CHILDREN WITH IDEAS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1734, 26 April 1913, Page 6

CHILDREN WITH IDEAS.

A THE "BLUE BIRD" YOUNGSTERS THE INFLUENCE OF MAETERLINCK. (By "Sylvius.") Although tho show .appeared to bo going as well (is usual, ttiero was no mistaking tho mood of the "heads" behind; Tho stage manager was out of sorts. 110 had a wild dis 4 .,raot'.<l eye, and tho Oiltertian hum iur which puu:tuatcd his speech in ordinary had gono liko Iho hiows of last winter. Tho. properly man wider furrowed bro vs muttered darkly to tho effect that : f something continued they (meAnWg somebody) would "drivo him balmy." Tin leading meehiuiist looked as if lifo wera a burden, and tho soag on his lips bccamo a groan. It was very ovido.it that they nil had tho "blues.'' I put it down to tho lifo they led. Now, don't mistako me—l mean ■their being so much in tho bluo light that prevails "bchin. 1" in "Tho Bluo Bird," in combination with that beautifully-rarified senso of melancholy induced by Maeterlinck. But. the manager said "No," and tho 6tago dwr-koeper only winked. That is tho privilego of all stage doorkeepers. Tho fly-men seemed quito' unaffected. "It's blue enough up horo at times—bluer than ever Mister Maeterlinck wTotc—but wo'ro nit right." The matron wouldn't wy anything, though tho "wardrobe" was plainly rattled at tho pending something. This sort of .thing was altogether too irritating, so to the stage manager, 1 said: "Now, good friend, what is tho troublemake a clean breast of it—why so pensive f"

"Pensive, bo blowed!" he replied. "It's theso children—tho lot of them—tho unborn, the live, and tho dead. This Maeterlinck'is putting all eorts of ideas into their heads."

"Well—that's good—it all means mental development! "That's you're way of looking at it, but it hits me differently, and Wally, there, too!" "How ?" "You remember In the Kingdom of the Future scene, when Father Time is sorting out those who are to bo born, ho 6ays to one who ho stops from rushing, on board our Dreadnought: 'Hullo, you. over there, not so fasti And you, what are you bringing? Nothing at all. Then you can't go through. Prepare something —a great crime if' you like, or a fine sickness—l don't cavo, but you must have something!' That's the speech that's done it all. All tho girls aro so impressed with Time's sago remarks that nearly all of them havo como to tho conclusion that they must haye been born with some mission in. life."

"Of course —everyone has a mission, I suppose."

"Yes, but theso clever youngsters want to realise what that mission is right away. They are probing for it all the time."

, "In what way?" ' "D'ye sco that little oao with tho black curls—she believes that bKo is going to have something to do with the emancipation of women. Sho reads all about the Suffragettes, and considers Mrs. Pankhurst another Napoleon. And that fair one, with the big blue eyes " "And tho spectacles?" "Yes—she is going to be another Florence Nightingale—is a nurse already in spirit, and always makes a fuss if anyone of them Joels sick.. And that pretty girl who plays the lover in the 'Kingdom', scene—sho is convinced that she is going to shake tho world as an emotional act ress."

"And there's another—see that thought-ful-looking girl with tho dark eves—sho is Cold-in-the-Head in the Palace of Night scene—she is going to be a playwright. That's what all the trouble's about. She's written a play, a melodrama, and what's more she nas cast it and-rehearsed it, and is going to play it. with her -own little company privately at; tho Opera Houso on Tuesday afternoon. They want to do everything themselves on the afternoon, but we must do everything to help them before, and what with them worrying me, and extra rehearsals for understudies in tho 'Bird,' I've got my hands full; Look out, here they come again."

"Mr. Gilbert, we're' going to rehearse at half-past ten to-morrow—l suppose it's all right!" This with as much selfcomplaisance as if the matter to be rehearsed was to form tho next bill. "Oh, yes—l suppose so—but there's a rehearsal of the stars and glowworms at

' On being questioned, Cold-in-the-Head (little Eileen Hayes) admitted that 6he and Maggie Richardson had written a melodrama.

' Yes, it's called 'The Stolen Invention' —here it is!" With that 6ho produced an exercise-book crammedffull of dialogue. "Come along and see it—if s going to be great fun—only nobody must make fun of it. It's in six acts, and tho villain is Black Patch Peter—sounds like a villain, don't it?' Now, mind you come—and dont laugh where you're meant to cry, will you!" 'With that sho thrust a scrap of paper in my hands, and into Mother Nights Tepellant palace. On the paper was writlen-"The Stolen Invention"/ cast of characters:—Carl Richile, Maggie Richardson; Mr. Harmon, Kitty Colmani Harry Rcdwin, Eileen Wells: Jim Cnrdon, Cecil Bradley; Bob Carden, Vets Cannon; Mr, Jones, Isnin Owens; Butler, Victoria Webb, Black Patch Peter, Ruby Webb; Policeman, Tlielma F anagan; Hetty Carden, Eileen Hayes; Phyllis Harmon, Meta Breakwell; Kathleen Harmon, Birdie Haines; Dot Carden, Veta . I'lonagan; Mrs. Browne, Birdie Haines."

"That's not all, you know," said the stage, manager. "There's also a musical comedy on the stocks, written by little Vem Snaull (Mytyl). It is called "Bv Chance, and is to be produced (privately) whilst the company is in Christchurch." s . , tho stage,. I wondered what Maeterlinck would think of it all, if he knew.