The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-04
M E N w o M EN
 A ND HIN G s

This quatrain from Omar, the tent maker of the Orient, who has been called the Voltaire of the east, came immediate ly into my mind when l learned that Tony Sarg's Marionettes were to give three benefit performances here under the patronage of the Linly Hefln unit at the Jefferson theatre on Friday and Sat urday for the benefit of the Alabama sChildren's Aid society.
 True it is that the verse quoted is more Appropriate to the Ombres Chinoises per formances than to the Marionettes, as the former are carried on by means Of the shadows f figures projected upon stretched sheet of thin calico or a gauge scene painted as transparency. The cardboard flat figures being held behind the screen, illuminated from behind, the performers supporting each figure by a long wire held in one hand while wires from all movable parts terminate in rings which are inserted into the fingers of his other hand.
 But I'll not go any deeper into the form of amusement which for so long has been popular with our slant-eyed neigh bors on the other side of the Pacific. 1 merely brought them into this story to carry out one of my favorite hobbies by showing that if you want to get at the origin of anything it is well not to fail to start with the Chinese who seemed to have had hand in nearly every in- lyention or form of amusement centuries before the western world took to them.
 Tt is not yet impossible, said Einora Whitman Curtis. lamenting the decay Of the puppet stage, that gifted artist will yet bring it to. new honors." it's just because her pleasant prophecy has been fulfilled by Tony Sarg, through the generous cooperation of MT. Winthrop Ames. that we Birminghamers are going to have the privilege of seeing two plays here that are more wonderful than even the world renowned Munich puppets, as some of the little figures are manipulated by as many as 24 strings. requiring great dexterity as well as dramatic feeling on the part of the operator.
 Puppet shows have long been popular in Europe, one of the most common classes of puppets being called Marionettes, word taken bodily from the French. These are images of the figures of per sons or animals moved by wires or threads on stage, and made to perform little dramas, the dialogue of which is carried on by the person in concealment, who moves the figures, and is known as d epuppeteer," many of whom are real artists in their manipulation of the tig- ures and in their mimicry.
 Puppet shows were common among the Greeks, from whom the Romans received them. Xenophen, Aristotle, Horace and others mention them. But more surpris- ing in showing the high antiquity of the form of amusement which is rapidly spreading in America, figures with nov able limbs have been discovered in the tombs of Egypt and among the remains of Etrura I have already referred to the plays in China. which are also popular not only in India, but during several cen turies past as noted above, maintained an important position among the Euro
 
 deemed them worthy of attention, and in 17s1 Le Sage wrote plays for puppets to perform.
 The earliest performances in English were drawn or founded upon Bible narra- tives and the lives of the saints, in the same vein as the morality plays which they succeeded. Popular subjects in the sixteenth century were the "Prodigal Son. and "Ninevah," with Jonah and the Whale" That wise old run about who poked his nose into every place and wrote about everything he saw, Papys recorded mew Fair he found my Lady Castle maine at puppet play, Patient Gri- gill" That's why the old diarist is a perpetual delight to moderns; he gives names, dates and places. We also know that PowelPs noted Marionette show was the subject of an article in The Tatler, 17os, and again in the Spectator, I'll. They were also alluded to by Chaucer, Shakespeare, Johnson and Pope. They were introduced from Italy into France under Charles TX. forgot to } mention that Le Sage was connected with them both as actor and author. It may also be of interest to note that George Sand had theatre for them at her castle
 of Nohant Germany, while taking to , puppet shows outside of the famous Mu- mich performers, was never able to create
 the like enthusiasm for them which ex- X sted in Italy or even France. where . they were revived on large scale at , the Chat Noir in 1887, and ombres Fran caises were given at the Petit theatre ; by Signoret
 : Opening with a quatrian from Omar,
 will close with one, which is the quin- tessence of passimistic belief in the idea that we are the sport of the gods, with i. out any chances to shape our own des- tiny as we play out our little part on the . stage of life:
 t But helpless pieces of the game ne , plays
 Upon this cheauer board of nights and
 Hither and thither moves. and checks
 and slays
 And one by one back in the closet lays am glad that this hopeless gloom oi ., the east is being shot through by the . teachings of the Master. who is the trus 7 light of the world. and that here below '' ,ya are rrore than puppets in "fate's pup