly room to move in
the house, and every one, men,
women and children seemed to en-.
Joy themselves immensely. They
laughed, and clappsd their hands
and stamped their feet as enthusi-
astically as small boy at a circus.
around the door of the theatre were
many people of all nationalities,
attracted by the novelty of jap
anese play. The admission was
not quite as much as that charged
by the Daley Company, but it was
enough for the amusement given.
The tickets looked like baggage
checks, and the man in the box
Office charged according to how
much money his customer seemed
to have. If they only had a dime
they could go in, but woe to him
who put fifty cents on the counter
it was taken, and no change
returned.
One of the audience, a Japanese,
kindly explained that the play was
comedy. This may have been
so-it undoubtedly was, judging
from the laughter of the audience.
Last evenings performance was
the second act of the play. The
first was given on Saturday even
ing, and the third will take place
tonight. This is one beauty of
Japanese plays; they are liable to
go on indefinitely, and one price of
admission will usually entitle one
to weeks enjoyment.
Just what the plot of the present
Japanese play is, is not known.
However, from all appearances, it
seemed to be the same old stereo-
typed plot. There was pair of
lovers, and an indignant father who
did not seem to approve of the
match, and the usual compli-
cations were the result. The
father had the unfortunate
lover arrested, and he was SEN
fenced to many different kinds of
punishment. Then his saviour, in
the person of a maiden aunt, ap-
peared on the scene, just in time to
save him from incarceration. The
maiden aunt seemed to be the star
performer. She fought a duel with
the judge who committed her
nephew she stabbed the unfortun-
ate nephew's father, and she cleared
the atmosphere generally. Tonight,
when the play will be concluded,
she will undoubtedly reign tri-
umphant as the good angel of the
lovers.
The theater was decorated in
style truly Japanesque. Bright col
ored lanterns were hung all around
the building, and curtains of a
brilliant hue covered the bare walls.
The orchestra was seated in a kind
of proscenium box upon the stage,
and was composed of two instru-
ments, a samosen and kind of
banjo. The musicians kept on
playing and singing during the per-
Torrance, never stopping at even
the most thrilling moments. They
were greatly assisted by gaudily
dressed gentleman who beat a piece
Of wood with two sticks, and tried
to keep time but failed dismally.
There was no attempt to set the
stage. If the scenery needed
changing, one of the supes came
out and changed it. If the cos
tune of one of the actors became
deranged, an assistant would ap-
pear with a paper of pins and fix
him up in jiffy, and everything
went on as before. The costumes
were brilliant. Kimonos of all the
colors of the rainbow were worn by
the actors, and precious jewels shone
in their ornaments.
Altogether, the season of Japan
ese theatricals is an assured sue
cess, and it is extremely probable
that the present lessees of the thea
tire will try to extend the engage
ment.
L I