Shippensburg University - Cumberland Yearbook (Shippensburg, PA)

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The japanese Theatre. ' I as ss- Xi i If ERHAPS no experience in the Land of the Rising Sun is I more interesting to the foreigner than a visit to one of the - native theatres. In the audience he sees Japanese life N and character as it is, and from tl1e play he learns some- thing of the ideal heroes of japanese history and romance. ,I-'diff I had been in Japan only a month when Danjuro. the Edwin Booth of the japanese stage, came to Tokyo to fill an engagement at one of the leading theatres of the city. Of course l took an early opportunity of seeing this Oriental star. Iu- deed, smbzg meant much more to me than hearing, since my knowledge of the japanese language was limited to a few ordinary expressions used in dealing with jinrikisha runners and shop-keepers. Fortunately, a Japanese friend who spoke English quite fluently, offered to accompany me and act as interpreter. Seeing the play is an all-clay affair in Japan. Instead of dropping into the theatre for an hour or two after business hours are over, the easy- going Oriental cooly takes a whole day oil' for his theatre-going. All theatres open about ten o'clock in the morning and close at dark. Two or perhaps three plays may be presented in a day, but seldom more. Every theatre is surrounded by tea-houses and restaurants, which do a thriving business with the patrons of the theatre. Tea, fruit, light re- freshments, and entire dinners are brought into the theatre between the acts and served to the guests as they sit in their places. Not having the patience and endurance of an Oriental, 11or the palate of an Oriental which would enable me to enjoy a japanese dinner, I de- cided that an afternoon of the theatre would be quite enough for me. Accordingly, about two o'clock we alighted from our jinrikishas at the theatre entrance, removed our shoes, and followed a bowing attendant to the box reserved for 'us. All ideas of comfort that the word 'box' had called up in my mind were rudely dispelled when the attendant pushed aside one of the sliding panels of the auditorium wall and ushered us into an empty, carpeted pen little more than three 'feet square. separated from similar adjoining pens by wooden partitions about a foot high. The Q :IX .0 26

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Resolutions Passed bg the Sociefyg. WHEREAS. It has pleased our Heavenly Father in His all-wise provi- dence to move to a higher life Susan Alice Hager, a former member of our society, and we thus desire to express-our deep regret in the loss we have sustained. Therefore, be it Resolved, That we recognize the wisdom of' God in all things, and while we deeply mourn the early death of our beloved sister, we feel that she has gone to a higher and purer enjoyment. Resolved, That in her death the society has lost a member who was ever ready to do l1er duty. Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the family Rlld friends of the deceased in the hour of deep affliction and commend them to the pro- tecting care of our Heavenly Father. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the family of the deceased, and that they be recorded on the minutes of the society and published in the PHILO REVIEW. Miss BURGNER, MISS ALr:xANm2R, MR. HARMAN, Commillee. 'J

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entire floor was divided into these 'boxes.' There were no aisles and no seats. The partitions between the boxes were wide enough to serve as walks,-that is, about ten inches,-and as for seats, the Hoor itself is always comfortable enough for a Japanese, while a thin silk cushion is pos- itive luxury. In consideration of the fact that I was an ijin san, or foreign barbarian, and unused to native ways, the attendant produced two small chairs for our use. After the chairs were put into the box, there was barely room for us to get in, though four people manage to sit in Japanese fashion in one of these cribs without crowding. Luckily our box was at the back of the auditorium 9 otherwise we should not have been allowed to have chairs. , The last act of the first play was on the boards when we entered. So, instead of trying to understand what was being said and clone, I spent the time in looking about me. The clecorous order of our own theatres has no counterpart l1e1'e. Men, women, and even children are smoking tiny pipes and cigarettes, some are drinking tea, others are eating with chop- sticks from little lacquer trays or bowls. Everywhere a free and easy air prevails, though there is little talking. The interior of the theatre is en- tirely of wood, unpainted,-for paint has no place in Japanese architect- ure.-unplastered, and with but little decoration. The most aristocratic 'parts of the house are the balcony and the last two rows of boxes on the ground floor. Next to these ranks the pit. Sloping upward from behind the end balcony, and separated from it by a wire screen is the gallery of the gods, known in Japan as the driven-in place, or deaf gallery. Here there are no boxes, and people are 'driven in' and crowded together in the utmost confusion. Behind the deaf gallery is another abode ofthe gods,-a narrow pen, where upon payment of a cent or two, one may stand and peep through iron bars at the stage for the space of one act. The most novel features of Japanese stage arrangements are the 1'e- volving stage and the Flower-Walk. The former is an ingenious con- trivance by means of which the whole stage revolves like a railroad turn- table and presents a change of scene. The Flower-Walk is a raised plat- form about four feet wide, running from the side of the stage down to the large door at the back of the auditorium. Along this walk actors pass to and from the stage, sometimes amid shouts of applause from the audience. During the five hours of our stay two plays were presented. both his- torical tragedies. My companion briefly sketched each story for me be- fore the play began, and supplemented the sketch by a running expla- nation as the play proceeded. These explanations together with the action of the players enabled me to follow the story fairly well. - 27