The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-19
THE STAGE IN JAPAN.
AN lNTERESTINGsACCoUNT OF THE
COUNTRY'S THEATERS.

ART Is Achfkawa DanJiro, Ninth OF the
Name--Why Shaisespearc's Plays Arc Not
Acted In Japan-Extreme Realism.
Ichikawa Danjiro, Japan's most fa-
nous Thespian, Is the ninth actor to bear
his historic name. In 1860, tho dawn of
the dramatic evolution, 1t was first adopted
by talented man whose genius did much
to raise the stage from crudity and disrep
utablo surroundings.
The present Danjiro has rare histrionic
power and marvellous agility as dancer.
Possessed of grent versatility he Is equally
at homo in comedy, tragedy and female
personation. He has an oval face, slightly
oblique eyes, sensitive nostrils, mobile
mouth and clear, sharp enunoiation.
Visiting Danjiro In his dressing r DOM is
mere monetary transaction. A ozar on
his throne is no moro of an autoorat than
this actor In his little kingdom back Of the
footlights. Four Wallets are constantly at
his side, and tho whole theater staff stands
ready to answer his beck and call.
Throughout high priced VISITORS inter
view he maintains lordly bearing, upon
which the most fulsome flattery has no Of
fect. Upon several occasions he has shout
ed from his dressing rooms to the stage an
order commanding the actors to lengthen
the scene that he might enjoy another CUP
Of ten. AT night when he leaves the stage
noor his profession is left behind.
AT homo Danjiro Is good representa-
tive OF the Japanese gentleman. Meeting
him then is quito a different matter. One
he considers commercial transaction, the
other social, and demeans himself accord
ingly. He greeted us with three profound
bows, each timo touching tho floor with
his forehead. Through an interpreter he
talked most entcrtainingly of his art, the
hictOry Off bn ri . ho It.I,.t
Concerning Shakespeare no said:
~ am often asked by Europeans why I
have not played Shakcspeare's plays. 1t
is for this reason: All that havo been ex-
planned to mo put women too prominently
In the foreground-maketh them all heroines
and that would not be accepted ON the
Japanese stage"
Fame and success are not without their
penalties. Danjiro has nearly 90 rctaincrs
of various kinds, and they, with their OK
travagant habits, easily manage to dispose
of his $50, 600 income
Danjiro talked freely of tho development
of tho drama in Japan and of tho present
condition of theatrical affairs. In Japan
every actors rank and salary aro deter
mined by guild Of his elders. Merit
alone succeeds. Bridge jumping and we'll
advertised divorce court records are not
used rs claims for recognition
Each tbcater has several dependent tea
houses. Through them tickets in the
shape of wooden billets are purchased, and
arrangements for ten and meals served
during tho play are made. Every one
smokes. Children romp about the house
and on the stage before tho curtain during
the intermission, and the demeanor of the
audience is quite as interesting as the
play. Charges are made in detail The
following is from @ minor theater in
Tokyo:
Admission 1.-TWO people) ................S0 2S
Box and mating. Observation-Disclosures. sc
Fire box and cushions. Observation-Disclosures. &c
Tea and confectionery Observation-Disclosures. 10
rec 10 WATERS. Observation-Disclosures. lC
Total. Observation-Disclosures. 6S
The walls of the foyer arc lined with
piles of clogs, for, with the usual Japanese
perversencss, checks are given for shoes in
stead of hats. The manager uses them as
n check on his doorkeeper
A railing foot high divides the pit of
the auditorium into compartments feet
square Hero whole families squat on the
matted floor from IL n. IN. to p. M. for
theater going in Japan is no after din
ner pastime. Formerly theaters were open
from dawn to sunset, but tho unreasonable
Tokyo police board recently restricted
them to ten hours day, much to the dis
satisfaction of tho populaco.
The scenery and accessories are excellent
The miniature scale of things Japanese
makes realistic scene with lifelike accu-
racy possible. 1 have frequently seen stage
pictures of street scenes with several
houses, 1inrikishas, horses and q hundred
people, all illuminated by daylight, which
greatly increases the reality of the illusion.
The Japanese stage has it's blood and
thunder plays and tank dramas as we'll as
Its stories of feudal days In the theater
only are the old national customs illus
trated and magnificent costumes of former
barbaric splendor seen. Ono play is very
popular with foreigners on account of
the introduction of trailing trousers with
two feet of cloth extending over the
feet and worn in the shotgun days, so that
the subjects even while walking might
have the appearance of kneeling to their
sovereign.
Plays are usually the joint effort of a
star, manager, scenic painter and hack
writer The manager clips from newspa-
pers accounts of murder, fire escape or
some heroic deed and submits them to the
star. A hack writer, at tho dictation OF
the star, shapes the plot and the actors are
allowed to I'LL in their parts in order to
show themselves to the best advantage.
Inc resuie I'D u piay OI unequal merit
confusion worse confounded" and more
subplots than dime novel AS might be
expected from this method each actor
keeps himself in the foreground; conse-
quently there arc several leading parts.
Realism Is carried to an extreme. In
the climax OF recent Japanese Chinese
war drama new set of actors to MAY
Cinnamon was necessary every night.
Blood was freely drawn, and they were
battered about in manner that aroused