Evening star., 1923-06-27
THE pAsT1ME OF ETERNITY y

new playwright has risen in our
midst, my masters, and new and brill
( liant stars adorn the dramatic firma-
ment which Washington is proud to
call her own
glow of the moon battled with vary
ing success against the lowering
clouds. while the incense of ancient
Iran fioated fragrant on the breeze,
the new poem-play by Gideon A.
Lyon. the well known Washington
Journalist, was given it's first per-
formance on the lawn of the Chevy
Chase School. last evening, under the
direction of the dramatic committee
| of the Arts Club of Washington
Marie Moore Forrest, chairman, and
| Denis E. Connell, director.
! The stately portaled entrance of the
| school furnished an admirable stage
structure. with the semi-circular
! space in front as a fitting scene
] for much of the action. Concealed
on the portico to the left incidental
music was exquisitely played by art
| lists who must remain unknown, while
| the illumination and lighting effects
| were operated from improvised wings
/ on the lawn.
| The audience. quite large one,
truly represented the culture of
| Washington's social life. and its ver-
dict both as to the play and the play
ers left no room for doubt that a
fine work had been brilliantly pre-
/ sented., 80
Mr.. Lyon has adapted the iambic
tetrameter for the form of his verse,
| and its rhythm and accent were
, sllendidly attuned by the various
glayers in the interesting dialogue.
The theme of the play is the fatal
ism of foreordination, and doubtless
caught its inspiration from THE Ru-
baiyat" of Omar Khayyam for it's
l.tory is of. that dreamy mystic and
bis two lifelong companions. Nizam
u Mulk, who became the vizier of the
sultan Alp Arslan. and Hassan Ibn
i .SaDbah, whose overweening ambi-
tien and the unscrupulous methods
by which 1t was fostered, ultimately
| led to his downfall
The story opens in front OF the
school of Mowaffak, a sage of Naisha-
pur, in 1040 AID, where the trio,
then youthful students, make a
blood vow that each will share with
the other his success achieved in after
life. The second act, twenty years later,
finds Omar and Hassan come to claim
the fulfillment of the vow by Nizam,
who has risen high in the state, while
they. so far. as material wealth Is con-
cerned have failed. Here the sultan,
Alp Arslan, in generous mood, assumes
the obligation of his viZier, Nzam, and
Hassan is given rank and office, while
omar. who men say can name the
stars, is given a post in which his talents
may shine for beloved Trans good All
too soon the character of Hassan begins
to manifest itself in willingness to in
trlgue with the Princess Toorkan Kha-
toon, who strives to have her infant son
designated TO succeed the occupant of
the throne, after having failed to tempt
the loyalty of Nizam to Prince Malik,
who already had been chosen.
| Ten years later, in the same throne
room of the sultan. the denouement
comes. bringing the dismissal of Hassan
from the court and the assassination of
Nizam, while in the quickly following
opilogue Omar enveloped with a faint.
mystic light. sums up the whole in five
stanzas taken from the Rubaiyat
In no part of the impressive play
has the author gone out of his way
to secure effects so familiar in
modern playwriting The text
throughout is natural musical and
has dignity that commands at
tention. No doubt this first per-
formance suggested possible improve
ments both in the play and in the
manner of its presentation. There
Is little doubt that both the author
and his mimics have the ability and
the skill to meet them. This much
may be said with unshaken conf
dence. that no first performance OF
professionals even that Of the Ameri-
can National Theater which was re-
Gently given in Washington. was
evening, and this in the face of diff
iculties that no professional cast
would ever have to meet.
The characterizations of the illus
trious trio were vividly and artisti-
| cally drawn, a most difficult task for
those whose whole time and train
ing have not been devoted to the
theater. Arthur B. White, as Hassan,
was a masterpiece. no less than
Theodore Hardy as Alp Arslan, while
the gentle. dreaming Omar found fair
and faithful reflection in the work
of Denis E, Connell, and the dignified
and unwavering fidelity of Nizam,
despite the strain of the role, found
| a faithful reflex in Maurice Jarvis.
! Maud Howell Smith was both a
charming and an excellent Princess
Toorkan, while in roles of lesser i'm
lportance, j. Martin Scranage, Jean
! Farnam Petersen, Jesse Vietch and
=, even Mr.. Lyon himself. who was un-
] tnII