El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-08
THE IRVING OF JAPAN
DANJURO STANDS AT HEAD
OF PROFESSION.
Has Initiated Many Reforms The
Patrons of the Stage In His Country
Belong Almost Exclusively to the
Middle and Lower Glasses.
Especial Lottery

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Whoever first called Mr.. Ichikawa
Danjuro the Japanese Irving was not
unhappily inspired, says the London
Sketch. He stands as unquestionably
at the head of his profession as tie
uncrowned king whose palace is the
Lyceum; he is associated by his fell
low-countrymen. as we associate Sir
Henry, with a splendid series of his
torlc representations; he has done a
great deal to raise the status and en-
nance the prestige of actors; he en-
joys an income far exceeding that of
the prime minister, and, next to Mar
quis Ito, is perhaps the most popular
person in Japan. In one respect he
certainly surpasses our greatest actor.
We can hardly imagine the pOrtrayer
of Beckett, of Shylock and Louis XI. ia
vorably impresSing his audience in the
roles of Portia or Beatrice or Lady
Macbeth, but such androgynous feats
are frequently accomplished by the
Tokyo favorite, who, moreover, at the
age of 65, is still capable of much agil-
ity as a dancer in the 'Damari' or
pantomimic scenes which break the
somewhat lurid march of a seven-act
tragedy.
He belongs to a family which has
been on the boards for nine genera
tons. The original Danjuro made his
debut in 1873 and the present bearer of
that name made his first appearance at
the age of 3, in 1910, and was adopted
by Gonjuro, under whose name he
played until 1874, when he resumed his
fathers. When 1 add that his name in
private life is Shu Horikoshi, and that
fellow actors call him Naritaya, you
will admit that this passion for an
alias, common to all classes, is confus-
ing to the definitely labeled foreigner
In the old days, when every play of
Importance drew a series of colored
prints from Toyokuni and his disciples
of the brush for the delectation of ma
tive playgoers, and, ultimately, of Eu-
ropean collectors, the world of num-
mers was despotically ruled by caste.
Half dozen families enjoyed the sole
right of training and adopting novices,
of transmitting technical secrets, and
even Of playing particular parts. Now
adays all that is changed. In the alb
sence of an endowed theater or any
system of theatrical training every
tyro must shift for himself in the free
fight of unlimited competition. This
is far from being an unmiXed evil. 1t
at least guarantees some loophole for
originality, which was much hamper
ed under the old regime of reverent
imitation. Mr.. Danjuro himself has
initiated many stage reforms. 1t is he
who made facial expression a far more
weapon in histrionic armory
there than here, not only potent but
possible. The grotesque faces, barred
with blue or red stripes, which Kuni-
yoshi and Kunisada painted, may have
impressed an old-fashioned audience,
but the moderns are more to be en-
We'd who follow with obviously in
tense emotion the vivid play Of feel
ing on mobile features during scene
after scene of battle, murder and sud-
den death. Every foreigner who has
witnessed a Japanese play must have
regretted the artificial defamation of
speeches, pitched very high or very low
in tone, to evade the never silent sam
isen Ga kind of three-stringed banjo),
which accompanies the performer, like
4 curse, from start to finish. Other ac-
tors now follow Mr. Danjuro's example
in combining as far as possible this CO.
incidental music to particular scenes;
this enables them to use their voices
more naturally and gives the author a
better chance of being appreciated.
Western ideas have affected very little
the form or substance of japanese
plays, which continue to be written
about national heroes and to incul-
cate feudal ideas of obedience at any
price. Among the more famous roles
by Mr. Danjuro and famil-
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