The herald., 1895-11-17
THEATRICAL TOURS ABROAD
How Foreign Theaters Are Man.
aged and Conducted
MAKING DATES IN CHINA
Social Clubs Are a Profitable Feature
TO Musical Artists
The Advance Agent Of Ovid, nusin Tells
How He Looks Up the Theaters oil
the Orient and Europe

sTlte at the ives tfn lIstef anu gave SUM-
interesting information as to theatrical
methods in foreign countries.
II do not speak any other language.
said Mr.. administer. Ethan English, yet
do not anticipate any difficulty in any
of the countries we will visit. To begin
with, Mr.. Musin speaks four or five
languages, but aside from that there
would be no difficulty in making our ar
engagements. as nearly every reputable
foreign bushes, house has sumo ore con-
nected with it who understands English.
In foreign countries they ara better
linguists than Americans usually are.
Here it is the exception and not the rule
for house to have man connected
with 1T who can correspond in or speak
several languages. In nearly every in
stance where such man is to be found it
is so more by accident than design. In
the foreign countries every Wholesale
house has representative who handles
foreign correspondence and looks after
visitors. He is always polished gentle
man, a good entertainer, but must also
be a good business man.
Il believe" continued Mr.. Edmin-
ster, chat in this lies one of h. secrets
of why our American wholesale houses
and manufacturers have not developed a
larger foreign trade. The English, Ger
man and French houses all send agents
abroad who can convesre and correspon
in the native tongue of the countries he
visits. And on the other hand, the
wholesale houses of Mexico China, ia
pan, Java. India, Egypt and Europe
have an interpreter. Our merchants have
only to follow the same methods as do
the English and Germans to capture the
foreign markets. Particularly is this true
in the West Indies, China and Japan.
How do make engagements? Well,
l have already signed contracts IN many
of the places to which We will 60. In
the first place the theatrical business has
been reduce to the same systematic basis
as any commercial business. For IN
stance, If an American manufacturer
wants to look into the financial standing
of any concern in the country or in the
world, for that matter, there are other
concerns who make business of furnish
ing that kind OF information. That face
and the methods are pretty we'll under.
stood. We have a similar institution in
the theatri cal world. Suppose, for in
stance. that | want to look up the theaters
of India. | can first find out what cities
are the best ones for the particular at
traction l wish to booa. Right here let
me say that human nature is about the
same the world over. Here in the United
States we find cities which are considered
good for certain attractions, bat have a
black mark against them for others. We
often heal the remark. Soandsp is a great
musical town or Somewhere is a great va
risty town, etc. 1t is a fact that in one
city dramatic performance by we'll
known actors receives hearty support,
while show gets this marble heart. An
other city always supports the show and
turns down the dramatic. The only ex-
ception to this rule, perhaps, is the first
class vaudeville houses, they always draw.
/ can only account for it in that people
like to be amused, and they find tragedy
enough in everyday life without deli er-
ately paving to see 1t. To RETURN 10 the
subject. | first learn what cities of India
have the reputation of heartily support
ing Q hIgh-class musicale, such as the
Musin Concert oompan gives, then |
look up the standing of the theaters in
the cities l have selected. All this can
be done right here at the Westminster, If
necessary. though much more convenient
ly in New York. l can lind out all wish
to know about any particular theater in
the world. With many of the houses
which | select l can make dates by cor
respondence.
Where do you, open?'
Our first date is at y Yokohama where we
give series of twelve concerts before the
English club. Club life is feature in all
ciSh SOuutlleS, anu IlOIe particularly
SO in China and japan. 1t is natural
that soJourntrs in foreign country
should seek the compromising of people
of like nationality. The English clubs
of Japan and China include the bon.tun
of the foreign residents. They are will
ing to pay big prices Tor series of enter
tainments, and we lind it more profitable
to play to such than at the theaters.'
does the system OF booking at the
aters differ materially from that in vogue
here?"
No. except that they do not under
stand the percentage plan over there.
We are always given the opium of either
paying so much for the mouse or of receiv-
ing stated sum for our engagement. In
most instances we buy the house. TEey
seem to make very little difference over
there as to the price they ask for the use
of the house regardless of the attract on.
TO explain this | would say that the
price for a thcatar in y okohama, Toxic
or Nippon is the same for an attraction
playing To low prices as one That only
plays to " seats. A 3 the Musin Concert
company upon its engagement at the
Orpheum never played to less than 81. so
a seat, we find IL to our advantage to buy
the no Sc and charge our own prices.
AT Hongkong there are two important
theaters and we have engagements at
both. The one is the English house, the
other the principal Chinese theater. The
one is under the patronage of the foreign
clubs, the other under the patronage of
the rich Chine e clubs. AT Shanghai and
Canton we have social ENGAGEMENTS.
lone feature of a trip of this kind is
the side concerts at places where we stop
only few houis. 1t Is surprising how
they will turn out to such an event
Price IS no object, as at nearly very such
pojlt such attractions are seldom seen
in their clubs or theaters All we have
to do is to telegraph ahead that wa are
on such steamer, and the crowd will
wait fo- hours zines for a day-for
the steamer To arrive. From Hongkong
we go to the Philippine islands Manila
will be one of our n ost profitable cities
So few hrst-class attractions go there
that they pay any price. All these coun-
tries are lovers OF the musical violin and
an artist such as Musin is regarded in
tue light OF something to be worshiped
We Will visit Borneo, Java, Sumatra and
Australia, then to Penang, 20 thence to
Rahjun and Calcutta. We Will return by the
Red sea, as we have contract to give
two private entertainments before the
khedive If Egypt. ant then Cairo and
Alexandria are good cities for us. Fran
Egypt our route is not fully decided upon
except that arrangements are now being
made through the Russian ambassador
at the City of Mexico to have Mr.. and
Mrs. Musin received at the immortal court
at St Petersburg, and they will probably
give a series of concerts under the pat
ronage OF the car"
On account of local opposition the mon
umenf to John Brown, which it was pri
posed to erect at Harpers Ferry, will not