New-York tribune., 1900-07-23
AT A FILIPINO PLAY
TENTION TO A THREE DAYS PER
FoRMANCE-THE COURTS BUSY
AND THE PRISONS FULL.

That Filipino audiences are in many ways like
those that support "one night stands the main
land Of the United States is difficult to believe
when one has seen and heard a fair or market
place comedy such have viewed at San
Isidro during the week just ending
There in evidence the impatience at
delay, the little bushes of deep interest.
broken by rippes of laughter by murmurs of
appreciation. telling lines delivered The
craning Of necks hungry eyes followed the
gorgeously costumed players. and then, as final
bit of proof of similarity, there a burst OF
ieering laughter when trouserless boy of six, who
had strayed away from father older brother.
appeared at the back of the improvised stage. The
little fellow stood gasping helpessly while hun
dred voices shouted what was evidently Tagalo for
that word so dear to gallery gods at home, "Supe!
Supe!" We in the provinces, and the open air
theatre suffers sadly in comparison with the gay
Teatro Gorilla In Manila. But the performance
free. and, moreover, the audience was with
the players from the beginning. For was It not
the story OF Christian and Moor done into Tagalo
from the Spanish OF last century by some local
and native adapter? The Christian trumphed
after three days and nights Of continuous dialogue.
Jest and combat. and the visitors from Gapan,
Jaen other nearby pueblo have driven away
satisfied dramatically and inwardly by the offering
of the stalIkeepers In the market place-made In
honor Of the patron saint of all gvers Of good
bargains and full measure
We went TO the second nstalment. 1t was the
first night. but the play had been begun at an
early hour of the afternoon. Seats were provided
for General Funston and his staff, but the others
OF a thousand spectators stood squatted while
they gaped at the bewtching Christian maiden
Mariana, admired the valiant prince who slew
whole armies of the infdel Moors with a gded
bolo of wood.
STAGE SETTING AND PRoMPTER's BOX
Tall hamboos supported the elevated stage of
split strips of the same material. Lashed to the
uprights at higher level was a roof of mat
ting and banana leaves. The light was furnished
by score of tumblers Of cocoanut oil hung In
frame and suspended from the roof-each tumbler
with one OF those curious floating wicks or plth
A dingy and much frayed drop, showing the Eter-
nal City. at the back for all the scenes OF city
while a background OF green boughs placed YER
tically replaced the drop when armies fought or
the court left the grand palaces and went aheld'
A huge prompters box sheltered the author from
sight. but did shut out the steady sing
song Of his voice he read line after line or the
three days play. Heroes princesses and clowns
stalked. posed or stood listening while awaiting.
not cues. hut the actual lines. At intervals the
prompter beat upon little drum TO give the tempo
OF march battle music. and then, as the or
chestra sawed vigorously, knights and inhdels
fought valiantly Oftentimes the Christian prin-
cess was engaged in the combat and was rightly
equally often victorious. It may be remarked that
it did please the American soldier element of
the audience to the men players at combat
with the women of the cast, and they took occa-
sion to so express themselves. After a brief ex-
position in Spanish by the manager that the play
called for such action the affair proceeded. Since
every word had to be read to the players by the
prompter the play dragged miserably. Even the
combats not continuous, but consisted in
part of fantastic posngs and turnings, while the
boos or swords, twirled and brandished
Acrobatic performances introduced and
were creditably performed. Nothing exceed
the nin1bleness of the Fipinos. Then. too. they
the most supple jointed beings imaginable.
Young and old sit squarely upon their heels
while working eating. Hence, it follows that
any acrobatcs that call only for ability to twist
grotesquely bend at astonishingly acute and
difficult angles possible even with the anna
teurs of this race. I have never grown accus-
toned to the sights that one may see at any hour
in the market places around the tiny booths
where most of the business of these islands is car
ried on. woman comes shufFng along those
high heeled wooden sandals that made of
sycamore wood brought all the way from the
United States. She, like all Filipinos is unable
buy two cents worth of betel nuts sugar
without bargaining for five minutes, she steps
skirts snugh around her person and then sits doW6
on her shoes. Imagine a seat but two inches in
height!
TO return to the comedy as the market play
the whole town has given itself over to the Santa
night hundreds of children have marched through
their Simple best, and guided by Whole families Of
their elders. the little have struggled and
ful band It is the scene and the
same sam music over and over again: Each night
goes shrilling to a new rendezvous Soon it halts
Children crowd beneath two Suspended IRA frames rss
from which hang gifts of manSoes, bananas or
clean, green strips Of banana leaf Oftentimes |
near at hand has been erected long, slender bam-
ing at it's top some simple gift wrapped in gay col
the crowd of small boys in the procession, who |
sought ndustriously to pluck the gift from the |
dizzy height succeeding only at sacrifice of their
one garment-a shirt.
MIDSUMMER CHRISTMAS.
For half hour after the arrival Of the crowd |
at the rendezvous the band played lively airs while
anxious mothers sought advantageous positions |
beneath the gifts for their eager eyed little ones
Then the frames were quickly lowered and great |
scramble for the fruits and whatnot followed. We |
have sought diligently for explanation of these !
TT is t5e Santa to no rl P1r2ose 9 Mao ola
senor. That 1t is religious ceremonial is evil |
cent from the cross and tapers that are carried: |
but II seems TO be more largely matter of |
making gifts to children-a midsummer Christmas |
gaping while the children scramble for score or |
more or mangoes bananas is incom pre- hensible |
The most recent addition to the machinery Of sd- |
minisration in the Philippines is the OF First
Courts of Common Pleas of the States, and |
MIN ,r Judges prosecutors and clerks all Of native
uce and In manner that is strange mixture of |
Army has had much said as TO its muitipii ,lty of
papers; but Filipino is fairly crimson with
us red tape and huge seals of wax. Our Judge |
at San Isidro is shrewd. we'll educated man OF |
t5orty-odd years He is duly impressed with the |
ni7ant OF the amount of his salary, but he has
ridicuIously attired himself in American ,othing.
dress in such garments since he was now ar in |
Iegral part OF the judiciary of the great United |
The various courts, civil and military, native and
throughout the archipelago Biiibid the great
Spanish prison of Manila, is fairly bursting with
nails Fortunately for good name the latter
Tar