Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
REALISM on TIE JAPANESE STAGE
A Drama of the Chinese War ne Pre-
scented I'm q Thcn:rc ut NOkobnmn.

yokohama letter Ia Boston Transcript
This play. composed, as it was, OF war
scenes. had caused great excitement
among the native population and, though
we found ourselves the only foreigners
the place was croVdod and packed with
human beings as only japanese ana saf-
dimes know how 20 pack themselves, and
we could fairly feel the excitement rife
among the audience.
This theatre. Minatoza hy name. Is not
new or modernized In the least ana Is, l
suppose. typically Japanese. IL Is square
building. low, and all OF implanted. but
POLISHED wood. with smooth. panellei cell
ing and walls and dimiy lit by windows
near the ceiling. Just below ran a sort Of
rallel-v divided on the sides into the same
pen-lkc boxes. which. owing 20 the low
ttudding 81 the building, could easily be
touched by standing ny IN our box below.
and indeed. 81 very tall, one might have
difficulty IN standing up ct all At the end,
however. opposite the stage there were no
boxes. merely an open space crowded with
a kneeling audience, "A sort OF gallery Of
the gods. Judging from the Kisses. shouts.
and yeils proceeding from them as the
play went on. Below the gallery and I'm
r1cdiately under IL ran the line OF boxes
IN one OF which we were seated, three
rows of these ran parallel with on an
other the length OF the theatre on either
side. and were divided from the pit by the
"hana michi," or flower walks which
form the chief distinctive difference Be-
tween japanese and foreign theatres.
These are two raised platforms running
from the back of TIE pit nearly on "a level
with the heads of the hnecling audience,
right through the auditorium 10 the stage.
This practically has the cNcct % making
the stage much more cap4cl0us and the
drama being enacted much more realistic.
for not only can exits and entrances be
made az the back and wings ~ the stage,
but along the hama michi as well. More
over, they are wide enough for rikshas,
kaeos and packhorses 70 be introduced
thus adding 10 the reality Of the scene tll
you seem TO be looking from a tea-house
balcony on some everyday street scene.
Beyond the hama MICH. so named from
the custom OF s,rewlng flowers along
them as q popular actor advances, Is the
Dit, with sloping floor. and divided INTO
little pen-like boxes OF about feet each'
by rallngs. within which thu audience
ait. or. rather, knccl ON mats laid on
the floor. The stage stretches the fu!l
width OF the building. and. while there
IS always a curtain, " does not pun up
or down. but Is drawn from right 10 left.
NtntitllN, tn+ IiRi''hs W Wv Fh'N4s - -
as a rule, covered with natter,ng notices
Of him. but on this occasion IT belonged
20 the theatre. and was decorated with
many ana picturesque advertisements
STRANGE AND NOVEL SCENE.
Arrising al the end OF the first act.
a. strange and novel scene met our eyes
"a drama OF real lie was going on before
us-and i became 50 absorbed in II that
] scarcely becded the facr that the real
play was for n moment at standstll.
Al first It was difficult 10 distinguish
anything through the clouds of soft blue
emoke blown upwards from the hundreds
OF tiny pipes Cor the whole audi nee.
men and women included. was smoking).
which hung In a soft, vapory mass nearly
on a line with the windows. beyond which
were 20 be seen tho gabfsd roofs OF the
neighboring houses, and the steady down
pour Of che never ceasins rain. Beneath
In. shifting clouds OF smoke we could
distinguish the closely-packed audience.
kneeling on their mats In family parties
and groups. each with It's nibachi iiiled
with glowing Goals. the inevitable tea