The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-28
PunchboW Has a
Neat Play
House.
A PORTUGUESE
DRAMATIC CLUB
Social Features of a Strong Or
ganization Among Younger
Latin Element Here.

The Youths Dramatic Club Is the un-
younger element among the Portuguese
who aspire to the glare of the footlights
and the plaudits of their admiring
friends. There is a cozy little club house
on Punchbowl street fitted with a we'll
polished floor, tasteful decorations, cleo
trio lights and dressing rooms, which Is
owned by select coterie of the Punch
bowl four hundred: where once week
the members of the society who own the
house and the land on which 1t Is built
entertain their friends at an informal
dance Everything is done with due de-
corum, the pretty, drark-eyed, dark-hair
ed maidens from the land of the Tagus
clad in simple, dainty muslns, sit by
their duenna-like chaperones and receive
the approaches of their partners with
true Iberian dignity Guitars and man
dolins furnish the music, and interspers-
ed with the regulation twosteps and
waltzes are square dances whose figures
are unknown to American ball rooms.
The dance might be going on in Lisbon
or Oporto, to watch the olive skins and
glowing eyes, albeit their owners dress
more in accordance with up-to-date
American fashions than one would ex-
pect in a strictly Portuguese ball room
The gentlemen who are the club mem
hers are for the most part clerks In
downtown stores, employees of the shops
and the railroad, and occupy positions
that enable them TO spare the necessary
funds for such. social amusements. The
club dances are, deservediy popular, and
are a pleasant means of bringing the
young folks together. The affairs are
conducted with strict prepriety, the re-
freshments being of the lightest kind.
even the light wines of Portugal being
eschewed in favor of soda pop and root
beer.
With all the Latin races there Ia an
inherent love of things dramatic and op-
cratic which in the present instance sug-
gested the building of a stage in the
club house for possible contingencies and
finally eliminated in the now fully
fedged Youths Dramatic Club. A full
outfit Of scenery has been painted by
Snow, the artist, consisting of a street
scene. garden. a wood with all the nee
essary wings and borders and an elab-
crate curtain, whereon is emblazoned
the arms of Portugal supported by the
| American and Hawaiian flags in their
natural colors. with the lnGend youths
Dramatic Club" gilded on the green
background
! This gorgeous paraphernalia Is now in
place and the members. who have been
taking lessons, whether of imitation or
avoidance is not known from the Alca-
zar Company, are nightly practicing the
drawing of bowie knives and firing OF
pistols, and studying the adventures of
Diamond Dick to ascertain the proper
tilt of sombrero, the correct curling
of bandits mustache, and the exact
length of a train-robber's boots: for
they are ardent believers in melodrama.
where the villain handles a pistol not a
tcothpick, and prefers crepe mask and
cloak to the faultless evening attire af-
fected by the bad man of the modern
drama. Judicious use of the thunder
sheet and the application of carmine TO
show where the heros gaping wounds
are situated, are necessities to the
Punchbowl players. Realism Is their
stronghold. Therefore the choice of their
opening performance has fallen upon
! Jesse James," tragedy, with the lur-
Id accessories of gunpowder, treason and
plot.
The exact date has not been set for
the performance, but Punchbowl Is agog
for the announcement OF the rise of the
curtain upon the life and adventures Of
the bold bandit brothers. It will be
worth a visit