The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-13

Dld you ever see anything loVller than the delight and appreciation of the chli- dren of the city over the remarkable per fo1mance of Tony Sargs MarionettesY
 How easy to kindle the fancy, imagi- nation, Illusion of child! But somehow it caused pain in ones heart, too. because every child in the city and dis Tict could not enjoy the puppets!
 I heard a group of young mothers wish ing that such or similar entertainment, night be available, say once a week! And why not?
 In number of cities children's theatre associations are maintained on account of the great lack of suitable enter tainment being offered for children at the present time.
 Why should this not be done in Bir- mingham?
 The longer l live the more I am con- vinced that grown-ups do not count so much because their minds and tastes are formed. These standards were ac- quired when young. If anything IS to be done for the taste of the next genera ten, our effort must be with the chii- dren
 A letter from Gordon Craig, arch stim- ulator of puppet revival, was recently published Says he: "I should not be disinclined to give six weeks or two months each year to creating and dl- recting mariolette theatre for children in America, whereas for grown-ups and unresponsive persons l think would not care to devote even six hours of my time"
 Which serves to show Gordon Craig s interest in the child audience. This was written to the directors of a New York chlldren's theatre, the establishing oi which was born from the attempt Of small group of parents and kindergarten workers to find suitable theatrical enter tainment for their youngsters on Christ mas Day It took root and has born fruit. Performances by the children them selves, under capable coach, of Alice
 in Wonderland" Romance of Tommy Tucker" "Old King Cole,'' Life of Joan of Arc" have been given. Also MT. and Mrs. ~Maurice Browns beautiful puppet presentation of Midsummer Nights Dream"
 By the way. to Mrs. Maurice Brown better known as Ellen Van Valkenberg actress lrather than to Tony Sarg, in ternational puppeteer), must be credited the American revival of the ancient ar of the narionettes. Three years ago 1T Chicago, Mrs Brown gave America it' first professional marionette perform ance. She constructed, costumed ane trained her own marionettes, which art unlike the old world models. They ar' not grotesque, but are of exquisite hfe like beauty. The Midsummer Night Dream ran five weeks in Chicago ane might have continued indefinitely.
 But back to the Little theatre. The, also have excellent screen and facilities for showing pictures suitable for chil dren. ssBlack beauty" as soon as tn film is released, will be shown. I'm pictnre is the animal story children love which MT. and Mrs. George Randol Chester have adopted for the screen
 Washington also has one or two chii dren's theatres, and 1 know or som' western cities, not so large as tnls' Wher' they are maintained. Is sucn an organ ization of parents and educators out the question in Birmingham!
 It would be fine thing for the BIT min ghaml Drama league to foster. z nerhaps the Linly Heflin unit, or tn New Era Club of Young Matrons mign be interested. Perhaps coliaporatiol If these forces mentioned might De good idea. Wodld it be out of the ques tion for the city commissioners ana tn { auditorium committee to consider pro viding a little theatre in the prospecliv structure which, among many otner uses might be municipally furnished for children's theatre?
 | MT. George Greet, who was al the neaS of all publicity issued from Washington during the war, and who propapiy nor than any other, was on the inside events there at that time, has writer a book which has just been punhsne' called "The War, the World, and VII sen' MT Creel should be, and no doup | is oualfied to speak authoritatively , | the peace conference (which he attend | ed, giving some lttle-known pnase 1 thereof. He also discusses issues nov confronting the country ,. l Perhaps no one did more 'telhng (.
 war work than MT Creel who pc known is the husband of Blanche Bates
 wel,-known actress now playing wit 1 Henry Miller in "The Famous Mrs Fair''-that distinctively American pla
 vhich James Forbes has written witl l it's ..just-after-the-w war" atmosphere. I Mr and Mrs. Creel and their thre | children reside in a beautiful place jus on the outskirts of Washington, ana af l said to be an ideal, devoted family. Ter haps you may have seen ,ne ',,.'ss. rahoa e,a Mrs. Fair If so you recall vividly tn gripping theme of the play (which faultlessly played by Henry Miller Blanche Bates, Margelo Gilmore an others of a splendid company. The tai ented wife and mother insists upon fol lowing a public career, and i'll so doins all but wrecks her home and family The play has had a three years run il New York and Chicago and is now play ing in Boston. In response to London demand for the piece, MT. Miller vii take the entire American company then in April. As may be seen, the success of 'The Famous Mrs. Fair" has caused the postponement of this seasons trans continental tour until next year. wher the company will visit the Pacific coast and possibly. Honolulu. It is announce: in this event, they will be seen in Mo liere,'' .'The Famous Mrs. Fair" and on, or two new plays.
 Clare Runners play. called "Roilo'