Evening star., 1913-02-23


not to nature. but to the theater itself
Since the theater is an expression of the
thought and temperament of the people
whose language it speaks, this cannot be
done without going beyond the mere pic
ture and rejecting humanity itself. In
Offering a picture of the Chinese stage.
Mir Hazelton has given a glimpse into
the mental operations of the Chinese peo-
pIc His experiences in writing and pro-
ducing 'The Yellow jacket include an
incident which shows how he has brought
two civilizations the oldest and the new
est. To terms Of slightly better under
standing.
While the play was running in New
York the company was invited tn attend
a banquet in Chinatown, and the two
longs suspended hostilities i'll order
that all the Chinese in New York might
do honor to the occasion. This arInistlce
was secured by an exchange of hostages
1t sounds like fiction. and would hardly
be credited excepting in connection with
a nroduct so far removed from the realms
Of the. ordinary. The Chinese have beei
devoted patrons of the performance
showing their appreciation by gifts as
well as by applause.
In considering the authorship OF ne
yellow Jacket il seems natural TO give
Benrimo credit for precise detai IN
scenery, costuming and stage business
since he was closely associated with the
presentation of The Darling OF the
Gods" the Japanese play which, though
vastly different from The yellow
Jacket" compares to it more nearly than
anything that has been produced mere.
The fine literary quality shown by MI.
HazeIton in Mistress Nell, the play
which had the distinction of bringing
Henrietta Crosman to metropolitan atten-
tion. gives him presumptive credit for the
storytelling portion of the play. There
arc few men writing for the stage who
handle the English language with the
grace and facility that Mr.. Hazelton
knows how 10 employ. His use of genuine
poetic effect is almost audacious at
time when the stage prides itself on real
ism that is not content to call spade a
spade" but insists on demonstrating Its
use as a muckrake.
The yellow Jacket" has something
for all tastes The property man sup
niles comedy of rather subtle sort,
hut the crude makeshifts employed to
represent anything desired from
fortress to a flower garden may
awaken legitimate laughter. Beyond
that are love hope. cynicism, pathos.
fear. hate life and death. 1t has
philosophy religion and superstition.
Taken superficially. it may be regard
ed as a travesty on the Chinese play.
American audiences have been quite
accustomed to laughing heartily at
burlesaues of dramatic performances
without the slightest knowledge of the
originals Everybody knows the
Chinese drama is crude affair. not
at all to be compared with our lavish
ness in matters of paint, canvas and
scantIing Having joked the Celestial
pIayhouse for time. the spectator
finds that the travesty broadens. The
Joke is not confined to the Chinese
theater but begins to be more or less
at the expense of the theater In gen
eral. Before the performance. with IL
lusions perfected by means or the
barest contrivances. the carloads OF
scenery employed in a modern produc-
ton seem Intellectual and rather child
ish Paint your canvas as you VIII,
YOU cannot entirely deceive the audi
tor There will be a pleat or a patch
somewhere 20 betray. The more
elaborate you make your effort to de-
ceive the more the spectator Is liable
TO laugh in his sleeve when he catches
you at it, IT is the genius of the poet
and the art of the actor on which the
illusion must depend Scenery never
saved a play Sometimes with stage
hands in battling confusion among
unwieldy junk it takes hard work on
the part IF the actors 10 save the
scenery.
Whether The Yellow Jacket will be
a great popular success is "A matter
which in no wise relates 10 ITS merits
Its loss TO the stage would be genu-
in, misfortune to the civilization Which
now invites a broader view and closer
understanding among the peoples OF
the world. regardless of the barriers
of Language and hereditary customs
Its first appeal is To the student. CROWN
into universal favor may be slow, be-
cause il is impossible 10 describe the
1,fay in such Il way as To impress its
fascination as sheer entertainments
For practical necessary purposes
There is such a thing as making
novelty altogether too novel
So many elements of interest present
themselves in The Yellow Jacket that
some of its most important features are
sure to be overlooked unless Its allure
ments invite more than single visit 10
th.. PLAYHOUSE. The music, for instance,
composed by William Furst, who wrote
the music for The Darling of the CIoos
is a study unto itself IL runs through
the play without interruption, yet, as Il
rule its presence is hardly noted. Some
OF the Instruments required presented
peculiar difficulties An American musi-
clan could not finger them The Chinese
performer could not read our musical
notation A. a compromise the instru-
rnents, retaining the original shapes anu
tones, were 80 adjusted as TO respond to
our own method of playing. Chinese
music absolutely genuine, was Imported
on phonosraph records IL could not be
used in its original form; the shock to
tiie ear would be resented. Mr.. Furst
devoted much time in conveying the
spirit of the Chinese music in such form
as to render IL acceptable To our ears.
At times the genuine Chinese melodies
are introduced. They are softened anu
shaded until ia certain scenes the melo-
dies, though touched with the spirit oi
the orient. are in close sympathy with
our own ideas OF harmony and tune.