Scenes from Typhoon (From Melchior Lengyel's "Taifun"), originally produced by Mr. & Mrs. Irving with their company at the Haymarket Theatre, London, from April, 1913 to1914.
New York Times : 1913/04/03 LONDON, April 2.—An enthusiastic audience gave a great welcome to the adaptation of Melchior Lengyel's “Typhoon,” which was produced at the Haymarket Theatre to-night.
A scene from the play Typhoon at Haymarket theatre. April 1913
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, April 5th, 1913," "Typhoon," at the Haymarket Theatre.- Mr. Laurence Irving and Miss Mabel Hackney."
The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, April 12th, 1913, "Typhoon" (From Melchior Lengyel's "Taifun") at the Haymarket Theatre."
a- The Japanese colony in Paris gathered together in the rooms of Takeramo. The moment these people find themselves alone, freed from the presence of foreigners, they throw off their Western ways, change their dress, draw forward screens, switch off the electric lights, turn and worship the portrait of the Mikado on the wall, and then settle down without the aid of chairs to tell tales of their homes and nation.
b- Takeramo (Mr Laurence Irving), who is entrusted with a high and secret mission by his government is questioned as to its nature by his French mistress, Helene (Miss Mabel Hackney). A little later, goaded by her vulgar insults, he strangles this wretched woman, but his friends insist, for the sake of his yet incomplete work, that a young Japanese named Hironari - who is only travelling for pleasure - must take the blame.
c- The investigating judge, Benoit (Mr Arthur Whitby), is baffled by the witness Kitamaru (Mr Azooma Sheko), and Hironari's confession is accordingly believed, and a sentence of seven years' imprisonment passed upon him.
d- At last Takeramo's work for Japan has been finished. He has handed the manuscript to his compatriots, and has then quietly retired from his friends to the other side of a screen and taken his life as penance for the murder of Helene. The others approve the deed, and are seen seizing upon his papers lest the French police should learn the secrets of Nippon. A drunken Polish-French poet, Takeramo's friend (Mr Leon Quartermaine), stands stunned at the news.
THEATRE Scenes from 'Typhoon' at the Haymarket, 1913
