College News, 1919-04-09, Vol. 05, No. 24

              The College News
Volume V.   No. 24
BRYN MAWR, PA., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1919
Price 5 Centi
Pholo by B. Parktr Half: Phil*.
THE   BEAUX-8TRATA0EM
BEAUX1STRATAGEM RECAPTURES SPIRIT OF OLD COMEDY
Carehsl Staging Redeems Overlong Plot.    M. Krantz and
H. Johnson Score Success
THB BEAOX STRATAGEM
A comedy in five act*, by George Parquhar.
Thomas Aimwell...............D. Chambers.
Prancia Archer.................F. Alliaon.
Count Bettair..................C. HoUia.
Squire SuUan...................R. Woodruff.
Sir Charlea....................C. Oppenhcimcr
Poigard.......................F- Beatty.
Gibbet........................M. Gilman.
Hounalow.....................A. R. Dubach.
Bagahot.......................A. Stiles.
Boniface....................   M. Krantx.
Scrub.........................E. Macruin.
Tapater.......................H. Huntting.
Ganymede.....................W. de Laguna.
Lady Bountiful................L. Wood.
Mr�. Sullen....................H. Johnaon.
Dorinda.......................M. Moaatey
Gipey ........................H.Praacott.
Cherry........................A. Blue.
Countrywoman................E. Biddle.
(P. Puller.
^     v B                                       I B. Borchan.
Coach Pasaengera.............| R. Reinhardt.
A. Warner
Stage Manager. Gordon Woodbury.
Aaairtant Stage Manager. BJiiobeth Puller
BasuMaa Manager. Louiae Wood.
An old play was effectively revived last
Saturday night In 1919's production of
Farquhar's "Beaux' Stratagem." In spite
ot the size of the cast many of the parts
were well taken, but the play suffered
from Insufficient cutting, the extreme
length taxing the interest of an audience
unused to the long-drawn-out scenes of
old-fashioned comedy.
From the opening Bcene In the Litch-
fleld Inn, where the two heroes fall in
for "as many adventures as Don Quixote
had at his," the play's atmosphere of ro-
mance and adventure was Intensified by
appropriate staging. The Inn and bou-
doir scenes particularly showed a nice at-
tention to detail In staircase, open fires,
bird cages, etc. The choice of costumes
was fortunate both la eater and line, bat
the make-up often Inadequate.
Although many of the long dialogues
dragged, the play was punctuated by
good situations. One of the best of these
was the pistol scene In the third act,
where Helene Johnson reached the high-
est point In her vivacious and thoroughly
charming portrayal of Mrs. Sullen.
In a cast offering wide opportunities
for stock comedy characters Marguerite
Krantx showed the greatest realisation
of the possibilities of bar part. As the
obsequious Innkeeper she displayed  Im-
agination and good technique, losing her-
self completely In the personality of Boni-
face. Augusta Blue gave a lively Inter-
pretation of the innkeeper's pert daugh-
ter, particularly in her flirtation with
Archer, the cynical adventurer, played by
Frances Allison. Though her role was
not so sympathetic as that of her fellow-
adventurer, Aimwell, Miss Allison put
more reality and force into the character,
making the most of an ungrateful part.
Handicapped by the non-committal role
of Aimwell, Dorothea Chambers was less
convincing in acting than in appearance.
Marion Moseley's Dorinda, though life-
less In her conversations with her sister-
in-law, Mrs. Sullen, was ingenuous in the
love scenes with Aimwell. Excellent
comedy was furnished by Louise Wood as
the solicitous Lady Bountiful. In the part
of the latter's boorish son, Squire Sullen,
Ruth Woodruff managed a good voice, but
failed to make the most of the character,
noticeably in the Squire's final speech.
Much of the burden of carrying out the
plot fell upon the shoulders of minor
actors, of whom Clara Hollls. portraying
the French Count enamored of Mrs. Sul-
len, did the best bit of character work.
Cella Oppenhelmer rendered Sir Charles
Freeman with good voice and presence.
Frederica Beatty, in spite of Georgian
lapses from brogue in her Interpretation
of the French-Irish priest, proved a good
comedy figure. As a highwayman with
but a few lines to speak, Annette Stiles
put a great deal of telling pantomime
Into a trifling part. Wallace de Laguna
was an altogether diverting blackamoor.
