The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12

To the stray New Yorker or the up
country passenger of the rubbemeck wagon
who winds up a Summing trip in the little
Chinese theatre in Doyers street, Chinese
drama is only a strange. curious and gro
teeque mixture of barbario costumes, wild
contortions and horrible sounds. Even Il
the spectator understood the language It
would seem hardly more comprehensive
10 him without some explanation Of the
conventional gestures, properties and acts
which surround the Chinese stage and
which would have to be explained even TO
a Chinese who had never seen play
When these are understood and when the
ear becomes accustomed to Chinese music
the Chinese theatre may become entertain
ing even to an American who does not
understand the language. To a degree
unapproached by any other national drama
the Chinese theatre depends upon pan
tomime for its effects When by familiarity
with the System of conventional gestures
you understand the pantomime. II IL pos
shle to follow a Chinese play from begin
ming to end and to understand 1t all.
That little theatre in Doyers street plays
a tremendous part in the life Of Chinatown
1t is absolutely the only general public
assembly Of the New York Chinese
The heather among them have no
churches az we understand a church The
joss house is just a place where a Chinese
drops in now and then for private worship
The clubs and circles are small But all
the men OF Chinatown 60 TO the theatre
Here Hip Sing rubs elbows with On
Leong Refomer with Boxer Half the
gossip Of Chinatown is Pa ed in the little
space about the stove which Glands for the
%bby
It furnishes the only regular system OF
moral instruction given 20 the Chinese OF
New York. except for the few who have
gone over to Christianity
The joss worship is pure worship, un-
connected with any moral issue The
priest is not moral teacher, and neither
are there any regular schools But twice
q week the Chinese company in Doyers
street puts on regular morality play
from the old treasure houses Of Chinese
dramatic literature-a play filed with
pious maxims. e1hortations to goodness,
examples OF virtue rewarded and vice
defeated
1t is the only regular course Of instruc-
yon in the history Of China. At least one
third OF the plays are historical. They
follow the book history OF China more
closely than the historical plays OF Shake
ts,eare, for example, or of any European
Nsamatist
They are packed, ianmed, with long
uonologues and rotations telling the
story of China under the glorious reign Of
the Yuens or the bright one OF the Mings
SO the little Chinese theatre in Doyers
street is church school and public assembly
all in one for the merchants and coolies Of
Chinatown
typical Chinese play. clearer than most
of them TO the European intelligence, was
presented week ago Saturday night.
during the New Years season. New Years
fell this year on Friday. That day there
was double bill.
In the afternoon they presented -Haw
Shou.- story of a conspiracy against an
Emperor OF the Yuen dynasty; in the eve
ming there was that favorite Chinese
comedy which depends upon the same
complication as Shakespeare's Comedy
OF Errors tho resemblance between two
brothers. There is very little dialogue in
these plays and much long reoitative.