Author: N.A.
Source: "El Paso Herald", August 23-24, 1919, p. 1
Oriental Manager Says that Americans and Europeans Go
Too Far.
London, Eng., Aug. 23. – Kunitora Isaka, manager of the Imperial Theater, Tokio, the largest and best in Japan, has been touring the United States and Europe for the first time, picking up ideas and impressions.
Judging Europe by Japanese ideals, he was surprised to find so few serious plays after the great drama of the war.
“If you read Japanese plays”, he said, “you will find that they are all serious, with a special tone of tragedy, and we like it. Perhaps there is a tendency in Japan also to make entertainment lighter.
“I find your actors and actresses performing beautifully and discreetly. Of all plays I have seen the one I liked best was ‘Cyrano.’ The sacrifice of his love makes an appeal to the Japanese soul, but I think the last act would be improved if the voice of birds were heard when the leaves are falling.
“I have been surprised at the number of plays in which bedroom scenes are used. In Japan love enters into our historical dramas, but we have a censor who would not permit such scenes in modern plays. Your plays go too far.
“To me it is strange that the actors and actresses should appear as themselves before the end of the play. The call spoils the illusion. So does the long wait between the acts, except when the orchestra, as with us, plays music in harmony with the play.
“Until four years ago we looked upon the kinematograph as an amusement for children only, but now the kinema plays are popular with the rich and educated classes, who like especially to see buildings and scenes which will make them familiar with Europe. There are two companies in Japan now making Japanese films but most of the films shown are still American.”
London, Eng., Aug. 23. – Kunitora Isaka, manager of the Imperial Theater, Tokio, the largest and best in Japan, has been touring the United States and Europe for the first time, picking up ideas and impressions.
Judging Europe by Japanese ideals, he was surprised to find so few serious plays after the great drama of the war.
“If you read Japanese plays”, he said, “you will find that they are all serious, with a special tone of tragedy, and we like it. Perhaps there is a tendency in Japan also to make entertainment lighter.
“I find your actors and actresses performing beautifully and discreetly. Of all plays I have seen the one I liked best was ‘Cyrano.’ The sacrifice of his love makes an appeal to the Japanese soul, but I think the last act would be improved if the voice of birds were heard when the leaves are falling.
“I have been surprised at the number of plays in which bedroom scenes are used. In Japan love enters into our historical dramas, but we have a censor who would not permit such scenes in modern plays. Your plays go too far.
“To me it is strange that the actors and actresses should appear as themselves before the end of the play. The call spoils the illusion. So does the long wait between the acts, except when the orchestra, as with us, plays music in harmony with the play.
“Until four years ago we looked upon the kinematograph as an amusement for children only, but now the kinema plays are popular with the rich and educated classes, who like especially to see buildings and scenes which will make them familiar with Europe. There are two companies in Japan now making Japanese films but most of the films shown are still American.”
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