The Washington herald., 1914-05-03
Last Week of Local Theatrical Year Unusually Interesting
SIDNEY M. HIRSCH
LITERARY GENIUS
His Greek Pageant Described
by Noted Educator as Hav-
ing the Lyrical Ecstacy Of
Shelley"
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.
Exchange. on New York avenue. where
daily rehearsals are in progress for The
Fire Regained," the Greek pageant
drama which win be presented in this
city by some Loo local people this
month, you win fnd a very reserved
young chap either directing the grouping
or else sitting In some remote corner, his
dark. serious eyes fixed upon the distant
horizon with an expression that tells you
that he Is not aware of his surroundings
at all. And even when you have at
tracted his attention to the fact that you
are there to talk to him you will not have
chased the dreams from his eyes-not
even then, nor yet any other time, be-
cause the dreams are woven into the
fiber Of the very being Of Mr.. Sidney N
Hirsch, and you cannot but glimpse them
through his great dark eyes.
Then you mention the approachins
pageant and at once you know that you
have touched the well-spring of Mr..
Hirsch's heart. Into the dream-haunted
eyes a smile creeps slowiy-the sort of
smile which lights the face Of a woman
when one praises her bestowed child
and in tust another little moment he has
forgotten everything else and IL ready
to tell you how precious Il this offspring
OF his brain to him
TT is not widely known and understood
that Greek drama was primarily and e.
sentially religious IN character, and IN
direction differs more than any other
from modern drama" he told me.
The plays IN Greece were produced
under sacredotal authority. In fact, all
who were connected with the production
were Of a religious persuasion Ths
Greek word for actor, interpreted. Is
moral teacher. Dramas themselves were
sacred allegories, and had their source In
religious myths.
"Our nearest modern approach to
Grecian drama IL that Of the Passion
Play at Oberammergau. But TO the Greek
the play meant far more than to q mod
ern audience, for. firstly, n he was one Of
the multitude, mythologicsi Illusions and
names Of the gods were very familiar 10
him, and caused a ready association IN
his mind. for there were given. during
the year. and from his childhood he was
present at many religious festivals IN
honor OF these detties-
Again in the production Of the drama
the poet aimed at an artistry. technique,
connoisseur and the artist. and lastly
there was the aIlegory. the recond1te. in
ner truth for the philosopher and schoI-
ar" he ended.
In writing The Fire Resafner' Mr.
Hirsch says that he did not attempt to
follow all the recognized canons Of
Grecian art. but kept three or four fun
damentai phases IN mind.
The theme Of his classic drama 10 sus-
gested by IT'S title. The Fire Resained.-
which alludes to the fire kept continually
h,Yr- O., he - 49,
virgins. II was believed that II at any
time this fire ceased to burn It was an
expression OF the wrath OF Olympus be-
cause one Of its maidenly tenders had
been false TO her vows. The pageant has
to do with the supposed falsity Of one Of
the hre-attending virgins. the tests to
which she Is subjected to prove her guilt.
and the final establishment of her inno-
cence.
There is no doubt that Tennessee has
given to the world q literary genius who
will take his place beside the most dis
tinguished men Of literary history and
fame. for Mr.. Hirsch's THE Fire Re-
gained is a poetic masterpiece
In letter written by DR.. Little. dean
of Peabody College. the noted educator
says OF Mr.. Hirsch and his Greek
pageant:
TN the spectacle-drama, The Fire Re-
gained, written by Mr.. Sidney HirSCh,
the author has meant to produce a PLAY
in the spirit of the Greeks. He explicitly
denies the limitations of the ancient
Greek drama and has allowed himself a
wide choice of elements both ancient and
medieval such as Bayard Taylor has
used in his Prince Deukalion' and Shell
ley in his Prometheus Unbound
''As a drama The Fire Resained' seems
to me TO have some Of the real breadth
and solidity OF world literature. There
breathes through 1t the spirit OF the
Greeks, of the Renaissance. Of the great
creative ages. In its beauty. profunditv.
and spiritual suggestiveness IL reminds
me strongly OF Maeterlinck's Blue Bird
In its lyrical ecstacy 1t even reaches the
perfection of Shelley"
And while Mr.. Hirsch's round resonant
voice fingered tenderly over some Of the
lines from the little volume which h.
read aloud TO me, I was tempted to add
to DR.. Lfttles eulogy still further trfh-
ute, II indeed more can be said than the
dean has said already.
Mr.. Hirsch Is at present preparing .
play for the Liebler company to serve
Duse as vehicle in this country next
year. the theme and scene being italian.
and is also under contract to the same
producers to remakc an Esyption drama
which he has written, into a Chinese play
to At the stuperdous production OF The
Daughter Of Heaven" the beautiful spec
tacle which cost a fortune and brought
such small financial returns.