Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1875 — A Yeddo Theater. [ARTICLE]

A Yeddo Theater.

Writing of theaters at Yeddo, a contributor to the Galaxy says: When a favorite actor makes his appearance tire whole.audience becomes electrified, and testify their delight by a series pf shouts, yells and cries which no known combination of vowels and consonants can adequately render. They do not all shout together, but the yells run rapidly from group to group, reminding one of the falling of a stone as it bounds down the side of a mountain. Their enthusiasm is kept within bounds by a sort of inspector, or policeman, seated on a small raised platform in the center of the theater, who preserves order and summarily ejects all disturbers of the public peace. During the whole time a constant feasting seems to be going on; plates of rice and fish are succeeded by candies, sweetmeats and other delicacies, sold by licensed venders, who perambulate the passages between acts, offering their wares in sing-song, sleepy, nasal tones; nothing escapes them, however; the slightest sign from a wouldbe buyer brings them in a flash to his side. When the chop-sticks are for a moment laid aside, little bottles of sakki and cups of tea make their appearance. Empty dishes are carried off and almost instantly replaced by full ones. Notwithstanding these interesting occupations, great attention is given to the piece. The orchestra, placed in a stage-box to the left, is composed of drums, flutes and three-stringed guitars. The musicians are clothed in priestly robes in memory of the honor of the gods. They have' no mercy on the audience, but play almost incessantly—during the piece to accompany the recitative and between the acts to enliven the public. One of the strongest proofs of the gentleness and strength of mind of the Japanese is the admirable fortitude with which 1,500 people listen to this unearthly and diabolical music for twelve consecutive hours without exhibiting the slightest signs of mental alienation. Two aisles or gangways lead from either end of the stage to tlie front entrance of the theater, going directly throfighllhe little checkerboard squares. The actors generally make their entrance on the stage by these gangways, passing through the audience and under their very noses. Though the actors belong to the lowest classes, they often endear themselves to the public kt large, w’ho become much infatuated with certain favorites. It has not unfrequently happened that a celebrated actor has been magnificently buried by popular subscription and mourped by the whole population. The best of them receive about 1,000 rios ($1,100) per year. They are often interested in'the profits of the enterprise. Some play gratuitously with a view to making themselves known to tlie public. Women never appear on the stage. Their parts are taken by men, and so cleverly do they do it in dress, manner and gesture that the illusion would be complete were they not betrayed by the voice.