AN ARAB THEATRE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 139, 5 June 1880, Page 3

AN ARAB THEATRE.

Anion;,' other novelties which have been introduced into Damascus since the arrival there of Midhnt I'asha as Governor-General of Syria is an Arab theatre upon semi-civilized principle* We went there one night with his Highness, and was surprised at tliu modern aspect of the house. There was a tieki t-seilor at a guichot, and a house neatly arra-iged with seats, which were well occupied by an exclusively male audience. In (he front vow wore th&gfieats reserved for the Governor(tOTPfSl's party ; while the orchestra—consisting of a man who played an instrument like a guitar, another who played one like a zitheru, another who played a native clarionet, another who aaug, and another who drummed—wore placed in a recess to the right of the stage. Tile curtain was inscribed with an Arabic motto and rose and fell with irregular jerks; th • scenes did not change; and the actors sang,orratherchanted their parts. The play was the original story, which Voitli has adapted, mid the plot of which he has considerably altered, of " Aida." The leading actor, who per-' formed the part of the " General " was a man of Considerable dramatic power, clad in a coat of mail, with a most fantastic helmet, which at the opening scene partly concealed his lace, and whose lower extremities were clothed in thick, white' hose, lie stalked a!.out th" .stag" unceasingly in his stocking-solos, swaying his holy in a measured and not ungraceful manner, so a< to kosp time with the cadence of his voice, which was expressive of his varied emotions, and by no means unmusical. The Egyptian King'sdaughler, wjio is in love with inm.andthe Abyssinian King's daughtei whom he makes a prisoner of war, and with whom he falls in love, thus nearly breaking the other one's heart, were both boys dressed as girls, who acted their parts with great feeling and cleverness considering their youth. Indeed it was difficult to toll that they were not girls. They were picturesquely attired in Oriental costumes, the one as a slave, the other as a King's daughter, hut the other female attendants wore. BCiui-Ktiropeanized dresses which were by no moans becoming. The King of Egypt was a splendidly-arrayed monarch, after the style of the conventional Sardanapalus; and ho did the Eastern potentate to perfection. Indeed, the whole performance was far more skilfully executed than might have been expected, though of acting in the strict sense of tho word there was none; it was recitation, now plaintive, now impassioned, and in tho own of one character, jocose; but the perpetual motion of tho players, who move rhythmically about the stage all the time, grows somewhat monotonous to tho foreigner accustomed to more lively action. Tho audienco. however, seemed thoroughly to enter into tho spirit of the piece, and appreciated ,tho jokes keenly..