The smoothness of the performance and
the speed with which a large number of
shifts of scene were made are to the
credit of G. Woodbury, stage manager,
and A. Thorndlke. chairman of the Scen-
ery Committee. E. Fuller, assistant stage
manager, was responsible for the setting.
Old English songs were sung between
the sets by the coach passengers. The
spirit of "Anna's glorious reign" was also
revived In posters and programs, designed
by Frances Day. The wording of the pos-
ters was taken from theatrical advertis-
ing of the day. and the programs repro-
dneed the title-pages of the first edition
of the play
PROGRESS OF  STUDENTS' BUILDING
WILL  BE  REPORTED THURSDAY
Seniors Pledge Over Three Thousand if
It Gees  Up at Once
Advances in plans for the Students'
Building will be reported at an Under-
graduate meeting Thursday at 1.30. Both
the Students' Building and Theatre com-
mittees will report. 13425. mostly In Lib-
erty bonds, has been pledged by the
Seniors if the Students' Building is
started at once.
Before Easter a representative of Win-
sor and Soule, the college architects, will
confer on the subject with President
Thomas, the chairman of the committee,
and the president of the Undergraduate
Association. Probably a new set of plans
will be drawn  from those already made.
Plans of other colleges' student build-
bigs have been written for, and some
have arrived.
Unless the undergraduates want a Stu-
dents' Building badly enough to come to
the Thursday meeting, nothing farther
can be done, according to M. Martin, pres-
ident of the Undergraduate Association.
President Thomas and the Alumnae have
promised to co-operate, but the final de-
cision is with the students.
STUDENTS     WELCOME     PRESIDENT
THOMA8    BY    SERENADE    IN
DEANERY GARDEN
In celebration of President Thomas' re-
turn to college after her six weeks' ab-
sence the student body filed into the
Deanery Garden last Sunday evening to
give her a serenade.
The first strains of "Pallas Athene
Thea" brought President Thomas out on
the balcony, from which she expressed
her thanks to the students and her pleas-
ure to be back. The singing ended with
"Thou Gracious Inspiration."
PRES. THOMAS GRANTED LEAVE
TO TAKE TRIP AROUND WORLD
LANO ARMY TO HOLD
ANNUAL MEETING HERE
The Pennsylvania division of the worn
an's Isnd army will hold Its annual meet-
ing at the college on Saturday. April 26
All who are Interested are InvHed to at-
tend the meeting.
The division comprises the committees
of last year's units, the workers In the
units, sad the employers�about SSO per-
sons In all Through the winter the girts
<>f the division have had a club, with
Anita Preston ex-'lt ss president.
Will   Go  To  Africa,  India  end  Slam
DEAN  TAFT ACtTnG~PRE8IOENT�
HILDA 8MITH '10, ACTING DEAN
President   Thomas   has   been   granted
leave of absence from the college next
to make a trip around  the world;
Dean Taft   will  be acting president  and
Hildu Smith '10 acting dean.
"The Directors of the College have
granted me the desire of my heart," said
President Thomas, announcing her plans
this morning in chapel. "I was born a
globetrotter. If women's education had
not been in such a sad state when I was
your age I think I should have been an
exploit'i."
Since 1884 President Thomas has been
in the continuous service of the college,
summer and winter, with the exception of
four months in Egypt in 1911 and seven
months in all of brief illnesses. "Now
thai tha lime has come when I can be ab-
seni wiihout injury to the college. I want
to go everywhere that I have not been
before," President Thomas said. She
plans to go to North Africa and as far as
possible into the Sahara, to spend several
months In India, to go into Slam, Java, to
touch at the South Sea Islands. She then
hones to go up the Nile before It gets too
hot, and to cross the Arabian desert with
tents and camels, to Palestine and Asia
Minor, reaching Greece In the spring.
"Dean Taft has most generously post-
poned going to London to complete her
doctor's dissertation until the following
year,"said President Thomas. In order
to allow her to go on President Thomas's
return the directors have appointed Miss
Smith dean for two years, from 1919-1991.
Miss Smith (Bryn Mawr. J.910.) took her
A.M. here in 1911 and was warden of
Rockefeller In 1913-1914. She Is now
director of the Bryn Mawr Community
Center.
"I am taking you Into my confidence
at the first possible opportunity," Presi-
dent said. "I could not tell you before,
because If my operation had not been
successful I should hsve had to defer
going another year.
"I am sure from my experience of the
very successful working of the new plan
for the government of the college during
the  past  two years  that   Dean Taft as
(Continued on page I. column 4 )