The San Francisco call., 1904-04-30
YEATS PLAYS
LIFT PEOPLE
Margaret Wycherley Pleases
in Presenting Work Of
Eminent Irish Dramatist
DREAM MADE VISIBLE
''Land of Hearts Desire" and
"The Hour Glass Are
Seen to Good Advantage

To Margaret Wycherley, who pro-
'duced yesterday afternoon at the AL
cazar Theater two of the short plays
of William Butler Yeats, much graft
tude should be going. The plays were
Land of Hearts Desire and THE
Hour Glass;" and the production, con-
sidering the inevitable conditions of the
odd matinee. was very creditable. The
event attracted large number of peO-
pie interested in the higher dramatic
art
Very film Of drama is The Land of
Hearts Desire Built upon the old
Irish legend that on Mayday the
fairies have power to steal away the
young bride from whom they can beg
milk or fire, the play is Elusive as it's
source. 1t is dream made visible. 1t
is a thing Of mist and mOonshine and
elfin twilights. 1t is octaves above the
ordinary dramatic keyboard, pitched
in a key ethereal to which the play
going ear is hardly yet attu1ed. OF
the ordinary dramatic conventions the
play is entirely independent. The usual
modes Of exciting interest are wholly
ignored. There is much talk, little ac-
ton The tragedy affects one as the
death of a flower, the laughter is in
faery overtones. Yet there is, in spite
of its non-human, or rather above
human quality, a fine fascination in the
play.
Marie, the young wife, is a dreamer
of dreams, idle her shrewish and
hard working mother-in-law calls her.
She is discovered with an old book Of
tales, telling of the land Of hearts
desire, in her hands. Mother-in-law-
who is of the comic papers variety-is
looking after her son and husbands
and pastors material needs. They call
her to supper, but Marie has heard the
faery voices. The fatal gifts Of milk
and fire to beggars at the door follow
and, cursed by her mOther-in-Iaw for
bringing bad luck upon the house.
Marie invokes the aid of the fairies
A fairy answers heT apPeal and witches
her soul away.
Difficult stuff, this, to make anything
Of. Nor can it be truthfuIIy said that
the most was made of it. Miss Wycher-
ley, on whom the whole burden of pro-
duction fell, must, however, be con-
graduated on the success obtained
with her material, and in the limited
time of one weeks preparation She
herself showed eminently poetic feel
ing in both her conception and acting
of the part of Marie. She has fine
simplicity, a native sincerity, that
augur very pleasantly for Miss
WycherIey's future The fairy of Miss
Hobart, a peculiarly difficult part. was
very well undertaken It had much of
the needful elfin and aIoof quality. Miss
Jennie Weideman succeeded fairly well
as the mother-in-law, and Melvin Hunt
as the father. The Shawn of William
Stack was neither fish, flesh, nor fowl
nor yet Mr.. Yeats good red herring.
and Charles Lambs Father Hart
possessed little more character. The
parts, indeed, are ones to be afraid Of.
Much more opportunity Miss Wych-
erIy had in 1.-The Hour Glass in which
Mr.. Yeats goes approaching in Every
man. fashion. AS the fool, Teigue,
who teaches truth to the wise man,
the actress showed again rare poetic
instinct, and further technical grace.
Her lines, and very beautiful are some
of the phrases and fancies given to
Teigue, were charmingly delivered
Miss Grace Goodalrs angel was good
enough for a stained glass window, so
far as looks go. Her acting also showed
an intelligence and feeling that per-
suaded the audience to a hearty round
of applause. Mr.. Lamb was the wise
man. who has sown the whole country
side with error. and who has the turn
10 of the hour glass to live. He was
much more adequate here, though in
s,....clent. Quite good work was that
done by Crosby Leonard and Lester
Alden as two students, and Miss
Weideman filed in acceptably as the
wise mans wife. And for the worthily
ambitious young actress who has given
the local playgoer the opportunity to
see these plays, flower of the most
modern genius, there is heartiest praise
BLANCHE PARTINGTON.
Love is mighty sweet, but money is