New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
A FAIRY PLAY
Mdeterlinck's Pant0mime In.
rality.

hopes OF Mr.. Herbert Trench's nauazs
ment- Staged with exquisite taste ara
enacted with sparkling vivacity. Maetsr-
hncks fairy play. The Blue BIRD
pleases the eye. informs the mind and
enriches the Imagination In "Pa-,-
Pan" fairyland is seen as il is refrac-sa
through the mind Of a child with -.
whimsical effects Of topsy-turvydorn- n
MaeterIinck's play fairyland appears az
a mirage illumined by the imagiua+io,
Of a poet. The methods are 80 unJ5ss
that. although each play starts in IL.
nursery with the fight OF children irto
unknown realms. there is no other point
OF resemblance between them. one has
the iridescent radiance OF wit and the
ether has beauty OF symbolism and emo
tional power Of impressive imagerv.
Maeterlinck's rs a dream PLAY
woodcutter's children. Tyltyl and Mvrv'.
fall asleep on Christmas eve ana dream
Of a visit from Fairy BeryIune. and a uti-
grimage in quest Of the Blue Bird. which
stands for happiness and will cure N.
sick playmate next door The bov mn.
on a green cap with a big diamond
ablaze in the Cockade. and he ana h;z
sister see the soul inside everything.
Plates and dishes begin 10 shine and
70 rotate. fairies come in swarm. rhs
clocks face grins with satisfaction ard
the twelve hours run out as ravishsrz
maids and dance for JOY. So the SCARF
for the Blue Bird starts OF rnerrily. bur
the bird caught in the Land OF Memoir
turns as black as crow, the winged
creatures OF the Kingdom OF the Fut,.-s
flush a rosy pink. and those taken In ths
gloomy Palace OF Night die IN Their
hands It Is not until the children
awake in their beds and are told BY
their parents that they have been dream
ing that they discover that the bird in
the cage beside their bed Is blue. and
when they give II TO the nsighbor's sick
daughter she RECEIVERS. Happiness has
been close at hand in the humble cot
tage. only the children have not had
their eyes opened
1t was the wonderful diamond that en-
abled them 70 look beneath the surface
end 70 gather about them a strange
retinue for their journeys. Light ed
the way. and a graceful maid was shs
in her shimmering robes OF gold and sl-
yer. Water vas a nymph in green and
gray. with long wig. and Fire, IN fam
ing red tights. danced with her and TOR
mented her. Bread staggered about
with q big paunch out OF which he could
carve quarter loaves when the children
were hungry: Milk was a pale faced
maiden. and Sugar had 2 blue and vnlis
cloak and a conicaI head dress. and rs
long fingers could be broken into pieces
when lolIipors were wanted WIKI
single turn OF the diamond the soul oc
the house cat was liberated. and. SLEEK
and treacherous. he joined the company
with whiskers bristling and a curling tai
behind white spats and black knes
breeches- The faithful dog vas also
translated into brown dress coat hsn-
breeches and top boots. and while ~
could Gamer about and wag his tai as
of old he could do what he had never
done beforsspeak 10 his human god
With the gift Of enlightenment came %
the children the power or seeing VIA
was within the elements OF life. The ror-
est trees the animals and birds. and
even the stars.
The first haluing place was the Lanc
of Memory. where CATER and GaEnnsf
and sister and brother were found un-
changed from life. They kissed anu
hugged the children. enjoyed their soup
and tart. and even boxed the chilorenS
ears: but the old man could not SMOKE.
for he had broken his pipe They Vers
asleep when their loved ones On earn
forgot about them. but awake anu un-
changed when those left behind tnousn-
about them lovingly.
From this peaceful abode the treacn-
erous cat led the way into forest anu
ins1igated a revolt Of trees and anlIr,ais
against the human kind as rePresen'ea
by the wandering children Tne gar
Oak recalled the woOdcutter's INVASION
of the leafy thickets, and rallied EN-
beech. lime. birch. chestnut. IVY, poplar
and willow 10 the attack upon ths CHI
dren. Wolf. bear. bull. pig, sheep. COW
horse. ass. rabbit and cock made co"-
mon cause with the trees in this coz
fiict OF nature with human kind II
dog alone was faithful. and kept h'
horde OF adversaries al bay until Lsn1
appeared and spirited the children oui u
danger Neither trees nor animals Wei'
represented in the coarse style OF coz
ventiOnaI pantomirne. but their idsnu's
was effectively suggested BY suorier Ah@
more ingenious methods.
MaeterlinCk does not wish that chp-
dren should be terTor-stricken with 'n7
thought OF death. He takes the tN0
wanderers at midnight 20 the cere'e''
wall and forces them 70 enter the sa'e
alone. even the dog being kept outsias
II is a scene OF rare beauty. Win 'n'
LEAKAGE OF expresses massed N the ee'
tire and a shimmering light on grave
stones and grassy mounds. The diaraoh'
flashes and the dead are summoned. pa
there are no ghOstly shapes. no creepih>
horrors. Instantly the cemetery Is tra''7
formed into fairy garden hioonihs
with lilies and irradiated with gone"
light. Bees are droning. birds are SIZES
ing and angelic melodies are attunec -
the beauty Of the scene. Where are 'n'
dead2" asks the astOuished My'.
There are no dead" exclains Tyi'NA
with the diamond in his cap. out OK tn'
gloom of the graveyard has CONS 'h'
hope of immOrtality-the radiant sio''
OF perfected life.
From the Kingdom OF the Past 'ns