The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-09-16
ACTRESS
GIVES ART TO
DELG|ANS
Madame Maurice Maeter-
linck and Members Of
Sarah Bernhardt Theater
Produce Pelleas and Melis-
ande Under Unusual Con-
ditions.

~"
Caudebcc-en-cnux. Normandy,
France. Aug. zs.-anahme Nnurlre
linck. better known IA Europe undef
the atage name % Georrefts Leblanc.
Insisted by various membefs 81 the
company OF the sa7uh nernhnrdf the
alter. recently made q suhstn ntial IA,
ditlon to the funds oC he HelFisn 70
lief work from the proceeds of a rare
performance OF ''Pelleas and unlls-
apde" In the grounds and halls 90
the Abby Of 81. wandrilfe. A. a pteue
Of histrionlc art the performances was
regarded BY critics az a distinct lri-
umph. As a means OF raising money
for NJ. Mnetcrijnck's aufrrinf cam
p%atriota. by charging forty dnilarn per
ticket and limiting h number sold
10 a very carefully chosen circle Of
people. the performances wna equally
successful.
The ancient Abby ~ s. ,,sandriIie.
which was estab1 shed In the year
GSf-thouah very few architectural
relics OF that early date remain
lcnsd itself wonderfully 10 she out
of-door presentation OF such medlae-
val dramas as those OF the belgian
poet. The very scent OF rank UNDER
growth In the grounds leads the spec
: tator back q the long ago. Towering
/ arches. standing alone among whist
seem the trees OF an almost virgin
forest; paths that might b the road
Tristan and 1seult trnyeicf 10 1oyeuae
Garde. quaint circular fountains sur
rounded by Expresses In gracefully
cultivated hollows; the massive gates
and the vaulted archea OF the ambu-
l~atOry--all contribfte 10 create the
atmosphere demanded for a nympn-
thetic setting to the story.
The novelty of this a.. Wandrille
performances lies In the movlng or
the audience about from place / o
/ place instead OF n resettina OF the
stage. The spectators follow the ac-
tors 10 the spot In building OF grounds
most appropriate for the presentation
OF the scene about to be enecicd.
There are no footlights, no stage for
setting. Tho man In the moon IL the
/ electrician, and the stage nj set t.
self. Occasionally the audience u
called upon TO imagine a river near
whose edge the action takes place and
which nature and the Benedictlne
monks failed to provide; hut such de-
tails are unessential.
The scene az the tower. where Mel
iaande let's her Ions, golden hair
Itrickle. down the stones 20 the lips OF
Pellcas. Is peculiarly effective. The
tower Is there. Il has been there Tor
nino hundred years The window l.
high-out OF reich. aa u must be to
/ nt the scene. Yet n few fragments Of
| stone work from the ruined walls.
| scattered az the foot OF the tower. en-
| able Pcilcas to climb high enough Just
10 ouch the outstretchcd hand OF
| Mciisande. The scene IN the crypt. 80
difficult To stage with conviction here
h played M u were 'soff stnge"-out
Of tho sight OF the audience. behind
hagc, Changing iron gates, through
which pellcas and his brother have
been seen 70 pass, and through which
the spectators. without seeing the act
ors, hear their conversation over h
bottomless wells that underile the
castle.
In ito technical aspects b pre-
sentation Is most satisfying. The tuo
evident canvas Of the familiar rocks
OF the theater; the wallis whose edges
have been smutte3 by the constant
handling OF stage handa. the purely
artificial effects Of distance sought
hut SO rarely attained BY me stage
carpenter--these little shocks 10 his
artistic soul the spectator Is spared az
81. WandrIlle. Add that the very psh-
ers are In dress Of the middle ages
that the paths from n part OF the
ground Ia another ara III by baronlal
retainers In costume. holding afoft
torches appropriate 20 the period. and
the perfection OF III Illusion 80 rare
~ achievement II evident.
The acting OF MADAME Maeteriinck
aud her friends was admirable. Tho
effect OF childish Innocence In Melis-
ande which Ge0rgette Leblanc makes
"a living fact 90 the eyes and hearts
Of her audience IL a piece 81 the M u
exquisite artistry.
"And NJ Maeterllnck-lsn't he
hero2"
Dear me. no, It's an old story 10
hint when he has written a play
there's IN end of e with him. he'a
somewhere on the Riviera"
sacrincc sale OF electric light nx
lures. A chance 90 save money.