Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-03-24

place where the life of old Japan can be
studied in these days of change. Japan
ese drama had it's origin IL centuries
ago in the religious dances accom-.
panied by rude choric songs. The
theater has always been popular in the
far east, and today large troops OF
actors are engaged in all the principal
towns of the empire. The Chinese
and Japanese acting Is superior to that
of the Siamese or Malays About the
beginning of the 18th century great
improvements were made in the
dances by the cultivated Buddhist
priests and pleasure-loving shoguns
Edifices, half dancing stages, half
theaters, were built for the purpose OF
representing these two dances. There
is a decided similarity in some re.
spects between the old Greek drama
and the early drama of Japan The
chorus, the dignifed demeanor of the
actors, who were frequently masked
and the outof-door performance, as
well as the quasi-religious strain that
underlay the whole, mark both alike.
There was no scenery, but the dresses
were gorgeous and rich In olden
times Japanese actors were boys and
men, although, strange TO say, the
founders Of the modern Japanese stage
were two women, O-Kuni and O-Tsu.
Students of the histrionic arts live for
months in the houses where women
congregate so as TO study their habits,
characters and mannerisms. In
Japan long before miracle plays
ceased to be dominant attraction in
old London, or actors abandoned their
strolling habits and took to fixed play
houses, with scenery and the acces-
sories of the drama, a complete ma
tional drama flourished. That same
drama flourishes in Japan today, with
notifications brought about by the
passing of time, at Toxic, Kioto, Osaka,
and Yokohama. 90
The French and Japanese have one
liking in common, their love for the
drama. It is the greatest treat to a
japanese to visit the great theaters of
Toxic. where the manners and Gus
toms of feudal times are represented
as faithfully as in a mirror The
Japanese seem to regard their theaters
as big tea-houses. where they con
gregate and sit out, day after day, the
course Of these historic. mystic, To.
mantle pieces. They provide them
selves for emergencies. bringing in
cushions and food. taking a nap when
tired, or eating and drinking wheT
hungry or thirsty. for the Japanese &c
TO the theater expecting to stay. Dur
ing the performance attention is giver
10 the actors, but as soon as the scene
changes vendors run about with
luncheon boxes. and tea Is INDUCED In
from the tinlest of cups. while smoking
goes on as an accompaniment to the
acting. Half the fun of going to a
Japanese theater is to watch the squat
ting audience In their little low boxes
The men and women alike are clothed
in somber blues and grays, the little
children alone giving color note to
the gathering they seem like ami
mated flowers of every hue, Their
coal black hair is decorated with all
sorts of queer little ornaments. Every
one seems happy and contented Japan
ese plays are of immoderate length
lasting sometimes week. so It Is nc
wonder that the visitors take theil
p own teapots To cheer them.
The government exercises stricl
censorship over the theater, and pol
tiles are tabooed on the stage. The
theater is usually a plain structure
with a wide doorway. which is huns
with banners of cloth emblazoned will
the traditional and fantastic emtlem
of histrionic art. On the advent of
new play the whole structure burst
into wonderful pictorial display
peculiar and unmistakable announce
ments eff the coming novelties. Flag
stretch everywhere. gayly colore'
hangngs float from long bambo
poles covered with advertisements
musicians keep up clamor of flft
gong and drum, and the whole stree
awakens To animation and hustle L
Japan all the theaters of city ar
congregated together. the rival show
aiiit ltit StiCttSs anu us uHt SpS
through II seems as If one was wall
ing in a bit of u bizzare. nightmar
world, so totally different Is the aspec
from any street You may have eve
wandered through, The adjacent te
houses serve as ticket agencies for tn
theaters. and these parastical littl
establishments do a large bushes
from the sale of tickets. A Japanes
gentleman never buys his ticket q
the theater entrance, hut procures
through thts means
The interior of theater Is origin,
and peculiar. although planned
some respects like our own. There
the ticket Office at the entrance. tn
vestibule for the clogs and cloaks.
gallery divided into queer little 10
boxes. the cheapest seats run roun
The pit or orchestra From the stag
through the midst Of ne audienC
passes a platform called the Han
Miehf or flower nath over which n