BREAD AND SUGAR AS ACTORS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 28 March 1913, Page 6

BREAD AND SUGAR AS ACTORS

FIRE, WATEIt, LIGHT AND NIGHT ON THE STAGE. MAETERLINCK FAIRY PLAY. There are many remarkable things about "Tho Bluo Bird," Maeterlinck's fairy plav, which is to bo produced at tho Town Hall in Mas tor ton on Friday, April ISth, by tho J. (J. Williamsoil Co. arid not the least remarkable is the fact that there are tuo principal mortals in tho play—two Little children. Tytyl and Mytyl. Their lather and mother and a neighbour's little daughter conclude the list of humans in the philosopher's play. Tho remainder of the characters are elements, trees and animals. Other characters are Bread, Sugar, Fire, Water, and Milk, Time, Light, and Night, and, as special companions to tlia children, wo shall see T.vlo, the dog, and Tvlette, tho eat. The remainder of tho characters, which include animals, arc spirits of those who are dead —stars, sicknesses, shades, awl the like. Tho programme nf "The Blue Bird," is certainly the strangest pro.wa.nune of a pantomime :>f Ma.eteriir.ek, wlo ha.s chosen this mu;de nf conveying a great idea t*. the l>u!)lic. The 'designing of the dresses el these characters has been closely in keeping with Maeteriittok's -iiTstri?' ti■.?»/■;. • Lij>hfc will be clii.cl-.iuia dross of pale gold,, shot with silver, radiating a glowing radiance from her Tirmrc. Time will hear his sevthe and hour-glass, and appear as a bearded ban in a dark cloak. Night will appear in a. >blaek, star-covered robe, the folds of which will give red-di'ih-brcMVTi sbpfows, nrcl Fire will be dressed, in scarlet, hi« cloak lined -with gold, and an aigrette of iridescent flame. Maeterlinck's idea of Bread and Sugar is aim.'sine. The former .is to 'Wear a rich naslin's dres-s, with an ample onimson silk or velvet gown. He is to have an enormous stomach. red, puffed-out cheeks, and a. round head crowned with a turban. Siniar will wear -a silk gown, half white, half blue, to suirge.st tho paner wrapping of a swear loaf. And Water? Who would invurmo that a. dramatist make water a speaking part.' Yet Maeterlinck has. Few stage managers have 'had a more difficult task thau to follow Maeterlinck's staorp instruction*. for he writer, as Mm?. Maeterlinck to'd an "Express" representative. with an utter disregard for stage conventions. The mauasrev has overcome the diffirulties, though tho secret, of how the transformations have been done will be kept. Thus in Act T, the children turn a macic diamond, a ml, according to Maeterlinck's instructions "the souls of the quartern loaves in the form of little men in tights, flurried and all powdered with Hour, .scramble out of the bread pan and frisk round tho table, where they are caught up Iby Fire. who. springing from the hearth in yellow and vermilion ti»hts, Avrithes with laughter as lie chases the loaves." Later, too, "the tap begins to sing in a very high voice and turning into a luminous fountain, flood the sink with sheets of pearls and emeralds, through which darts tho soul of "Water, like a young girl, streaming, dishevellc 1 and tearful, w'ho immediately begins to fight with Fire." After this, it seems a mere trifle to arrange uv the appearance i' Milk, who rise?, front a broken milkjug, "a tall hashful figure, who seem.- to bp afraid o: e"vervthii;."- '*

All through the plav wonderful things aro mado to happen in the search for the Blue Bird, which is the secret of Happiness. Maeterlinck .has materialised in 'his fantastic, imagination the ''Perfumes of the Nisr.ht.and Dew," and in one scene "The Forest," the'chief characters arc the trees.