University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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PROUOGUE, S the last notes of the overture die away, and the leader of the orchestra ceases to toot his horn and wave his baton, the curtain rises once more on the University Drama. Yes, ladies and gentlemen the Great Consolidated Higher Education Puppet Show is again about to exhibit before you. A whole year has gone by since it was last in Berkeley, and a year is a long time; so I doubt not that you are ready for another peep at the pretty little puppets, as they go through their well- practiced antics. You have heard so often from former managers of the puppets and of the nature of the Show, that I need not waste breath in explaining them. But since our last visit to Berkeley on our annual tour, a number of important additions and alterations have been made in the attractions offered. No expense has been spared; for, as you will ob- serve, a number of new figures have been added, and nearly every one in the collection has been fitted out with a new suit of clothes. So let us pause for a moment before the show begins, while I point out to your notice some of the special attractions before you. Many of the figures remain just as you have so often seen them on former tours of the puppets. You will all remember the Prex puppet, the central figure of the stage. It was not a favorite feature when first introduced into the Show. It still occupies, as you see, the most promi- nent position, though it does not play as important a part as some of the lesser figures. And the familiar forms of the two old wise men none of you have forgotten them. In these there has not been one whit of change during the past year not even in their attire. They were always among the most attractive of the puppets, and to remove them from the stage would really be dangerous to the future success of the Show. The Herodotus puppet, you will observe, still occupies its old place. It works in such a peculiar manner that to see it once is to remember it

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BLUE AND GOLD always. On the ladies ' minds, in particular, the figure seems to make so strong an impression that we doubt whether they ever, under any condi- tions, forget it. The mathematical group, since the main figure has been replaced, has risen in popular favor. Yet I must call your attention to the extraordinary make-up of one of the figures of this group. So Satanic and lifelike is it, that children have had to be taken out, scream- ing with fright at the sight of it. It is popular with the Irishmen, though, and is so firmly fixed that it could not be removed without difficulty. And so in the background will be recognized many other familiar figures, such as the Setting puppet, the venerable puppet that works with cranks and the pretty little Agricultural puppet. But these, as you know, are only retained to fill up and do not appear conspicuously in the Show. Changes will happen in all things, though, as the man said that got away with the best umbrella; and a puppet show is no exception to the rule. For instance, you will all notice a new figure in the place of the Recorder puppet. The old one was among the memorable features oi the entertainment, but had become worn out with service and no longer worked smoothly on the wires. It has been removed to a less conspic- uous position in the History group, where it plays the part of Joan(s) of (the) Arc. Its smile, however, has been preserved and is still one of the great attractions. It is a dapper little puppet that now occupies the place, and you would wonder at its mode of action unless I told you the secret of it. The truth is, it is worked by an invisible wire not in the hands of the general management. This improvement has been made only recently, but has been found to work like a charm. Perhaps, if it continues to act successfully, we shall try the same plan with some of the other figures before the year is over. And here again you will miss a familiar figure from the Greek and Latin group; one that did not appear conspicuously but was still a great favorite. It had always worked so nicely that the management never dreamed of any trouble with it. But one day it was discovered that this puppet and the Greek Autocrat there, which stood side by side, were constantly wearing against each other; and as the Autocrat was of much greater weight, the other piece was so badly damaged that it had to be taken off the stage. The Autocrat puppet was only a little chafed by the accident, and seems to have received no great injury ; but as you can see for yourselves, it is not as firmly fixed on the wires as it was before. Come, come, you children over there in the corner, don ' t get restless. There is only a little more to be said now before the show begins. And here, too, is something especially meant for you. Just look at the Mili- tary group, with the streamers and gold epaulets, the swords, the drums and the trumpets. How is that for display? These puppets have been made one of the main attractions since the last appearance. A new centre-piece has been procured ; more figures have been adorned with