The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-27
TONY SARG'S MARIONETTES-

-NLNW VIIs1V 1ITs' WaTTtT " ovUIt WNV chairman of publicity" for the
 Tony sarg Marionettes enter. tainment which will be given on March and by the Linly Heflin unit, for the benefit of the Alabama Childrens Aid society, asked me to write story on the subject, frankly wondered how I'd ever do it. f
 If there is any one thing on the face cf the earth that know little or abso- lntely nothing about, it is ''Marionettes." and when I mentioned this to very clever friend of mine, she laughngly said;
 'Why Dolly it is the very thing you do know something about for aren't all of us marionettes-being played about on the checkered board of life like so many little wooden dolIs-somebody pull ing the strings and all of us dancing 10 the tune?
 Of course that's one way of looking at the matter and another way was to look in the dictionary for some infor- mation on ,the subject and this is what I found that ''Frtend Lexicograp pher" says under the heading of "Maronettes:"
 No. IA puppet moved by strings, as on mimic theatrical stage. to initiate human or animal movements"
 No. 2-"A mechanism in a rbbon-looin suggesting the movements of a stage marionette;''
 No. 3.-"A buffle-head.'
 sSo far so good, and now to our story.
 Puppetry in America is as old as the native Indian, I find, but the average theatregoer, like myself is far too little familiar with this delectable form of amusement which MT. Tony sarg has so subtly developed as to be unacduainted with it, almost entirely
 But thanks to that delectable artist and Illustrator, MT. Tony Sarg. lerica, it is said is now having the opportunity of seeing as charming entertainment as has ever been seen of this kind, and Bir- mingham is included in the itinerary of MT. Sargs Marionettes and their clever, antics, which is delightful news.
 Tony Sarg's Marionettes answer the question:
 why don't you have something new? and today tbis delightful art which has been revived by this well-known artist and illustrator, is filling the bill every where, so the critics say.
 If one can judge from the space al- lotted to marionettes in newspapers and magazines New York and Boston at least like the new fad, and the center of the swirl of enthusiasm is Tony Sarg, himself, whom we know in his chosen profession. Although MT. .Sarg has ofter been called "a manysided genius'' 1t is interesting to note that there is a. close connection between the making of humorous drawings and the designing of puppets. Success along either line presupposes a sense of the ri- .diculous If the Sarg puppets have the side-splitting quality of Sarg drawing,' rare pleasure indeed is in store for those who see them
 Mir. Sarg's company of small actors numbers about hundred; they are from e foot and half to two feet and a half in height, and are operated from an in- visible bridge above. Each is suspended from a wooden controller by black strings numbering from 20 to 90. Their successful operation is a, matter of in finite patience and skill.
 The Marionettes enact several plays, "a characterization of Thackeray's The Rose and the Ring" and an adaptation of Washington Irving's Rip Van Win kle," made by George Mitchell; shorter vaudeville performance. arranged espec- ially for children. is also given by tho .Marionettes."
 To quote article which appeared in 'sVanity Fair
 Tt should be good news to Boston. Chicago, Philadelphia. Cincinnati, Wash ington, Baltimore and other points west to learn that Tony Sarg, the well-known