New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-08
A GUILDHALL MAsQUE.
AN OLD TINE COURT REvEL REvrypr
BY THE ART WORKERS GUILD
AN ARGUMENT FOR MU.
NICIPAL THEATRES

i<oHhoH, June ~
The English masque Of the sixteenth and s.v.
enteenth centuries was a Court revel II wa.
not produced In any theatre or guild room q,
London town. but in the beautiful gardens ~
Whitehall Palace. There seldom more ths,
a single performance, but this was a combina.
ton OF all the talents Of the Court. The line.
were written by Of the chief poets OF the
day The was set TO music by the most
popular composer The dances and costumes
were arranged under the personal direction OF
the Master Of Revels. Architects like In,eo
Jones constructed the stage. gave suggestions
TO the scene painters and ordered the setting OF
the masque. The actors were the great lords and
ladies Of the Court. arrayed In velvets and silks
and adorned with embroideries. lace, diamonds
and pearls. The masque was usually a classical
allegory, with musical verse and stately dance
measures and II enacted with splendors OF
costuming and stage setting which could not be
rlvalL 4 at the theatres OF the day. II was a
luxurious entertainment. devised by the Master
OF Revels for the amusement OF a pleasure low
ing Court.
The Art Workers Guild has revived this week
at the Guildhall, not one OF Ben Jonson's
Mosques, but the decorative splendors and poetic
spirit Of the Court reves Of the Elizabethan and
Jacobean reigns. "Beauty's Awakening" Is not
an old but a new masque. based upon the leg
end of the Sleeping Beauty" but the text ia
written In the metrcal forms Of the seventeenth
century and the prologue lyrics. dances. cos
tunes and staging reproduce the spirit. move
ment and picturesque grouping Of the sump-
tuous spectaces of the old palace OF Whitehall.
Princesses. lords and Court beauties have disap-
peared from the stage along with lingo Jones
and Rare Ben Jonson." and the only function
which can be identified with the old time Master
Of Revels is the official sanction Of the Licenser
of Plays for the production Of the spectacle at
the Guildhall. Otherwise the new masque IS pro-
duced and enacted by the Art Workers Guild
with wealth Of fancy, artistic sense of color and
grace Of movement which reflect the glories OF
the old time Court entertainment. This masque
Is not a play. but a poetic aegory. slow and
stately in movement, and rich and harmonious
in blends of color 1t is the quaintest most
artistic and most interesting town show which
I have witnessed during residence Of four
years in London.
The action Of the masque occupies six scenes.
with prologue and epilogue. The stage Is con-
nected with the auditorium by a fight % semi
circular steps from the lowest Of which the
Prolocutor delivers his prologue in explanation
of each scene Rich draperies are substituted
for the drop curtain. and the spacious pro-
scenium is arranged with inner and outer scenes,
columns taking the place Of wings and the bus-
ness of scene shifting being dispensed with Ex-
cept in a single scene. the singers are on the
stage. At the outset the draperes conceal the
stage for the purpose Of the prologue. There Is
a musical prelude by orchestra with old time
Instruments and a rondeau is sung by the choir
while the stage is darkened. Father Time. with
book. scythe and glass is disclosed in half-light
for the delivery Of the prologue, TO the accom-
panment Of soft measures Of music The stage
is again darkened, and while the orchestra Is
playing the Spirit of the Old Masque appears as
Prolocutor and forecasts the action OF the first
scene. The Sleep"
THE ARGUMENT.
The Sleeping Beauty, Fayremonde. is revealed
in the first scene She is sleeping upon a couch
in a tapestried chamber Of palace, with an ar
cade and a vista Of a dark forest beyond and a
lamp pickering near her. Around her are
grouped seven attendant maids. Sacrifice, Truth
Power Beauty, Life, Memory and Obedience.
Their lamps have gone out, and they are sleep
ing with the swirling leaves Of the forest around
them: and close at hand sits Malebodea, tha
Witch, who has placed them under the thrall %
enchantment. The music denotes the piping OF
the winds and the murmurs OF an approaching
storm. A beautiful song OF the Wind and the
Leaves Is Nedru, anu tiiS 10 ioii'"NN ~ '''N''
dance Sixteen children, representing Forest
Leaves in crimson, brown, orange and green,
enter in sets of four and the Four Winds are at
the four corners, the North bearing his insig-
MIA a golden ship in full sail. the West a cornu-
copia trimming with spring flowers. the East
thorns and a scourge and the South dove and
a robe gstening with dewdrops. Players quaint
ly attired furnish the music from archaic instru-
ments, and the Leaves and Winds dance. De-
cember, with wand and lantern, enters with her
children Ice and Snow. and dances while
shepherd plays a carol. March, with lamolke
children takes her place. and. wrestling with
the Four Winds, is overcome. The Lambs re-
store him to life. the Leaves clap their hands
and dance and little girl with butterfly
cloak runs in and out among them; and this
allegory Of Winter and Spring symbozes Beau-
tvs approaching awakening.
The second scene is entitled The Quest" and
is enacted on the outer stage. a curtain behind
representing a forest glade. The Four Seasons
bring in a blossoming tree. and after the Pro-
locutor has explained what is 10 happen, the
bewildered knight, Trueheart clad In armor but
with broken sword. pauses In his quest for
Fayremonde and falls asleep, while a nocturne
is sung by voices without. The Four Winds ana
the Sixteen Leaves dance around the sleeping
Knight, while the Witch and her demons are
seen in the background. Hope comes in 10 whis-
per words OF comfort in the knights ear and
Fortitude replaces his broken weapon with
new sword: and the inner curtain parts
Fayremonde. with her seven attendant Lamps
discloses the secret Of his dream, while sweet
lyric the Song OF Good Hope. is sung by the
choir. A rushing noise is heard and Truehesrt
awakes to give atriumphant battle to the hugs
Dragon. Aschemon with eight attendant de-
mons. The Dragon is slain. Trueheart's bugle re-
sounds through the forest. and there is distant
song of praise by the Seven Lamps.
The third scene. after the motive has been
disclosed by the Prolocutor. represents the rally
Of the Demons who dance around the Wltch