Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-10
The Drama in Persia.

ffOfInlENilt Arhlrh.I
The theatre in Persia. in SO Gar a7 is
leading feature the Taziya. BIS concerned.
has a powerful influence on thc passion.
OF the public. II is not Ike the m1.r
theatre Of Europe, little more Than m..a
pastIme. except when II shock, lHl at
tracts by It's immortality ll- a au in-
strument, like the old Greek stage. ot
political Importance and religious in-
trlgue. With the English tc chief i-
ducement 10 attend "a theatre is curiosity.
with the Persian It Is devotion. Ill s all
Patriotism which leads him 90 Talll
~ the Imams. the rghtfui cal ra ar
the heroes Of his own land. Shak u
excited the admiration Of h.s cl.-
tempOraries, the ladies OK fha .1r
OF Louis XIV. shed their 'rd.H
Of fashionable tears while
ing 10 the tragedies of Racine
Goethe's "Egmont" and the "NlIaa
Tell" OF Schiller reused feryd Jury
the Teutonic breast; but mono of tlo
writer's. in the opinion ol
Gobineau. affected their autle..s
like the Persian play. OF.
retrouye cette possession de fetre
du spectateur par le drame que dams 5
telyehs Persans; mais IA ie Ia r.lo'e
tout entiere, lie theatre Eur0pe.r e-
seul. est une grande afaire"
Before speaking at any length ~ ths
national drama, a few words SHOULD d.
said concerning the farce and nlnt
show. The Persian theatrical rens'c'r.
consists Of three different kinds of pieces.
OF which the last is by Tar the most m-
portant: Cd the farce, 80 the rInft
show. CD the serious religious play ~
Taziya. For none Of these IS any charge
levied on the spectator, but in Che lH.
two a carpet supplying the place az or
hat" receives the contributions ot i''
benevolent. The farce is called itm' 70.
literally signifying walking abroad i.f .-'
creation. Another expression flr tle la.-'
is Taklid, signifying a disguise ana sI
travesty. IL is performed hy tho only poo
fessional musicians and dancers Oh i..4'
known as Lutiys, signfying inhabitants
Of Lot, and so people not held Do esteem.
These are commonly accompin..l t
some Bazkaris. or r0pe-danc fs a-.
tumblers and when the entertainment ''
TO be Of Unusual grandeur, monkey t'
even bears, are added 10 tle nlna.i ,-
the performers These farcea are ''"
committed % paper
Their chief Characteristic Is NH-l
Demosthenes held 90 bee the ie4ains Zee
ture In eloquence-namely action "N
cannot well be reproduced in willie
volat irreyocabile Their essence. TO-.
OF the time present; they are WHAT ..'
printers in their typographical slang '..
good natter, stun which must hc i.
lished to-day and has lost the Bita- ..
part Of its interest by tomorrow. so.-.
and personal illusions appear in
everywhere. The delight of these ".-
slons dies. Of course. as soon and as ,-
tainly as that Of the political loAo
our own comic papers. or how i--.
OF its meagre merrment is "a Ease }.it
Punch deprived, Like all Pers.an-ani .''
deed all Orientai-poetry, inc
abounds with puns These verbal q-.'-
bles. however, ingenious, are
untranslatable. Not unfrequentIy OFF, -N
gtlage is free. It's license would Oh l."-
land deprive il OF license Were D.
ten. Ii would be set IN rcd ink FOR f..t
shame's sake. The bushes with "
the modest person might suppose t'
cheeks Of the actors themselves ODD -
suffused are wholly hidden by "a c@.i '-
flour. or Of yolk OF egg, or OF SCOT
tered over their faces. In this hey .l.
the classic example Of tho early ioA'"-.'
OF Thesnls.
The actors are commonly lsnah-A''
who are held TO have the best foi-. 90
Persia. The plays are heralded by l-
and drums. and peculiar copper l-'
pets six feet long called hariias' s1-.
ing like bells at q distance, the l..,'
legged music OF royalty ana OF reisi'
They begin at o'clock iu the nioI
ing OF the first day OF the month, al
last till the conclusion ot the teh.-'
AS there are often half-a-aozen repro
sensations In DAY. the players are CO..
monty exhausted by their Efforts. 80.
thing. perhaps. save religious eNciiel,..
and political partisanshlp could support
them through 30 long and weaFison.e
probation.