MEXICAN THEATRES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1690, 24 March 1917, Page 1

MEXICAN THEATRES.

SEATS FOR MOURNERS. (Sydney Sim). Aft or all, it seems, Mexico is not a country where they have revolutions three l imes a day be tore meals. Mr Carlos Valenzuela, manager for that agile wire artist, Rodiriquez, at (be National Theatre, claims that Mexico Oily Ims the (bird largest, and most, beautiful theatre in the world. It is run by the Government, and plays nothing but grand opera. There are also some swell vaudeville houses, but the cheapest vaudeville you min buy in Carranza's borne country is at the rate of two shillings a. seat, with boxes rising to .1.5 dollars. A curious Mexican theatre rule js to have boxes built on the stage side of the fool lights, which are kept specially for people in mourning who desire to see the show but do not desire to be seen by the x'est of the audience.

Rodiriquez was born at Durango. Most Australians have never heard of it, but for till that it is about twice the size of Brisbane. Both Mr Rodiriquez and Mr Valenzuela frankly confess that there are g great number of people in Durango who have never heard of Brisbane. There is no Mexican language. Valenzuela is said to speak the purest Spanish, and reckons that Mexico gave him an education that Uncle Sam couldn’t -afford. He comes of one of the oldest families in Chihuhaun, the State from which General Villa has just been chased, and where school attendance is compulsory from the age of seven to sixteen.

Rodiriquez has a high regard for the show morals of Mexico. When the big circuses go down that way, they have to sub-edit all their lithograph advertisements, deleting all the pictures that represent feats not actually performed inside the tent. Mexico is evidently no place for the proprietor of a flea circus.