Posted on: Wednesday, June 9, 2004

OUR HONOLULU
Japanese theater — what a riot

By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist

Today we will discuss the little-known history of Japanese theater in Our Honolulu. It was, in a manner of speaking, a riot.

The Chinese Theater wasn't far behind. During the late 19th century, the editor of The Advertiser got irate letters from residents living next to the Chinese Theater. They complained about being kept awake by cymbals clanging until midnight and audiences shouting approval of a performance.

Japanese theater, on the other hand, was better known for the controversial nature of the action onstage. This happened in 1905 when the Japanese consul general in Hawaiçi, Miki Saito, was severely criticized for ignoring reports of mistreatment of immigrant Japanese laborers on sugar plantations.

The Japanese Reform Association denounced Saito to no avail. Mr. Shiozawa, editor of a Japanese language newspaper, blasted the consul general without effect.

An anonymous local playwright seized upon this injustice to write a drama casting Saito as the villain. Since the Japanese community didn't have a theater building, the producers of this epic rented the Chinese Theater. Word got around about the explosive nature of the production. Sheriff William Henry refused to grant the promoters a license.

So they put on the play for free. The Honolulu Star reported that the performance was very realistic. The play opened with a scene in steerage of the SS Coptic with seasick passengers throwing up over the side into the audience.

An actor in a red wig, playing the role of a white seaman, tried to rape a female passenger on center stage. He was knocked down by a heroic Japanese student to loud applause.

Sheriff Henry arrived on the scene and arrested five actors and the producers of the play on a charge of indecency based on the rape scene and another violation, charging admission without a license. The promoters said they were only renting chairs and there is no law against that.

Sumo wrestling is also marvelous Japanese theater and has produced its share of riots in Our Honolulu. Before the Saito controversy heated up in June, sumo aficionados gathered for the annual tournament on January 11, 1905. Betting ran high. When the favorite was thrown, his backers blamed an illegal judo throw by his opponent and a riot ensued. The Star reported that the sumo tournament would be suspended indefinitely until tempers cooled.

Japanese theater, even among amateurs, could produce riots without half trying. One evening in 1892, the deputy marshal received a report that newly arrived Japanese immigrants were trying to break out of quarantine at the immigration station.

The marshal arrived to discover there was no riot. Immigrants were just dancing to the beat of tin cans to relieve the monotony.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.