The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-21

lined with flowers. and in that way got
their present name. "fiowery paths
AS popular actor struts along this
walk In a manner that would make q
paimy-day tragedian green with envy OF
work to hide his face from sight OF man
his name is hurled at him in tone that
seems defiant. II Is the popular form OF
applause; housekeeping has but lately
been introduced.
Ten or twelve years ago Steele Mack
aye introduced In the MADISON Square
Theatre. New York, revolving stage
which. owing to the height OF the seen
cry. was not u success. Nevertheless.
he was credited with very clever in
vention. But for nearly a century the
Japanese have been using 1t instead OF
sliding scenery.
The scenery and accessories are excel
lent. The. miniature scale Of things jap
aneSe makes "A realistic scene with life
Hike accuracy possible. 1 have frequent
ly seen stage pictures OF street scenes
with several houses. jinrlkshas, horses
and hundred people all illuminated by
daylight, which generally increases the
reality of the Illusion.
JAPANESE PLAYS AND STAGE AC-
CESSORIES.
The plays draw rather on the physical
ana nervous than on the mental force.
AS a result each stage Is provided with
-
tors find relaxation several times u day.
The water used is about 40 degrees Fen
renheit. a degree unbearagle to an Amer
lean, but always used by the Japanese.
Bathing ds one OF their cardinal virtues;
and with them as race cleanliness
comes before goodness.
On the left side of the stage Is sort
of menagerie cage. In watch the orches-
ira Is kept. | must confess Japanese
music Is beyond me. 1t anticipates Wag-
ner. A monotonous twanginG OF Sami-
sen and an occasional shrill shrek from
u flute punctureS the performance.
There is also n ass-drummer who plays
n star engagement on the advent of each
ghost. On the opposite side is still an
other cage for the Eidayu singers, as
In the puppet show days. In a sing-song
voice they explain the actions and Utmost
thoughts of the characters during pan
tomime.
The puppet show of medieval days is
the advance OF plays and actors and 1t |
is surprising these time-honored customs
are not dispensed with. They still retain
the black-robed super who acts as promp-
ter and master of ceremonies. He is per-
fectly at home al any place on the stage
during an act. arranEes the actors cloth |
ing and removes dead bodies and other
superfiuous articles. Such n thing could
only occur in this country of vivid imagi- |
stitutes paruor's decorations and peo-
pie are moved 10 tears by u sigh. He |
is unobserved by the Oriental eye. Gus
tom and imagination have thrown the |
mantle OF invisibility over him.
The Japanese stage has its blood and
plays and tank dramas as we'll |
as its stories of feudal days. In the !
theatre only are the old national customs
and magnificent costumes
Of ormer barbaric splendor are seen. One
play is very popular with foreigners
on account of the Introduction of trail
Ing trousers with two feet of cloth eX-
tending over the feet, and worn in the
Shotgun days, so that the subjects. even
while walking. might have the appear
ance of kneeling to their sovereign.
Plays are usually the joint effort Of
n star, manager, scenic painter and a
hack writer. The manager clips from
newspapers accounts OF murder fire
escape, or some heroic deed and submits
them to the star y hack writer at the
dictation of the star shapes the plot and
the actors are allowed 10 fill in their
parts in order TO show themselves TO
the best advantage. The result is
play of unequal merit, confusion worse
concluded" and more sub-plots than n
dime novel. AS might be expected from
this method each actor keeps himself IN
the foreground. consequently there are
several leading parts.
Realism Is carried to an extreme In
the climax of recent Japanese Chinese
ward rama new set of actors ton Law
Cinnamon were Necessary every night
Blood was freely drawn and they were
battered about In II manner that aroused
the widest enthusiasm in the gallery
but was rather hard on"theactors. Trick
WIGS with Il blood saturated spong con-
cealed under the hair are used with good
wildly clutches his head and pressing
the sponge causes a stream of blood tn
| flow down his face. "