The Washington herald., 1909-05-08
WASHINGTON CHAT.
BY THE SPECTATOR.

N--S F~SP'S S41" HOlBlng ABOUT. things
that stand at their door. and YET they
do not appreciate. while at the antipodes.
perhaps people Of a different race and
speaking different language are in
/ touch with them, for there IS = Free
Masonry among those Of similar tastes
and ambitions. especially among artists
and literary folk and other members 0,
Bohemia. and they. one and all. possess
a shibboleth that unlocks the holy OF
holes Of their kind
Such thing is the Bohemian Club OF
Z San Francisco. the fame Of which has
/ travelled ali over the universe II IS
known wherever one OF the brotherhood
Of Bohemia exists; yet to those not OF
the elect, here in its own home, it is
a closed book; yet what Il has accom-
plished in the three decades since il
was founded deserves 10 be widely
known. even among Phllstnes. that they
may be awakened out OF their sluggish
ness.
The grove-plays OF The Bohemian Club
were an old story when Ben Greet began
his outdoor performances. and It IS not
too high praise 10 say that nowhere In
The world to-day have performances in
the open reached such a high state OF
excellence One Of its members. Porter
Garrett. sets forth all Of this in a little
book published not quite a year ago.
which has already done much TO make
the links" Of the Bohemian Club ia
miliar to the public Just yhv thev
are called jinks must be explained. for
the title in no way indicates the
character Of the plays, which are serious.
dignihed, and literary. with wonderful
scenic effects. but was Inherited from The
early festivals less literary and formal
II character. The meetings OF the Bo-
hemians take place near the fun moon
II August OF July. in the redwood for
ests IN California; hence the designation
grove-play- The text Of the play is writ
ten oy member OF the club. nd the
accompanying music by some master
VINO IS on its rolls. ArnphItheater. and
stage are in glade Of the forest. and
tne seats for the audience are heusp
from redwood logs There is no scenery.
save the mystical forest itself. and NJ
lights except on the stage and in tho
orchestra pit Could a more appealing
environment be imagined for the great
eoncourse of art lovers gathered there7
TIE glade In the dark forest. the rustic
seats-natUre's stage-and the splendid
music that echoes and re-echoes through
the forest that proceeds the opening OF
the play, all OF which is best described
in Mr. Garnett's OWE words:
slowly, mysteriously. the only curtain.
which IS one OF darkness. is lifted. and
the stage is lighted by artificial means.
cunningiy disguised. augmenting the
placid rays Of the moon The action
OF the play begins Now the voice Of an
actor rises Tythm1calIy fl a passage Of
poetry; now q trOup Of choristers sing
mighty chant. while the orchestra leaps
70 their aid with a great volume OF sound
that fills every recess Of the grove splen-
did figures. IN auras or light that seem
10 emanate from their persons. appear
al various points OF the hillside and take
part in tie action, q band OF dancers run
upon the stage and perform a sylvan
dance with graCiie waVings OF branches
or the ciinkiDg Of cymbals Again and
again through this fabric Of poetry
music and Spectacle. the maIefcsnt spirit
Of care obtrudes his hideous presence,
utteriDg threats and vituperation, only
70 be discoTforted in the end by some
god or hero, who pe-sOnifies the spirit OF
goodness and right. and who IS The savior
Of the gTOve and its denizens. This de-
nouemenI. achieved n suegory or By
symbolism. is finally resolved by the
death or care.
There Is something in the spiritual
content OF this composite art-poetry,
music. mise-en-scene. aided by the min
istry Of nature the spell Of the forest.
and OF the night that subjugates the
soul L exerts a subtle hypnotisn over
the emotions: It leads one gently through
ITS mysteries, only tc wheim the visual
sense at the end with a spectacle which
sophistication cannot rob Of its surpass-
ing wonder This is the Illumination or
the hillside. which Is coincident with the
end OF the performance. Gradual. at
frst-a rosy glow on the far hilltop-it
grows in unison with the music. Until.
with the chorus and orchestra on the
last triumphal chord. the hillside is
swept with an avalanche o light and the
grove-play Is over The ceremony known |
as the Cremation OF Care follows, after
which there IS midnight supper and. |
stin later. the low jinks"
The Bohemian Club started IN ISIS. with /
ess than 1oo members. In the more than /
a quarter Of a century since then its /
has grown TO nearly loo. /
and It's roster contains some Of the best 4
known OF the literary men. musicians. (
and artists OF America. VIII Irwin. who 4
has made an enviable record. both in !
journalism and fiction. is al active men,
Ter OF the club. and wrote the Hama
irysds FOR rs performance n 1854. Charles
K. Field. the editor OF the Sunset Maya
line. is also g notable member. Among
he musicians IS Humphrey John Stew
are. who for the last seven OF eight years
las been Organist Of ST Dominic's Church
2 San Francisco. and was for A time
musical critic for the san Francisco Ex-
lriner and the San Francisco Evening
Pest Mr.. Stewart, il win be remem-
)ered. was the founder OF the American
Suild OF Organists IN New York. and his
which include the ''Nativ-
y, an oratorio. and mass IN D minor.
lave been received with the appreciation
hey merit. Another musician who IS
prominent In the club Is Louis Lisser. an
Liumi1us OF the University Of Berlin.
Royal Academy of Arts. and the ROYAL
High School Of Music OF Berlin, and a
'ianist Of International fame. Gelett Bur
'ess. who's 5ook, Are You q Bromide?'
would have won him fame had ne not
iready gained 1t. when he lived IN Cali
ornia and edited the Wave and then the
ark, took leading part In the jinks OF
he Bohenians. and in collaboration with
. fellow-member wrote the text for one
z their plays. Jack London IS also a
eading luninary OF the club, and George
sterling needs no introduction. In fact.
he club roster includes all the artists
rfrsicfa-s onS litn-nr.- 49, - A.. n