The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-28
IT is usually thankless task to ap

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pear in the role of an iconoclast.
Carrie Nation, among recent image
breakers, found that out even before
she passed her first day in a cell.
There is no idol so ugly but there be
many to do it reverence, and the
| iconoclast must step on some kneel-
| ing figures before he can get a iree-
arm swing at the idol. If ne is a
timid iconoclast he begins by side
stepping somewhat after the fashion
of this prelude. IN the stone age the
critic would have destroyed the i'm
age first and apologiZed afterward.
Maurice Maeterlincb has been some
thing of an iconoclast throughout his
poetic career, and so he ought not TO
object if one of his own idols IS
knocked on the head rather roughly.
After all it is. merely for the purpose
of splitting of chip and not of de-
stroying the idol utterly
To begin with, "The Blue Bird
is not dramatic Perhaps it never was
intended 10 be so. In that case it was
meant never TO be staged except IN
the imagination of the poet. 1t IS
impossible TO give TO such airy moth
ings the local habitation Of the
theater. 1.-The Blue Bird is an idyl
with about as much Of the dramatic
spirit in 1t as Tennyson : LaDcclot
and Elaine.
II this is a departure from the accept
ed attitude OF the critics toward the
stage production of The Blue Bird at
least IL found an apparent justihca ton
at the Salt Lake during the first scenes
OF this remarkable pageant play. To-
ward the close the enthusiasm began to
grow and many OF the more striking
scenes were appla uded with much spirit.
Always. however, the beautiful stage
pictures, ballets. costumes and light and
color effects fascinated attention. It is
In these features that the fantasy eXcels.
For the children 'rhe Blue Bird is
simply wonderful fairy story; TO men
and women its symbolism is the element
a little girl and boy who set out under
the guidance OF Light" to find ''The
Blue Bird which is happiness. The
trst and last scenes picture the boy
The pursuit OF happiness ends where II
began, IN the CHEEKY home with father
and mother This is 10 teach that we
may circle the globe and explore the
stars In search Of happiness and find it
not, and yet awake some marvellous
morning TO discover it in our own souls.
The Blue Bird is the pagan concep-
ton OF the pursuit OF happiness with a
spirit is anti Christian. for both ideas
may be harmonlZcd by the philosopher.
There is much insistence on the fact that
Light must lead us on, whether II be
the Kindly Light" OF the Christian
hymn writer or the pagan Light" OF
Maeteriinck. But Christian or pagan, VIC
cannot but realize the Importance OF the
central idea OF this poem, VIZ. That
modern science is a light that IL leading
US away from many supersttions that
darkened the lives OF men and women
in bygone ages. that ii is elimina TING
somo OF the chief causes OF misery, such
as disease and dirt, and is slowly but
surely providing condition OF individual
well being that VIII go far 10 stamp out
unclesnness. In this sense Light" Is
supplementing the work OF religion as II
never did before
The production at the Salt Lake thea
ter last night was admirable for a road
show which must be In such shape that
II can be transported rapidly from city
TO city and adapt Itself TO the various
stages. Not In a long time have such
bewltching stage pictures been seen al
the salt Lake. Necessarily certain
scenes that add TO the poetic Illusion
OF the play have been discarded. but this
has been done with such Judgment rhat
the story is readily understood and ap-
preciated even by those who are not
familiar with the original work
The picture possibilities OF the plav
can be conjectured merely from the titles
OF some OF the scenes. for example. The
Fairy Berylune's Palace, the Land OF
Memory. the Kingdom OF The Past the
Kingdom Of the Future, the Palace OF
Light and the Land OF Happiness But
while many scenes are rich In paGeantrv
none is richer In humor, sprlghtllness
and Interest than the home scene in
tire woodcuttcr's cottage at the end OF
the play
The leading roles OF course. are those
OF Tyliyl. !mpersonated by Burford
IiaWpden and Mvtyi enacted by Editha
Kelly. Both are charWiuciT naive and
yet conyinciuGy artistic. The chief his-
trionir Eon0rs arc perhaps due to Bur
ford iiamrdeu. and this T. high praise
IN view OF the great and varied talents
displayed b. the many players IN tbis
elaborate production
The play was witnessed last night by
an audience that Alled the theatcr