The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-08-29

certainly snrpaases our greatest actor
We can hardly imagine the portrayeT
or Beckett. Of Shylock and Louis XII "a
rorabiy impresslng his audience In the
roles of Portia or Beatrice or Lady
Macbeth. but such androgynous feats
are frequently accomplished by the
Tokyo faYorite. who. moreover. at the
age Of 65. Is sim capable OF much agll-
ity as q dancer ia the "Damari" or
pantomimic scenes which break the
somewhat lurid march Of a seyen-act
tragedy.
lie belongs TO family which has
been on the boards for nine genera
tions. The original Daniuro made his
debut in 1878. and the present bearer Of
that name made bis FIRST appearance at
tpe age Of 3, m 1870. and was adopted
by Gonjuro. under whose name he
played until 1874. when be resumed his
iathers When ] add that his name In
private life Is shu Horikoshi, and that
fellow actors call him Naritaya. you
viii admit that this passion for an
alias, common to all classes, is confus-
ing 10 the definitely labeled foreigner
In the old days. when every play Of
Importance drew a series Of colored
prints from -oyoknni and his disciples
Of the brush Tor the delectation Of ma
tive playgoers. and. ultimately. Of Eu-
ropean collectors. the world Of NUM-
mers was despotlcally ruled by caste.
Half a 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
scnce o. an endowed theater or any
system OF theatrical training every
tyfo must shift for himself in the free
fight Of unlimited competition This
Is far from being an unmlxed evil. II
at least guarantees some loophole for
originality. which was much hamper
ea under the Old regime Of reYereut
imitation. Mr. Danjuro himself has
initiated many stage reforms Il Is he
who made facial expression far more
effective weapon IN hislrlonic armory
there than here. not only potent but
possible. The groteaque faces. barred
with blue or red stripes. which kuni-
yoshi and Kunisada painted may have
impressed an old-fashioned audience.
but the moderna are more 10 be en-
Wed 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. 70 eyade the never silent sam
isen "a kind Of three-strlnged banjo).
which accompanies the performer. like
a curse. from start TO finish. Other ac-
tors nov follow Mr.. Danjuro's example
IN confning az far as possible this CO.
incidental music to particular scenes.
this enables them to use their voices
more naturally and gives the author
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 20 incul-
cate feudal ideas OF obedience at any
price. Among the more famous roles
interpreted by Mr. Daniuro and famn-
lar to all students Of Japanese history
are Nakamiisu. who beheaded his son
in place Of his masters' Benkel. the
dcvil-youfh. whose gigantic strength
and crafty wit were loyalty used for his
dlminutiye lord. Yoskitsune; Jiraiya,
an oriental Robin Hood no less ac-
compiished az magician than as a
robber; Ivafugl a malicious court
lady Of the T0kugaVa period. and Ka-
suga no Tsubone lthe lady-in-waiting
Of Kasugal. who was inuusted with