New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-05
THE YELLOW JACKET
A Play Presented in Chinese
Fashion at Fulton Theatre.
QUAINT AND AMUSING
But a Curious Experiment in
New York's Theatrical
Undertakings.

A curious entertainment is now pro-
vNied at the Fulton Theatre In the form,
and presumably the substance, Of Chi
nese play presented In Chinese fashion
save for the language, which is English
At a matinee yesterday the first perform
ance amused a large audience and at
times stirred In Il few deeper feelings
than those that come only for,laughter'
sake But there were times also when
the lookers-of laughed in their rude, bar
barrie Western way at passages or incl
dents. even bits of stage business, which
would have been taken with sympathetic
seriousness. or complete Indifference by
Chinese spectators. To what extent the
comic effect was always intentional, and
to what extent unexpected, depends large
". no doubt, upon the point OF view OF a
New York theatre crowd. But let al!
that be as it may, 1t is worth pointing
out that what was done was very well
done-very well done, indeed, according
TO Occidental opinion. Whether or no.
Oriental opinion will agree with THIS
who shall say?
The play was written by George -
Hazelton and ]. Harry Bennmo, and II
is acted by players Of our focal stage.
is the second Chinese" play OF the sea-
son, the first being, OF course, az the
Century Theatre. The Yellow Jacket
for 20 the Fulton Theatre play is named
differs from the Loti-Gautier piece chiefy
in this, that The Daughter OF Heaven
makes its appeal by q series OF the mos'
beautiful stage pictures that ever were
seen, while the interest Of The Yelo"
Jacket is in dialogue and action.
Scenic effect as our audiences under
stand Il is lacking in The heilo"
Jacket" Real Chinese performances IN
Chinese theatres are not unknown mere
nor in San Francisco, by the adventurous
sightseers who are not afraid OF oeihs
bored in Chinatown. The isiventure III
this instance is on the part OF the loca'
theatrical people who have projected the
ouaint entertainment at the Fulton. II
did not bore yesterdays audience, and
vet Il Is likely to prove cavlare 10 the
general
The Yellow Jacket" might be regarded
az a kind OF Chinese morality play done
into English and vastly abridged. Ano
there is. as there was bound TO De, rathe'
more English, or American, In IL thah
Chinese. The story concerns the ADVENT,
ures OF WI Hoo Git, the young son OF
WI Sin Yin, q governor or Viceroy OF al
imperial province. AS the story ID hiieu
with fabulous detail there would be mucn
dlficulty in repeating II here. The droi'
l.ry OF the performance was what pleaseo
the audience Stools piled on tsrle'
served as mountains over which the hero
climbed: a woman was beheaded whIle
supcrnumerary held a red flag In front OIL
her and then she walked or the stage a
the executioner held up a RED cushior
which was understood TO be tho lazy
head. Properties, palaces, animals, rivers
armies. were left TO the imagination. II
is perilous business leaving much 10 Ih'
ina alton OF a New York audience ou'
the experiment seemed TO be fairly sue
ccssful at the matinee.
Slgnor Perugini was the Pcoh-Bah Of
the affair lie was down on the oiIls al
Chorus, but Chorus on this occasion was
not only the Interpreter OF the theme; M
was also. according 10 his lines play
wright, proprietor, manager and oox-orhe'
keeper-or collector. A very clever per-
formance. The Property Man, who was
always on the stage, was an amusing
figure. He said nothing, but was comicai
In his lmperturbsbility and oniciousness
Arthur Shaw played this part. Schuyler
ladd as a Chinese exquisite was well
spplauded Reginald Barlow was gooe
as a hunchhack, the kind OF hunchbscH
you expect on the stage nowadays
George Relph was the hero, and IL ne
did not look like a Chinaman he was ro'
mantle enough Tor Romeo. Some OF the
actors play two parts. Relph was. In the
frst act, the infant hero's father; the
infant was a property baby. Juliette Day
made a very pretty heroine, Plum Bios
som. AS neither the hero nor the heroine
appears before the second act, you are
satisfied that the Chinese Ideas OF time
I'm stage plays are as reasonably observed
AZ they are likely TO be when an Occi-
dental audience has 10 be considered. III
Is all very curious, and is designed for
holiday public. 1t went yesterday with
q holiday air. a W.