Ashbury College - Ashburian Yearbook (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

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TH li A.S'I1HI'Rl.4.X' I 3 Christians twisting his face and giving virulence to his speech, yet we never lost sight of a character that is essentially noble. Shylock was a wealthy jew of high rank: if his talk was so much of money, that is because money was his trade. That he had tender and sensitive feelings we know-from his replies to the taunts of Antonio and Bassanio lwho appear very ignoble in their scenes with himl-and in his references to his wife Leah and to his daughter. This Calder made plain: and he handled the old man's momentary triumph and subsequent disgrace in the court- room with skill. His movements and the use of his hands were particularly good: and the Hebraisms in his speech were not over- done. A Fine performance. Strong men do things: Weak men talk about them. Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can. Success is not an accident. lt comes to the man who does his work a little better than the other fellow. The greatest mistake you can make in this life is to be con- tinually fearing you will make one. A Friendly act, A kindly smile, A helpful word And Life's worth while. NYhen there is nothing more to be said, some fool always says it. It is always better to be silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt about it. If you want work well done, select a busy man-the other kind has no time.

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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

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14 TH li .-ISH HI 'KI.-LX' CA9CTS 5 Y! I 3 0 it -W ', fxlxx 1 All . 4r , ' 69 , 5299 .e 'W ' A Q 3 cw .1 1 I I, .QSC I Q, .ai u rv ir X gl, i N Qi' '1 0 ff. s 1 -. T T 1 e .4-- ? 3-91. THE CADET CORPS INSPECTION AND DISPLAY OF GYMNASTIC TRAINING. The ahoye events were held on May Sth. in hright hut cool weather. The Corps was inspected hy Major-General A. H. Bell, C.Kl.G., D.S.O.. assisted hy Col. XY. G. Beeman. D.S.O., and Capt. M. lshester. At the saluting hase were Lieut.-Col. S. H. llill. and Sergt.-Major Stone. Lieut.-Col. R. Bl. Courtney was among the visitors. lfnder Company Leader N. Gillies the events were carried out with marked precision and much applause greeted the Cadets at the coneflusion. The Platoon winning the XYoods Cup fNo. 21 was under Platoon Leader D. Fauquier, No. l heing commanded hy R. Stanheld. The Corps Band. under bl. Allen, deserves a special word of praise for its Very line ehcorts. :Xt 3.30 p.m. the Gymnastic Display was given. first hy the Juniors followed hy the Seniors. The Connaught Cup was won lty R. I-. Stanheld. The presentation of the prizes was made hy Mrs. XY. H. Row- ley. who was assisted hy the Headmaster and Sergt.-Major F. XY. Stone. The following hoys received prizes :- CJ'L'onnor Cup- R. Coristine. Scott Cup- R. Davidson.