The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12

The walls Of the foyer are lined with piles of
checks are given for shoes instead Of hats. The
MANAGER uses them as q check on his doorkeeper.
auditorium into compartments five feet square.
Here whole families ss9uat on the matted floor
japan is no after.dinner pastime. mer "
theatres were open from dawn to sunset. but
1 1es gnrsss9 3bsm to DG te0 bd p1lloe 3 Board ssT r%ee e5 .y
the I'D di ss'.as act IS 2 the . popglace:
torium to the front Of the house. are used eia as
entrances and exits by the actors. They were
got their present name, ~.''fowery. paths" As
a popular actor struts along this walk in a
dian green sn1 with Ih' envy i@ or work pt to hSide his STAGE face
from the sight Of man, his name is hurled at
popular in 2 fo 1Gno Of fh app s e f hand,siap ii is s sas
but lately been introduced.
Ten Or twelve years ago Steele rfMaokaye in
York. a REVOLVING stage. which, owing to the
height OF the scenery; was not a success. New
invention. But for nearly a century the Jap
snese have been using 1t instead of sliding
The scenery and accessories are excellent.
The miniature scale Of things Japanese makes
z realistic scene with life-like accuracy posi-.
street scenes with several houses, jinrikshas.
horses, and a hundred people. ali illuminated
ey daytghft, which greatly increases the reali-
The plays draw rather on the physical and
uci IMAM on Inc mental IOrCe. AS a re-
sult each stage is provided with a large stone
bathtub. in which the actors find relaxation
f11yCssFqFE a times a DAY; d The water heb. used III is about i
American; but always used by the Japanese.
On the left side Of the stage is a sort of me-
hagerie cage, in which The orchestra is kept.
must confess Japanese music is beyond me.
u anticipates Wagner. A monotonous twang-
Ing OF a samisen and an occasional shritl shrek
from a flute punctures the performance. There
Is also a bass drummer. who plays a star on
The opposite side is still another cage for the
gtsddBu singers. as In the pupPet show days.
and an = in sins, s0 sSsu wSiss tee he sS cRRsIRot the s SarIns
pantomime.
The Puppet show Of medieval days, is re-
vance OF plays and actors 1t is--surprising
shese line, honored customs are not dispensed
who acts as prompter and master of ceremo-
mes. He Is perfectly at home at any place on
c u i'fase a aufh sem an aet ae afrS bndies t and ae other
e sSpernuoIs articles; Such a thing coald only
S %6er In this country of vivid imagination.
.sG1 By q Sikh; He is Seobservsd BY the Orr;
thrown The mantle OF inyisibilityS over him.
der plS SSpA@ SnS stage .aSS has Srsm lts blood 100 Ian ,snd thus ifs
Stories OF feudal days. In the theatre only are
,hs od national customs Illustrated, and mag
arncent costumes of former barbaric splendor
signers on account Of the Introduction OF trail,
o trousers with two feet OF cloth extending
H., ii "Hu III NV uuD ~ ~
tnat tho subjects. even while walking, might
s " The appearance of kneeling to their SOW
riays are usually tho joint effort OF a star,
TTSaaaager scenic painter, and u hack writer.
~ - manager clips from newspapers accounts
a. q murder, fire escape. or some heroic deed,
a. ~ SUBMITS them to the star. A hack writer
he d" quotation 81 the star shapes the plot and
eS actors are allowed 10 fll In their parts in
tswmer 20 >hON themselves to the best advan-
So, me result is a play of unequal merit.
pi I%s fusion worse confounded.' and more sub,
R-oIs uan a dime novel. AS might be expected
tboom ms method, each actor keeps himself In
e1llng parts.
realism + carried to an extreme. In the ell
new VI a recent Japanese. Chinese war drama a
necessary every night. Blood was freely drawn
srous sasS were battered about in . manner that
bnt we widest enthusiasm In the gallery, |
SLes was rather hard on the actors. Trick
ma. "i(h q hlood-saturatcd sponge concealed
his ~ re hair are used with good effect, In
hsaST 'at4 agony an actor wildly clutches his
Of Iioaahn , Pressing the sponge, causes a stream
''""d 70 fuw down his face.
LEWIS g.. STEVENSON.