Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-06-29
Polls.

Maurice Maeterlincks fantasy THE
Blue Bird" is an ambitious undertaking
for a stock company, because there are
many practical difficulties to overcome.
Yet the play was launched by the Poll
Players last night with probably more
success than may have been generally an
ticipafed Aided with much of the origi-
nal stage property in which The Blue
Bird" was originally feathered, and by
tricks of lighting and costuming handled
by experts, the production this week is
commended by many whose memory re
tains wildly the pictures of the original
production of this quaint and beautl1ui
allegory.
II is an odd freak of the imagination.
this story of Tyltyl and Myltyl and their
search for the blue bird of happiness
in company with the souls of their dog
and cat, sugar. milk. fire and water
Stripped of the attractiveness of mechani-
cal stage effects, the lines might require
deep study to comprehend But embel-
lished with the art of the modern stage
director the play becomes pageant for
older folks and for children alike to en-
JOY. The rather deep philosophy becomes
lost in the fairy story, which in turn is
lost in the whring dances OF the sprites
who play the part of the twelve hours.
the stars and the spirits of the mist The
conception which gives the play mo-
mentary happy character. known as The
Joy Of Being Well.' also gives the child
Tyltyl the world-old. wearying remark
that the dead are not wicked because
they are not alive"
The story Of 1.-The Blue Bird" doubt
less well known. deals with the search
for happiness. typified in the bird itself,
which is never found until the little boy
and girl reach their own home after mar
Vicious adventures in an original fairy
land. In the Poll performance the mar
wells of local interest are Mary and Doris
Eaton, two Washington children, who as
sumo the roles Tyltyl and MyltyI, the
boy and girl of the story. The role of
Tyltyl Is said ODE one of the longest
parts for a child TO play in the memory
of modern theatergoers Mary Eaton. as
unconsciously sweet q child actor can
be imagined, puts into her part life and
even soul rejecting evident compre-
hens1on of what the blue bird is. Aside
from being letter perfect in the difficult
hnes, she is a charming little girl actor
Her little sister Doris, in less con-
spicuous. but Just as sweet-a role. clings
70 her throughout and the two present
an aIiur1nS picture.
John NJ. Kline. the we'll known Wash
ington actor. assumes a variety Of roles
including Daddy Tyl. CATER Tyl and
Fatner Time. His physical presentation
of this latter leaves nothing to be sue-
gesAd. He handles -the scythe and long
beard as we'll as he handles the character
part of CATER Tyl in the saddest scene
in the entire play-the Land of Memory.
Louis Haines is the dog. and right good
barking actor he is, while Russell Fillmore
makes realistic. whining, scratching
sNcophantic cat. Albert Roscoe is kissing
FIRE, at continual odds with Water. played
oy Rose Macdonald. in "a dripping CO.'S
rune The role of Mummy Tyl, the chill
arens mother. is played by Miss Selma
seymour of the original Blue Bird COM
pany, who also is the stage manager of
Ine present performance. The Fairy
Serylune. who gives the children the won
derful magic hat. is Helen Tracy; Sugar.
With his stick-of-candy fingers, is Rob
err Lowe; Light is Maud Gilbert, and
Teresa Dale Is Night. The dancers and
.ne nttle children MI the stage from time
to time and make the pictures con,nia,e
IN every essential