Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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THE ASHHI 'RIAA' ll Early in April the Company held their annual dinner at the Chateau Laurier, and afterwards attended a 'movie'. At the beginning of this term a meeting was held to approve some alterations and additions to the existing constitution and rules. The same meeting elected C. Southam, President of the Society, vice Mr. C. XV. Thompson, resigned. DRAMATIS PERSCNAE THE DUKE OF VENICE ....................... . . EE. Slit-rwonil THE PRINCE or Mouocco. .v . . . . . . G. Wodelimise ffmtors to Portia THE PRINCE OF ARRMQON. .. N. Spence ANTONIO .......... a .Ucrchant of Vcnicc ..... C. Southam BASSANIO ..... his fricnd, suitor Iikctuise to Portia ...... J. Magor SAI,AN1o. . l .... . SALARINO. ' GRATIANO. SALERIO. . .J ... LORENZO . . . SHYLOCK .... TUBAL .......... LAUNCELOT Gonrzo. LEONARDO ....... BALTHASAR . . . PORTIA . . . NERISSA . . JESSICA ......... fricnds fo Aiztonio and Bassanio .................. . . . in lozfc it-itlz Jcssiccz . . . arzclzfciuu... . .. cz fctu, his fricna' ..... .. . .thc ciorcn, scrvant to Slzylock .... scrzunt to Bossanio ....... . . . serzfant to Portia . . . . . . . 0 riclz lzcircss ..... ... lzcr rtiaiting nzaia' ... . . . dcruglztcr to Slzylock . . SERVANT TO ANroN1o. . . ................ . . . . L. Roberts . . ..l. MacLaren . . . H. Southam .l. MacLaren . . . G. Hyman bl. Calder G. MacCarthy A. Powell M. MacBrien . . . . . E. Rex .. .o. XYhitby ul. Sharp K. Stevenson . . . G. Ferguson . . . . R. Smith Clerk of the Court at Vcnicc ........ ...... I . Ferguson Attcndanfs on the Prince of Morocco . . . ...... F. Sherwood and L. Roberts Pages to the Prince of Morocco . . . . . . Ferguson, R. Cowans Fricnd to Slzylock ................................... R. Smith A CRITICISM BY MR. E. XY. DEYLIN Shakespear is more alive to-day. in two senses of the word. than most modern dramatists! This being so, it is a great pity that the people of Canada have had so little opportunity to see him on the stage, where, despite the opinions of pedants. he is at his best.

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10 TH li ASHB l7lr'lfI.Y THE LITERARY AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY The third annual production of the Literary and Dramatic Society was staged, as in past years, at the Little Theatre. On Friday, March llth, a Special Matinee was given, which His Ex- cellency the Governor General honoured by his presence. The regular evening performance took place on March 12th. There was a good attendance at both performances, but the sale of tickets was not as large as we had hoped. There are certain fixed and essential expenses which cannot be avoided, and the Society relies entirely on the sale of tickets to meet these. So far expenses have been covered, but the net result does not leave any surplus to offset a lean year. The Play itself calls for little comment. It is a pity that His Excellency was unable to attend the evening performance, as this was considered, by those who have witnessed all the performances of the Society, the best we have done so far. In every case the parts were well known, and, for the most part, well acted. Calder was undoubtedly the outstanding success: his portrayal of Shy- lock was exceptional and elicited the very warm approval of both audiences. H. Southam, as Gratiano, showed distinct histrionic ability, and the female parts taken by O. Vlfhitby, Sharp, Stevenson and G. Ferguson were well sustained throughout. especially the very exacting role of Portia. C. Southam recited the Prologue, specially written for the occasion by the Producer, Mr. C. XV. Thompson. As usual the staging was as nearly Shakespearian as possible: but the custom of former years was adhered to in the matter of costumes which were appropriately sixteenth century Venetian in design. 1. It will not be out of place here to draw the attention of our readers to the fact that all rehearsing, with the exception of the final dress rehearsal, was done out of school hours-a point which shows clearly the keenness and interest of all those who took partg in fact there were not parts for all those who came up for voice trials and spent time in preliminary rehearsals. Miss lidwards gave valuable assistance in making up, parti- cularly the female characters, and in accompanying the song and playing the music in the casket scene-for all of which help we offer our most sincere thanks. Mr. Crowson and his class made period caskets, and the art work on these and other stage proper- ties was elfectively carried out by H. Thomson. The furnishings, though few, were rich and in keeping with the period: they were lent by Stewart X Co. and added greatly to the attractiveness of an otherwise plain stage.

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12 THE ASHBURIAN For that reason I am in great sympathy with the undertaking of the Ashbury College Literary and Dramatic Society to present one of his plays each year. This year the play was The Merchant of Venice. The simplicity of the settings was a very virtuous necessityg and the scenes before the curtain proved beyond a doubt that Shakespear is not improved by the use of elaborately realistic scenery. His words impart reality to both actor and setting, while the reverse is true of most other playwrights. The scenes in Portia's house, while conceding more to naturalism, were made very beautiful by the placing of period furniture and richly col- oured costumes against black curtains. G. XVodehouse as the Prince of Morocco invested his role with great dignity and reserve. His indefinite movements while specu- lating on the caskets detracted from the effectiveness of his speechg otherwise his movements were very good. N. Spence presented a sprightly and slightly Horid Prince of Arragon, which was just as it should have been. C. Southam as Antonio looked well, bore himself with ease, but did not make as much of the part as he might have done. J. Magor as Bassanio was excellent in presence and bear- ing, but his playing lacked flexibility and incisiveness. H. Southam played Gratiano lightly, with exactly the right touch of Hippancy. J. Sharp was very good as Nerissa and in the trial scene was un- commonly successful in portraying a girl disguised as a boyg a difficult task, and well done. T have reserved for the last the two characters that were at once the best and the most difficult-Portia and Shylock. O. XVhitby played the Lady of Belmont with a grace and a sureness most un- usual, considering both the nature of his part and the difficulties of the role itself. His make-up and gestures were excellent: he delivered his lines in a quiet voice, yet every word was distinct: and he sustained even the longest speeches, giving them conviction and graceg his whole performance shewed the results of careful study and delicate appreciation of the part. J. Calder played the awe-inspiring part of Shylock remarkably well. It was the old, twisted, vengeful Shylock that he presented: and while my conception of the part includes neither such decrepi- tude nor such blood-thirstiness as are commonly attributed to the Flew, yet the character allows of so many interpretations, that no two conceptions can be alike, and any one is as good as another. Calder gave a completely convincing performance. admirably re- strained. with the single exception of the oft-repeated Three thousand ducatsf' There is a great temptation to make Shylock cringe, snarl, rant and rave, which was in this case successfully resisted. Although we saw an old. embittered man, with hatred of