Evening star., 1937-08-01

were locally trained. greatly aids him
in presenting an authentic picture.
The scene shifts from Roanoke to
England and Elizabeth's court and
oack 10 Roanoke, and thence to Eng
land again, and we who listen grasp
something of the great dream OF
Raleigh and his difficulties in obtaining
the aid to bring it to pass.
In the second act. with the exception
of one scene in Elizabeth's garden in
England, the entire locale is Roanoke
Island. We are shown the landing of
the Colony and made to feel the
poignant suspense preceding the birth
OF Virginia Dare, the first white child
born in America. The spirit of ad-
venture and the high purpose of this
little band Of English men and women
who had braved the unknown and fear
some dangers of a new land because of
their love of England and their desire
for freedom from old economic, social
and religious limitations. is 50 power
fully presented that you have an in
stinctive racial pride in their achieve
ment.
Yet when the other side OF the
picture is projected. when you see the
prlVatlons, the hunger, the suffering
tphyslcal and mentaD. and finally the
despair OF the colonists when no helm
or food comes from England, you feel
acutely the pathos that it inspires.
From the beginning OF this drama
wherein is blended the folh arts of the
theater-pantomime, music, the spoken
word and the dance-the audiences
that see 1t run the entire gamut of the
human emotions.
WHEN, at last, these colonists
silently begin their trek through
the trees to the land of Croatan and
oblivion. there is seldom a dry eve
among those who just as silently sit
and watch the last march This, after
all, is the true mark of dramatic
greatness.
The dramatist, Paul Green, distin-
gulshed son of North Carolina, has
done masterful job in the preparation
OF the lines Of the play itself. and with
the help Of Samuel Selden, who staged
and directed it with the assistance of
friedrich H. Koch of the Carolina
Playmakers. Mrs. Alexander Mathis OF
the Ellzabethan Players Of Manteo and
Eric Stapleton. musical director, has
blended the whole production into one
OF the most entertaining, thought
provoking and instructive dramas of
the day.
1t is interesting to know that this
historical folk play can never be made
INTO movie nor can it ever be pro-
duced in any other place than the spot
where the Lost Colony" landed.
suffered and finally disappeared.
The Federal Theater Project of the
w. P. A. has aided very materially in
the production of the play by furnish
ing actors from the legitimate stage to
take the principal roles.
OF the players, Katherine Gale is
easily the outstanding star Cast as
Eleanor Dare. the mother of Virginia
Dare, perhaps the hardest character in
the play to portray adequately. she
given most natural performance of
her role. She seems the living and
breathing personi1cation of the kind
of woman Eleanor Dare should be.
Nightly she thrills her audience with
the rendition of sixteenth century
lullaby, Miss Gale comes to her role
with wonderful background In the
work Of the theater. For four years
she remained with the Civic LIGHT |
Opera Co. of New York. four seasons
with the Avon Players in Shakespearan |
repertory, taking the featured lead as
Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Portia |
in the Merchant of Venice. Miss Gale |
played with Max Reinhardt in the !
Hollywood Bowl production of a Mid
summer Nights Dream and with the
company of players who presented the !
opening performance at the Radio City !
Music Hall. In addition to these roles, |
Miss Gale has appeared with Merivale
and Cooper in Othello and Leslie
Howard in Hamlet.
PARRY SHANNON. who plays Sir
Walter Raleigh. is an experienced
actor and gave most satisfying por-
trayal of the great English nobleman |
who dreamed Of new empire in the |
West. Mr. Shannon will shortly 60
to England, where he will make NOV
ing pictures under the direction OF
Alexander Korda.
Bob Nachman, a member Of the