Evening star., 1932-02-14

Dc
$;; ~ ): IS S: !:
first time February 81 at
Constitution Hall and which has been
published in book form by the United
States George Washington Bicentennial
Commission, will doubtless come as a
great surprise to the public as Whole
It may be said to be the first ale
gorical conception of the father OF TINS
Nation in which the folk" element Is
stressed rather than the ultra-patri-
otic. It is, as well, work which
reflects the humane qualities of Wash
ington rather than the more OBVIOUS
victories.
And while he is the ''be-all and the
end-all" of its thesis, the average
spectator, or reader, will be surprised
to learn that he speaks but once dur
ing the sequence of the masque, ana
this to repeat only seven short lines.
These lines, which, rather than invent
them himself, the author has chosen
from a letter which washington wrote
to Arthur Young. the famous English
agriculturist, are as follows:
Reflect
How much more delightful
To an undebauched mind
L. the task of making improve
mentS On the earth
Than all the yainglory which can
be acquired
From ravaging it
Just Before Finale.
These words, so extraordinarily per-
tinent even in these days, are spoken
lust before the finale of the masque.
And after they have been repeated the
chorus assembled on the stage sings a
new verse to The Star-Spangled Ban
ner"
Mr.. MacKaye, among many tnnova-
tionS which are discernlble IN tne
preparation Of this "folk" legend, mas
written this extra verse to our national
anthem which he says perhaps may
be of service beyond the moment OF its
"To reveal in that song (and elsewhere
in this work. fresh meanings for the
Free and the Brave (two of the prln-
cipal characters in the allegorD has
been one of his sincere incentives -
making the Masque. If he shall nave
attained that aim to some true extent,
then to that degree this masque itself
may have fresh significance as poets
commentary on folk-song."
The authors motives in the writing
of this unusually effective and original
stage-allegory were explained recently
to the writer at an informal confer
ence" at the Cosmos Club. where Mr..
MacKaye is staying during the final
preparation of his masQue. Most
anxious of all it's various aspects is ne
to have the public realize that his work
is neither based on fiction, nor on TACT
but that its theme is symbolic ana
idealistic treatment Of the mental &C
plishments of our first President IN
direct contrast to the customary eulo-
pizing of his outward and more ma
terialistic virtues.
Reason for Title.
The name wakefield" has been
chosen because the author feels that by
associating it with and as the birth
place Of George washington (although
the town itself is actually not to be
confused as the definite geographical
spot on which our first President was
born) it may as instantly conjure to
all Americans the image of Washington,
as the mere sound Of Stratford-on-
Avon conjures to all Englishmen the
image of Shakespeare. And also in
choosing for the central character OF
this masque the designation Wakefield
the author has sought to give the folk
spirit of America chat airy nothing
which is our very essence) local habl-
tation and name"
Mr.. MacKaye has therefore strived
not only to place due emphasis on
the qualities of Washington, and
has conceived him as hero of the
soil rather than as the bewigged
Father of our Country, but has also en-
deavored to associate him with Sec
ton of the country more specific than
the usual schoolbook data, which COM
monty refers to his birthplace as hav-
mig been somewhere in Westmorland
County, Va. He has, too, undertaken
the unravelling of his theme and his
approach to histroy mot from the
ism" For this reason, those who ex-
pect to find a steady analysis OF the
life of Washington or a dramatic re-
cital Of his various virtues on the bat
tlefield, off the battlefield and at Mount
Vernon may be disappointed. Brief, but
colorful tableaux are the media IN
which WaShington'S major triumphs
are depicted, the inward triumphs, not
the outward, and while these are ac-
companied by words and chorus music
the characters themselves say nothing
there is, for instance, not one scene
in which Martha Washington appears.
Play Without Martha.
Many people, no doubt, will cry:
What? A play about Washington IN
celebration Of the Bicentennial, with
out Martha?" And wonder If perhaps
Mr.. MacKaye hasn't gone of on the
wrong track. He hasn't He has merely
chosen a different" medium. He has
chosen to depict Washington as a folk.
hero (and Martha may safely be said
never to have been strictly a folk
heroine) because he feels that the times
are ripe at the moment for the con-
version of this mechanical age back
to a normal state of folk culture. q
culture which, after all, was RESPONSE
BILE for this countrys birth and It's
most vital traditions. OF this folk.
movement in America" at whose head
stands Mr.. MacKaye as one OF its most
outspoken champions, the author HIM
self says, This folk-masque Wake
field is the first of its kind wholly
devoted in design and spirit to the ex-
preston of one of the most vitality sag-
- ANanW{AAA