The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-29
THE DEAD LIVE ONLY IN MEMORY
So Says Maeterlinck in THE Blue Bird in Which Is
Symbolized One of the Great Mysteries of Ex-
Observation-Disclosures Procedure.

convenient after their release for that
purpose.
The serial rights to Fran" may be
running in half dozen or more publ
cations, as the serial and book publ
cation may be simultaneous.
Attention Is called to The Prodigal
Judge" a novel which had great vogue
within the year and whose publica-
ton in serial form began long after the
story appeared as a book Richmond
readers will remember its appearance
in the indianapolis Star"
Books received for review may not
be in the least interesting to the liter
airy editor But it is his, or her. pro-
fessional duty to give them fair hear
ing before that portion of the public
which reads the paper in which they
are noticed.
The foregoing is for those who like
to know how the wheels go round
and to set right evident erroneous
ideas of why book notices appear in
the Palladium.
The dramatization of Materlinck' s
Blue Bird Is, in its way, triumph
of stage art over that OF literature.
For rare, indeed, is the attempt to
transfer the fine essence of the latter
to the former successful.
Materlinck, curiously enough, is
first a dramatist, then a litterateur.
Writing in symbols he still has con-
stantly in the background Of his con-
hoi thoo trin oSe ioo
Hence their vizualization Is convinc-
ing, especially when staged with such
consummate art as is THE Blue Bird.
For, without it's scenic appurten-
ances, the play of this name would be
unintelligible and wearisome. Half of
its success with the public must be at
tributed to the craft of the theatric
artist and the theatric taste of the
management under whose auspices it
appears.
This was at it's apogee in the scenes,
"The Kingdom Of the Future" and
"The Land of Happiness"
In the former the unborn children
appear clad in short white
tunics and draped with transparent
shimmering wells giving them the il
lusory character they possess in the
book Up flight of steps stands
Time" with his scythe, a figure of
tremendous impressive silhouetted
against a brilliant cloud strewn sky,
boat swinging in and stopping by his
hand.
From this point of vantage he calls
the children who are to be born, the
hesitation of some, the joy of the 9TH
ers, in their earth summons, making
the dramatic and intellectual appeal.
In the latter. the scene painter has
achieved a climax that can be likened
to nothing more than a combination of
the effects from the brush of the great
modern mural painter, Puvis de Chav-
annes, and that of the old Italian mas
ter Botticelli-for this stage picture
Is reminiscent, in spirit and decorative
effect of Boticelli's Spring" a COM
position familiar in reproduction to the
general public.
The Blue Bird" Is founded on a
fairy tale that has been variously
utilized by writer's and artists but in
M@terlinck's is symbolized as a search
for happiness although this is not
made as clear in the stage version as
play-goers might desire.
To vizualize at all conception SO
Elusive and symbolic is, as has just
been said, a triumph of stage and
dramatic art and in the presentation
of the Blue Bird" 1t is interpreted
with as much clarity as is, perhaps,
possible.
Happiness lies not in that which is
afar but that which is close and init
mate is the conclusion Of the play.
But in THE Land of Memory" Mae
terlinck's play is lifted out of the sym.