The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-02
STORY OF THE MARIoNETTEs.
Have Held i'm the Affections of the
Italians.
From the New York Sun.

Italians.
From the New York Sum
The marionettes in the little italian the
alter in Spring street come of more dis
tinguished ancestry than their humble
surroundings would suggest, and only the
fact that this branch of the drama never
appealed to Anglo-Ssxon taste can al
count for the poor quarters in which the
wooden actors are housed. In Italy,
where these actors are now more cher
ished than In any other country, they
are frequently found in equally poor en-
vironment because they are especially be-
loved of the people. But there is also
an aristocracy and it is lodged in luxury.
Here the solitary troupe of these mani
mate players dwells in the lowly sur
roundings of the Italian quarter.
Possibly because pantomime and, in
lesser degree, ballet, are not sympathetic
to American taste, the marionettes have
been accepted here as the means of
amusing children or as an occasional fea-
ture in variety show programme, but
nobody has ever thought of putting for
ward the little wooden people as the ac-
tors in a play lasting all the evening,
much less in one that occupied, like plays
at the Italian theater, several evenings.
The Italian marionettes play an import
ant part in the life of the people and are
one of their most liked forms OF amuse-
ment. "Burattini" they are called in
italian, and the season of Lent is the
time of the year particularly devoted to
them, although there is no time in which
they are not welcome.
The tradition In Italy is that the mari
onettes first came from Egypt TO Greece
and were imported from the latter coun-
try into Italy, where they were first
shown al the feasts in allegorical pieces
intended TO warn the company that man
is mortal and that death must in the end
come to ALL whether they be great or
lowly. At that period the marionettes ap-
peared in a kind Of tableau or pantominle
that depicted the moral they meant TO i'm
press. II was not until the Middle Ages
that the Roman writer's began to write
plays for the marionettes and were de-
lighted to see the wooden actors In their
works. Scenes for them were written
by all kinds OF eminent men, and the ac-
tors who behind the scenes spoke the
lines made regulations. The marionettes.
being in those early days the favorites
Of the wealthy and noble, were accustom-
ed to act in their houses and in private
theaters Afterward the marionettes APP
peared In public buildings put up for
them. AS late as the beginning OF the
last century II was customary for the
aristocracy to have the marionettes in
their houses, and scenes for them were
written sometimes by the host and some
times by an author or wit OF the day
After a while the fame OF the marionette
actors naturally came to depend on the
skill OF the speakers who manipula ted
them. and spoke the lines written for
them. II was the death OF the most IA
nous OF these actors that caused the
"burattini" to decline In popularity until
they became 10 large degree the play
things Of the common people. who could
not house them In handsome drawing
rooms One of the actors who spoke for
the manikins and manipulated them In
a way TO make them TO seem really 70
speak and move like human beings, was
"Romanino" (the little Roman who came
10 Rome from Milan and was soon IN
demand at the houses OF all the arlsto-
Gratis who amused themselves with the
"burattini." lie lived at the beginning OF
the century and was succeeded by two
other manipulators of the little figures.
who became famous all through Italy
The latter were both natives Of Rome.
They were Santongelo called Qaetanaccio
and Teoli, who wss known Is Cassan-
dfino.
Claetanacci0 was born In 1850 and his
father and mother were begRars. He be-
gan 20 give entertainments IN tho streets.
first with a box Of dolls ne had made
himself because be could not afford 20
buy them from the makers ~ was biz
wonderful powers az mimic ana ven
trlloquiFi even more than bis skill IN
moving ihe figures that made ihs people
siop Ia the streets ana watch BIS perform