Evening star., 1919-04-27
Music and Drama

ing OF tales psychological,
with the daintiness and deli
IL cacy that belong alone to
Fairyland, was to be expected
to. ind a theme In the world war. He
10 a poet of optimism and never before
in all the worlds history has there
been greater need for one. The
world. after its stupendous tragedy, Is
now cropping along the virgin trail Of
a now civilization. II is again seeking
a place il the sunlight. The clouds of
crims are gradually rolling away and
humanity's one great thought now is
of reconstruction, not alone in things
and methods that deal with the ma
teriAi. but in matters that lift the
mind and heart to things spiritual
The destruction wrought In malice
against places and property can and
will be repaired In time by the hands
Of man. Beauty and comfort will be
missed for a while, but eventually the
rose will blossom in no-man's land
and the sunshine will bring warmth
and plenty to comfort the cold and
feed the hungry. War has rained the
blasts Of hell far and wide. Peace will
remove the scars and the old world
will go on its way again much as 1t
has gone through the thousands of
years of Its eventful history.
But the blasts of waS gave done
more than efYace homes an2 s,.rn the
smiling lands to a desert wast.< Mil
lions Of hearts are heavy with gxsef
Sar loved ones who have paid the sa-
creme sacrifice. Something above the
natural order of things must COM
fort them. IL they are to be COM
forted. Many there are in the bitter
ness OF their personal sorrow who
turn away from the solace of ordi-
nary times. Words will not assuage
their misery, even religion falls TO
bring them peace. 1t Is to these and
to ali who mourn for loved ones lost
lhat Barrie turns with "A Well Re
membered Voice" The play Is almost
propaganda-like. and yet its very lines
seem to fiEht its purpose: beyond an, ana
abovA all rises its main message tnat
the Great Law, which causes the dead
moon and the distant stars to reject
the suns radiant beams. also bright.
ems the pathway In the world Deyono
with the sunshine radiated oy the
loved ones here. Love renects love,
ana grief and sorrow must find their
reflex somewhere in this mysterious
universe. This thought is the CHIEF
merit Of the pathetic little story OF
Barrie, which il lived with lifeifke
realism by Mr. Arliss and his splen-
did company 1
The large and enthusiastic audw
ences- that filled the National nightly
during the week gave ample evidence
Of some things the public wants In
the way Of dramatic entertainment;
its encomfums from the critics and
was laid away with the label OF
delightful epitaph. It was fitting,
therefore, that 1t should come to life
again during the Easterttde and
share with the distinguished player
who brought it the joys born Of its
revival More like the old English
comedy which the baldhead and
gray-haired youth of other days loves
to extol than much of the modern
contributions Of wit and humor. 1t
carries with It the sense of delight
full entertainment. whose only alloy
was perhaps suggested by Mr.. Arliss
himself. that Molluscry has its dis
ciples among the men as well as
among the women.
.sunshins." radiant with the spring
and rich in the colors and tints of the
rainbow, came and conquered with its
freshness and It's charm. And in its
going IT carries the good wishes of
those who saw and admired 1t. Messrs. !
Shaw and Johnstone. who created the !
production, have made an auspicious !
beginning in their new field of en- |
deavor. The Belasco and the Garrick |
divided the patronage of the week, !
the one with a dramatic offering un- I
der the tongue OF good report, and
the other offering perhaps balm for |
the lassitude Of the business world |
The panorama presented on the |
stage. much like the procession of
real life, moves on apace and in its !
time presents men and women as !
they are and also as human manu- |
facturers sometimes like to make |
them. Tho crowded hour may bring |
the sunahfne or the storm, the hu-
H,er.ef< NE or its tragedy. it's melo-
dies or. its moaning. So 1t will be to
the last ''nightie night" that pre-
cedes the Anal sleep. from whose |
awakening fairer world may bring
again the sound Of a we'll remem-
bered voice in the land beyond the
veil"