Evening star., 1932-02-14
-Harris-E Photo.

ACKAYE. Harris Ewing Photo.
thought, which recently, in time Of
great need, has taken fresh impetus
from earlier pre-war pioneerings In re-
lated fields"
Thus "Wakefield"-an expression and
a tribute of and to Washington. Be
cause Of its spirit, and because it has
a story to tell, its form Is special
kind Of poem parable-poem; and be-
cause its story is dramatic and actable
it IS a poem-play; and because 1t Is an
instrument for communal festlval-ex-
preston, it is a folk-masque, which Is
a folk-poem-designed to be spoken,
acted, danced and sung"
HAS Story to Tell"
Because it has story to tell"
This IS where the reading version OF
Mr. MacKayes masque is not so easy to
grasp An allegory is not the simplest
form of expression. Neither does 1t
command the services Of an average
playwright. Mr.. MacKaye, who swears
that he is the creator OF no pageants,
in the strict sense Of the word, Is. how
ever, more at ease in medium OF vast
stage properties and the myriad sounds
of voices and of f-and-on stage choruses
That is undoubtedly why he was the
first person to receive from the Federal
Government a commission TO create
for this Bicentennial occasion dra-
matte festival expressing the spiritual
leadership of Washington in forms OF
poetry and music adapted to the par
ticipation Of large numbers OF men,
women and children
+1d The 9psgy 1ps 1Ga IN crea1ion aao eafe Of Wasn9
ton whose virtues are the virtues OF his
country. So In the setting (created pic
torially with great skill by the authors
daughter. Arvia MacKaye)-a setting
of which stresses the significance OF
Rock and Cedar Tree and the quiet and
noble majesty Of the North Star-as well
as in the characters. the main thought
behind them is allied to the ultimate
conception of Washington. And thus
wakefield" herself-(Margaret Anglin
Is to assume the leading role IN the
acting version)-who watches over the
"action," and who is the spirit OF the
folk movement and is the spirit OF the
folk herself, guides the plot" with no
thought save that Of eventually bring
ing her people back from its state OF
drift" to a state, of calm and repose,
which was the original impetus gwen
by Washington. Washington back IN
his garden at Mount Vernon-thts the
final tableau-is the ultimate picture
which the author wishes to leave with
his audience, and expressed as follows:
the mastering Of Drift;
The praise of triumph, and the sudden
shift
To blame that Envy tries. with mute
Gesture of worship, when the bron
OF war has ebbed in mire:
From all-he turns, and takes MS
crumpled horn
OF battle, back to the green pastures
byre,
And plants his bitter root
OF victory in the brown soil.
OF his own farm, where hts first dreams
were born.'
Victorious Final Scenes.
So In the fashion Of the ancient aHe-
gories derived from plots bristing
"fesh and the devil" Washington at
the end is pictured back In MS nome
at Mount Vernon victorious over tne
cares of worldliness.
The five tableaux which have to 40
with Washington are as follows: -!
Washington Crossing the DelaWaIe,
(2) Washington at Valley Forge; 90
Kingship Refused; a. Washington at
the Framing of the Constitution, ana
(5) Washington on his Farm at Mount
Vernon These are all to be represent
described by the choruses for which
John Tasker Howard has arranged ana
composed such appropriate and iluml-
mating music. These, plus the seven
line "oration' which Washington de-
levers himself, are the sum and sub
stance of that portion Of the whole IN
which the hero appears. The rest
is devoted to the folk" allegory and
to the poetical summarization OF "A
Midwinter Nights Dream Of the Birth
of Washington"-which is the full title
of the masque.
A casual glance at the list Of persons
in the play might cause dismay among
the uninitiated. There Is The Imbuing
Presence-which is Washington-The
North Ssa STAT Orion SaSsiopeia Waxs ncie
Remus, Free, Drift and Brave-plus
succession of certain of Drifts "vassals"
such as Cabal, Fear Poverty and
such like. None of these need cause
the slightest perturbation, however, since
they speak their minds and present
the situations with a clarity which Is
great tribute to the skill of the author.
The knitting CogetheT OF tEe WnoIe, III
fact, is a remarkable piece Of drama
turgy.
Folk Lore Is Traced
With these main characters as CHIEF
spokesmen for the piece (although the
Indian, Wappocomo, and Uncle Remus
are silent) Mr.. MacKaye has traced the
development of folklore and through
this means includes as the backbone OF
the land the age-old legends Of the In
dian, the Negro and the Southland as
dominant features. 1ntermixed with
these he reproduces the hgure-heads OF
stories which have grown up In various
sections, such as Complain Taureau, the
bull-headed hero of Louisiana; Rip Van
Wrinkle of Catsknl fame, and Kemp
Morgan the wild man from Texas. He
has striven to re-create the legendary
heros whose merits and picturesqueness
are too seldom dwelled upon, and he at
tempts to link their legends and their
hopes and fears and final exaltation to
the growth of this country-and hence
to the growth of Washington himself
AS father Of 1t all. --...
Mr.. MacKaye's work Is not BY any
means Q stunt. It seems perhaps .
tride confused at Q afst reading with.
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