The Clio messenger., 1916-12-08


ACTORS
ing checked without charge and re.
turned after the penultmate act bt
courteous attendants with marvellous
exactness and with no apparent rec
ord.
The spectators squat on their
launches or recline at their comfort,
but are enthusiastic enough when
their attention is aroused by the dig
comfiture of the villain or the frequent
murders which take place, none being
too bloody for the sanguinary loving
Japanese plebeian, who will cry with
apparently greater facility than we
can laugh, and applaud as vigorously as
an Italian opera enthusiast. But he
must be kept interested all the time, or
he will relapse into reading his paper
bring q novel, conjurer-like, from the
folds of his spacious sleeves, begin an
intelligent, If to a stranger unintelli-
gible, conversation with his neighbor
or drop off into a peaceful slumber un-
til something happens. He does not,
like the occidental, merely depart when
he Is bored.
Tickets for the typical Japanese the
ater are usually bought at an adjacent
tea house and often bargained for, the
theatrical manager or box-office specu-
Iator getting as much as he cana
practice which might or might not
recommend itself to American impre-
Leo II hn acin nf nf
visits, the price asked was more than /
knew to be customary, so taking Off
the slippers provided, put on my own
shoes and prepared to make my exit.
Immediately the price was reduced to
one-half and by the time had got to
the door to one-third, when I returned
and took the chair offered me at the
back of the orchestra, the house being
crowded. But this was not practiced
at the Imperial theater.
Behind the Scenes.
Coming out between the acts at the
Kabukiza, / was fortunate In being
able to find among the little crowd that
followed me one who spoke few
words of English, and, making my way
to the managers office on the first
| floor, paid my compliments and re-
quested the privileges Of going behind
the scenes as visiting manager. He
agreed with alacrity. Down through
dingy corridor running alongside and
underneath the audience we emerged
In the stuffy bowels of the theater,
where the electric light was generated
and the revolving stage creaked its
weary way. Up grimy wooden stair
case I found myself among a medley
of whom were nude, and had a look
round the dressing rooms, which were
cleaner and more spacious than those
generally provided in many theater
in England and America.
The japanese actors squatted on the
floor, there being of course no chairs
or tables, and made up with their ap-
purtenances around them and the elec-
trio light overhead. All looked very
philosophical and weighted with a
sense Of their own responsibilities
like our own-but greeted me with a
CHEEKY smile and their customary gra-
cious bow. Going on the stage, the
naked scene shifters made for cover,
and l was introduced to the genial
orchestra, in a Gagged inclosure like
wild beasts and making a similar noise.
Capacity Of the Imperial Theater.
| The Imperial holds about 1,500 to
1000 people seated in our own style,
which at an average Of 2 yen ($1) to
30 sen @ cents) head would give a
house of $1,000, which the managerial
representative told me was the aver
age figure. The night was there they
played historical drama dated
1850 musical comedy with posture
dancing from the No Kyogen, another
act from a historical drama of the
tenth century, "The Mirror of Knight
hood" and slap-dash farce, but by
way Of being a classic, called "Shanks'
Mare" adapted from a comic novel of
the Tokogawa period. In three of
these plays the principal actor, Kiku-
goro, appeared. Incidentally, actors
are known by their first names much
the same as they and impresarios also
are colloquially known by acquaint-
ances In New York. A leading actor
In japan, however, Is well Off IL he
receives $500 a year. and lesser play.
ers-ars proud to be attached to Z
stars company.