The Washington herald., 1908-04-17

DdnJuT0 being among tne iifSL 10 enter
the lists. 1t Is hoped that these young
ladies have inherited enough Of their
distinguished fathers genius 10 keep
alive the luster OF his fame. While Japan
has no histrionic stars at the present time
who can measure up TO the standards Of
Daniuro and KikugOro, there are some
promising aspirants in the new school,
particularly Kawakami and sada Yacoo,
who have played In Europe and the
United States.
To an American. the japanese theater
is show in more ways than one. IN
stead OF checking his overeoat or UNI
brella, the patron leaves his shoes in the
foyer. In one way he gets more for his
money than in the United States. because
the play begins about noon and lasts
until 10 or II o'clock at night The in
terror OF the playhouse is lined with re-
freshment STANDS and restaurants, so that
ali kinds OF food and drink are served to
the spectators in their seats. The neigh
borhOOd abounds IN tea houses, and the
easiest way to arrange a theater party
is 10 give an advance order to the pro-
prietor OF one of these places. Like the
ticket Spectators In America. the tea
house owners control the choicest seats,
which fact enables them to handle a
iargs volume OF the business They ar
range all details, even 10 having their
attendants enter the theater and wait
upon their patrons.
There are no chairs in the theater. the
spectators IN the main portion of the
building squatting upon mats. The gal
lery gods stand up and peer through rows
Of vertical bars. AS the mob in the
peanut heaven presses against the wood
en- Stats that divide il from the more Sc
lect portion Of the audience. it reminds
one cf lot Of cOnvicts herded together
in big cell. The admission 10 this pen
amounts to about cents an act. hardly
enough, it would seem, TO pay for keep
ing It clean.
The stage is constructed in the fash
ion of a turntable. so that instead of
raising or lowering curtains, as in our
playhouses. the whole thing revolves.
While one scene is toward the audience.
another is being arranged in the rear.
The platform is on rollers. and as one
scene disz Opears with much shaking and
sQueaking. its successor comes into view,
the actors meanwhile standing in their
platUs ds tlSiu as statues.
The actors frequently make their en-
trance and exit from the front Of the
building. rather than from the wings. To
facilitate this arrangement, there are ele-
waited Walkways extending 10 the foyer
similar TO those which our magicians
sometimes use TO get near their audi
ences. Il is only recently that a regular
system OF lighting the piayhouses came
into vogue Formerly cowled super"
hovered around the actor holding a torch
near his face, so that the fine piav OF
emotion in his countenance would not be
lost to the spectators. This super had
10 know his cues perfectly, or take the
dangerous risk Of setting fire to the false
beard Of the star. IL is an unwritten law
OF the Japanese stage that any assistant
starting such conaagration shall end
his professional career on the spot.
Under the old regime, japanese actors
had several sources of revenue unknown
10 their American fellow-craftsmen.
When the spectators became excited they
threw their hats, belts. pipes, and even
their coats on the stage. This did not
mean that the performer was TO keep
these articles as souvenirs. Thev were
a
stantial character. The valet of the
celebrity soon appeared and returned
each article to It's owner. collecting IN
lieu thereof a cash sum for the benefit
of the actor. For example Danjuro. the
Joseph Jefferson Of Japan, used to col
lect s. for every good-looking hat that
was thrown TO him. This hat-throwing
IL seen at Spanish bull fights, but there
the matadOr makes no charge. He merely
selects one hat from the lot, rests it on
his head for an instant, then throws IL
aside and proceeds with his work.
The japanese stars Of the old school
also made a fixed charge for the privi-
lege Of visiting them In their dressing
rooms. Those who paid the price were
presented with an autograph. some little
gift or If the actor was especially inn
pressed with his visitor he might delay
the performance long enough to serve tea.
The japanese stage manager Of the old
school left nothing to the imagination or
memory Of the spectators. For instance
take scene from one OF the hoary and
tlme-honoTed classics Of Nippon. An old
man Is making love to a young girl. He
Is too old and decrepit to make an ac-
eeptaole suitor, but the girl knows that
he has great influence with her father
Therefore, while she desires to repulse
him, she must do SO cautiously. All of
this has been brought oct in the foregoing
acts. But when the actual love-rael King
scene is reached the play is as hard ia
follow as three-ringed circus. The old
man Is pouring out his plea OF passion
to the girl. and the orchestra is playing
an explanation OF why she doesn't give
the old codger his walking papers on the
instant.
That peculiar Oriental stoicism which
keeps men and women from showing any
emotion OF either 10y or sorrow operates
only when personal fortunes are con-