The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-03-03
THE PLAY IN CHINA
It Is a Curious Mixture of Noise,
Costume and Strut.
DIN FROM START TO Fl NSH.
II Begins When the Curtain Rises and
Continues Until the Last Scene Ends
the Agony-The Property Man q
Mighty important Parsonage.

when | reached China, SO | thought to
myself, IN just go to n Chinese the
alter and spend a quiet evening. | won't
understand anything, SO | can doze of
when ! want to and come out as re-
freshed a. a sprig OF celery"
What time does the play begun |
asked as the guide led the way to the
gallery, for in Il Chinese theater the
farther away YOU are the more arts
tocratic. No Chinese of caste would
be caught In orchestra A.
lit have begin" he answered.
How could that be-" | demanded.
for it was still a few minutes OF 8.
1T begin yesterday. It run two
piecee days. 1t No. l play"
And so ! found out. The better the
play the longer it lasts. \ Chinaman
doesn't think he II getting his moneys
worth unless tie play lasts a couple
of day Some Of them continue a
week. ihey consider i play that lasts
only q might q curtain raiser aud tag it
on to Il real play Just to try 1t u
The Chinese believe in noise. A the
alter isn't Il theater to them unless it
has n la1ies' aBucE 10 a boiler factory
just of stage. The mmmering begins
when the curtain goes up and contin-
ueS until Il falls. | soon found out
that ! erred seriously in coming to a
Chinese theater 10 sleep. A person
might drlp of for Il few minutes III
4 car shop, lat he could never ret
near the knitting W of tie raveled
sleeve III a Chinese tApater.
Chinese acting consists Of the actors
coming on again in another outfit OF
clothes. They come OH. vhirl a baton
a couple Of times aud exeunt. While
they are Off another delegation Of ac-
tors arrive with another collection of
clothes, They whirl their clubs Il few
times ana file out Indian style as an
other lodge arrives. There Is no more
expression on the face Of a Chinese
actor than on Il punching bag.
When they want TO show that the IN
trepid hero with Il handful Of men II
trying - take a fertilization against
a vastly overwhelming enemy the prop
erty man hurries around III front OF the
y "a 'A'Nh %A'th 8iiii'lltd oNti
Il frame. This Is the fortitication.
even though YOU can see his fingers
gripping the breastNyorhs. The daunt-
less hero marches across the stage.
STOPS before the ~ilnpregnahle barrier.
casts ms eagle eye over Il, draws his
tohS sword and rips Il asander with
one fell blow, the property man hold.
li@ Inc sWaylil@ cot.IeF While the hero
itlafcles through ~ victory. The in
iEelld zero stoits to explain 70 his sub
oIalilales now ne WIS aAie 10 accom-
ptlsh me leat. WAllff h" property man
4td@s tle ralnpartS Into tie wings aud
oe~iiis piilhiilS lhe..Ait Tor Tie attack
~ Inc next act.
~ d chinese pay taere are no girls.
litlF paris peih@ taken by boys. speak
lH- III Il iliSh, q~udNeflds voice as il
N'ihetillG We're toe tleat,. When an
a&1of wants 70 SNOW that lie Is Old he
TIES on q beafd that comes 70 his waist.
lfie beafd WORKS oil 10 oita corner anu
ll.aii-s srllniy ~ ole string, Tut the
audience doesn't worry about that
heS KNOW that he II al Old man BE-
cause ne mas g beard
was constantly a3erf t. figure out
Nih'' klhd 81 SHOW 1t Vas. When J
lfst got there aha So" the constant
e2anse OF costume | thought that it
must De a musical comedy, but after
studying lt more closely SAW that II
was a farce. When they began to Kill
people came TO the conclusion that II
was an operetta. Later, when the hero
ieahd ms Wlie In another mans arms,
! decided that II was a problem play.
The most important person IN a Chi
iiese snow IS the property man. Along
SIDE hlm the lead sinks lnto iasignih-
cilnce. lie has char-e Of the show.
me snow opens wien he says and
closes when he wants 10 go out TO a