The image of Chinese and Japanese Theatre in selected popular and artistic press printed in Poland in 1930s.

Journalists who described Oriental theatres usually based their narrative on personal experience. Both specialist, mass and popular press paid particular attention to elements that distinguished Japanese and Chinese theatre from their European counterpart. The length of performance, innovative technical solutions, different acting style were the elements that received most attention. Nonetheless, sometimes it was impossible to explain the origins of those differences. Furthermore, the above-mentioned differences usually spoke against Chinese theatre. It was criticized for different music, moveable stage scenery, exaggerated acting that was hard to understand. Such attitude was the result of lack of understanding of Chinese opera’s conventions. On the other hand, press eagerly commended the richness of Chinese actors’ costumes and ,,shadow puppet theatre”. Moreover, Polish press also stressed that both classical and modern Chinese theatre enjoyed immense popularity among Chinese people. Polish press went easy on theatrical art in Japan depicting differences that were in many cases the same as in Chinese theatre as something neutral, even positive as it gave the play magical touch. Sometimes it was emphasized that Japanese theatre could become a source of inspiration for its European counterpart. It was praised for masks, costumes, moveable stage scenery and music. It is interesting that in the last two instances Chinese theatre was looked down on. Polish press also spoke favourably of puppet theatre and ,,Takarazuka” performances. On the other hand, magazines’ opinions on acting varied.

Wife, Geisha, or Suffragist? – An Image of Japanese Women in the Selected The Second Polish Republic Press in the 1930s

The Polish interwar press tried to bring its readers closer to the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. Many articles were devoted to Japanese women. Usually, it was done by mass magazines such as sensational “As” and travel-geographical “Na Szerokim Świecie” [On the Broad World] published by holding “Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny” [Illustrated Daily Courier], as well as Warsaw “Naokoło Świata” [Around the World], and women’s magazines, e.g., “Bluszcz” [Ivy]. A Japanese was presented either as a mysterious woman of exotic beauty and a mysterious soul, a wife devoted to the family, a victim of the patriarchal system, or an emancipate fighting for political, professional, and social rights. The mass magazines and women focused on the social situation of Japanese women, stressing that it was extremely unfavourable and, as an example, gave their unequal position in marriage. However, they added that their position had improved rapidly, although they still had a long way to go to emancipate. The interwar press tried to combat common stereotypes about the inhabitants of Japan. One was to say that all Japanese women are, by nature, perfect wives, mothers, and mothers-in-law, and the other that geishas are luxury prostitutes.