Examples of transitional drama, Instead, it was a cross between the fas recently seen in Peking, would] two, a' six-foot blossoming affair, fiot be appreciated unless the that might be mistaken for a gigantic Bpectator "had entertained " some bouquet, on which Mei, after the dea at least of the enormous gap manner of strict convention, placed between the Peking operatic drama a kerchief and towards which he and the modern, or wer ming, drama. turned his face, when about to die Briefly, the Peking drama em. by strangulation. That which might [phasized the conventional style of have been tragedy because of a Ringing, while the wen ming, pat-steadily mounting climax became, ned after European models, is It, melodram: "entirely spoken in present-day Man-newest play, "The Charm-arm, Needless to say, he highly i Jen," which is based Jeonventionalized pantomimic move. ments of the older school have no /on incidents from chapter XI of! the novel, Hung Low Meng, tranditional qualities are even more marked. Much furniture is placed on the stage which in old drama is quite bare; but the effect, otherwise plea: ing an extension of th ame room. There was, however, much good act-itis which added to the conventional movements a degree of natural ease and grace. A. decidedly modern trend was to be found in the decrease of singing and the increase of spoken lines.
Before entering upon a discussion of Shang Hsiao-yun's most recent production, it may be of interest to point out that the musical public of Peking consider this youthful i or to the great Mei the eh'ing-i, or feminine operatic stylo of Peking singing, although they unanimously admit that no one can rival Mei in actin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.