New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31
IN WIGS AND WINGS
Trailing Behind the Children and Spying
Out What Sort of Plays They Like

they get st first, stimulates their in
terest,"
We have no desire 20 conhne the dis
cussion exclusively TO intelligent chill
dren For our purpose il would be bet
ter TO include those children who grow
up TO be newspaper men. 1t might also
be we'll TO exclude female children, for
little women are often such COMPOUNDED
hypocrites that it is impossible 70 tell
what they really like.
As to the concrete case Of the man
ner in which a youthful audience re-
ceived "The Travelling Man" last Tues
day, we can summon for our side the
two other dramatic critics who attend
ed the performance. Dir. Louis Defoe
said in The World": "The intermedi-
ate play, The Travelling Man though
imaginatively it was the finest Of the
three, was probably least enjoyed by
the juvenile audience" Alexander
Woollcott said in "The Times: ats
place in a children's programme is sim
ply ineIplicable."
The play in question Is a beautiful
and dramatic telling of an Irish legend
in which a woman once befriended by
Christ in the form of fair and shin
ing stranger refuses him a handful OF
-four when he appears 20 her years
later as a ragged beggar from of the
roads. One little fellow cried out TO his
mother two OF three times during the
course Of the performance. -Who is
that man ?" but he seemed more Petu-
liant than pleased at being puzzled.
We refuse 70 accept the opinion Of
our correspondent in regard to the
literary tastes Of children IN spite OF
her long experience as q teacher OF the
young. Indeed, this puts her in danger
Of falling into the very common error
Of confusing what children ought TO
ike with what they like. 1t must be
remembered that the child Is not free
feeder in literary or dramatic fare. He
must take what is handed to him, and
so q number Of works have endured FOR
wears as children's books, although they
seldom arouse enthusiasm in the young
One OF these is alice in Wonderland.
Lewis Carroll is far too subtle a hu-
morist TO gain the honest laughter Of
the young. Up TO the age Of ten and
a few years beyond they are pre-Eliz-
abethan in their sense of humor.
A child cares nothing for abstract
things. lie must see or taste or feel
phrase don't touch" is necessary sign
in the toy shops. Because q child is H.
logical he is often credited with the
possession Of those fine fancies which
arc above logic The mind Of the child
i, whimsical, rather than imaginative.
The Blue Bird" for instance, is finer
and more imaginative play than Peter
Pan" but Barrie is better loved by the
young.
The Blue Bird" puzzles children be-
cause Masterlinck talks necessarily
about happiness. which is a quality
and not about Indians. pirates, croco-
eiles which have swallowed clocks and
ether tangible things.
The grown-up may thrill II he pleases
when Peter Pan cries pm youth, eter-
nal youth! I'm the sun rising; I'm
poets singing; I'm the new world; I'm
q little bird that has broken out OF the
egg. I'm JOY! joyl joy" That is tosh
70 the youngster. He would rather wait
for the moment when tho ittlest boy
kills pirate after pirate until he IS in
torrupted by wendy's exclamation
isn't this terrible." Whereupon the
littlest boy dries his sword upon MS
trouser leg and replies, 81 like 1t; ] like
@ very much
In awarding the children TO Barrie
AID away from Maeterlinck We depend
on more than theory. "Peter Pan" never
fails TO pack the Empire Theatre matt
nees, while The Blue Bird" failed
u,iscrably when brought TO town last