A QUEER THEATRE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16582, 15 November 1921, Page 3

A QUEER THEATRE.

f. NATIVE EASTERN DRAMA, Die lollowing description of a visit to a Singapore theatre is given by a writer in the Daily Mail.” 3ho play was in full swing, and we were greeted with a blaze of light and the crash of the orchestra drowning the voices of the singers. But. these were almost, as nothing compared with the. conversation of the avidieuce, who, in their turn, often overtopped orchestra and singers alike. The stage was large and hung with banners —as was also the hall—embroidered in dark blue and white, green gold and black, scarlet aud orange, or yellow, green, and gold. Aud here and there hung long strips of Chinese writing, black painted on red. or sewn on pale blue velvet. At our entrance, on the stage was an ancient hag with face much powder ed, dad in a black . robe with metal feathers round her neck. AVitb her were two girls in embroidery-edged jumpers. Their hair was bouud with a metal fillet from which protruded enormous artificial flowers and glittering metal ornaments. The hero was a comedian of the thin, melancholy type, and the villain—also a comic character a gorgeous fellow,, very fat, with gold teeth. His nose, instead of being red. was whitened with pipeclay. His clothes were thick with embroidery, and from his tall hat dangled ornaments of rich colours. Not. ‘.nitil his entrance did either audience or orchestra pay any attention to the actors. The former talked less audibly, and the latter beat their drums with vehemence. The murder of the hero-organised by the jovial villain—consisted in ihe pushing of long poles at him by four hired brigands, and though he was actually untouched lie collapsed, only r© revive after being sung over for twentyfive min-jtes by Hi© leading lady and her attendant. 'These two damsels wore rich silks. Their faces were painted quite white, and pink was laid in a smear up to the temples. In one hand was held a fan. in the other a largo green handkerchief, behind which the heroine glanced coyly at members of the audience, and. Inter, at the resuscitated hero. 'The orchestra, on the other hand, was in rags --or e\en iees. 'These, five musicians sat behind the actors, wearing dirty blue trousers and a cotton rest open at. the neck. Sometimes they even discarded the vest. At times the orchestra shared drinks with the actor* or strolled to the side of the stage to conver&e with some of the audience seated up there, the children some times climbing to their mothers in tbe gallery. A scene-shifter, iu the usual blue trousers, shuffled to the front to bavc a look at us; and once, in tb# midd!« of a funeral oration, a large patrol-gas lamp waa lowered in the of the stage and received whole-hearted attention. AYe stayed an hour. At 9.30 p.m the play had advanced—by an hour. Pei haps by twelve o’clock actors or audience would be too weary for more.