Salt Lake Telegram | 1925-01-25 | Page 29 | Local Japanese Enjoy Feast of Ancient Drama

Local Japanese I Enjoy Feast of Ancient Drama Annual Community Entertainment Entertain Entertain- ment V v No in iii Progress to toi i Cov Cover r Period of Three Days By IMOGENE IMOGEN Ancient Japan an and many of ot its strange customs have been transported transported transported trans trans- ported to Salt Lako Lake City for a period of ot three days in the annual Japanese community entertainment now in progress at the Hippodrome theatre Dramas of ot years ago telling tales of ot heroes whose stories are enshrined In the hearts of ot the tradition loving Japanese from I babyhood costumes ot of grotesque I and make the weird thrum thrum-thrum of ancient style In in in-i I mingled with the monotonous monotonous mo mo- moI mo-I mo I wall wail of ot the singer who I chants the story of the play andis andis and is veil veiled d behind a semitransparent gold embroidered curtain on the the II side of ot the stage have been sovereign sovereign sov soy at the local theatre since Friday evening One step the lobby and anti 1 the world of ot America is whisked a away way to to- the tune of ot little boys bos I selling Japanese cakes calces and candles candies I and the rustle of strangely placarded placard placard- I ed signs signs' hung on every available inch of ot wall The atmos atmosphere here is I it ormal Everyone Is congenial smiling at this festival time when i countrymen from all parts of or Utah and some even from Idaho and Nevada gather for the feast of classical drama front from ancient Ja Ja- Ja Ja-I Ja pan I I Because of the length of the I t plays which in olden times have been known to have run through i weeks of ot con continuous performance but but that are now shortened to two two or 01 tire tiree evenings the audience I regales itself in the lengthy int in- in t tt l al lal between acts with lunches brought from home or bean or rice I i cakes and sandwiches of ot native j I j manufacture purchased from the vendors who run up and down don the aisles advertising their wares with rapid words and characteristic cries ries Four plays two tragedies brightened brightened brightened bright bright- ened by as many comedies interposed inter Inter- posed between acts of ot the more serious dramas will have been Inter Inter-I produced produced produced pro pro- when the entertainment J Js is ended Sunday night The most significant of or the plays is called in i j rough translation The Revenge of ot I in which gorgeous costumes cosI costumes cos cos- of ot the a ancient clent noblemen are seen in contrast with the awkward a I t ess of or servants and the gold ander and sliver siver er robed priests of ot Buddha are limned against a a background of ot mystic temples and stately attend attend- ants The Revenge of ot tales takes two days for a complete production production production pro pro- a and d. d the actors are the of ot Salt Lake Lale or native I players Two of ot these actors Mr 11 Imal and Mr 11 Matsui return to toI I Salt Lake Lale each year ear for the performance perI performance per per- no matter matter- In what part I of the country they may then be located it is said Ot Other er veterans of or the cast are I Kawaguchi and I The walls of the theatre are hung with huge signs announcing in Japanese script the name of ot the don donor r and ana the amount donated to the entertainment and to each J actor for the annual event Is supported sup sup- ported by contributions from the wealthier Japanese of or the the- city and outlying districts The stage is ornamented with elaborately embroidered embroidered embroidered em em- broidered and decorated screens medallions and paintings and statuary In a wora though all of Salt Lake may pass outside of or the Hippodrome Japan will reign supreme a afew few feet away again tonight as it has done during during dur dur- I dur-I ing the last two evenings i