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Page 33 text:
“
THE BOOK OF THE CLASS OF NINETEEN-FIFTEEN 27 {Eije oab to geateroap THE path of most committees is beset with obstacles and delays, and that of the Sopho- more Play Committee proved so full of difficulties that finally they resorted to the Road to Yesterday as the best way out. At least that is how they got out f it when censured for their decision. The casting of the play went well until we reached the r61e of the Irish maid, whose prophecy gives the play its name. At this point the casting committee seemed unreasonable and perverse (that is the opinion of each side). Did this maid represent the mysterious spirit of prophecy revealing the submarinian depths of the past, or was she just superstitious? Ah, this was the problem with which the casting committee tusseled, that caused furious discussion night after night until ten-thirty. At last a strictly neutral was called in to decide the question, and rehearsals began in peace. Then it occurred to us that Miss Thomas might like to know what we intended to give. As a matter of fact, Miss Thomas was very much inter- ested in the subject, having already decided on a Sophomore play for us. Again the warring instinct of woman broke forth, but this time the different factions took common cause against the common foe. The foe, however, proved very friendly and cast confusion in our ranks by yielding graciously. I say cast confusion advisedly, since we had no sooner gained our point before, true to feminine psychology, we began disagreeing as to whether we really wanted that point after all. Should we not yield, too, out of respect to our President? Or would it seem undignified and weak to change our minds? These and other subtle questions severed our ranks. But the argument which finally settled the matter was that we had already begun the Road to Yesterday, and that the date for the play was drawing dangerously near. Then rehearsals began in earnest. Who can forget the hours we labored over Betty Jones ' Oh! Here he comes ; Sarah Rozet ' s Where am I? ; D. P. ' s Kenelm, Kenelm, what shall thy suffering be? And the marriage ceremony — who can forget that, with its soft musical accompaniments to stir the soul, so soft and soulful that the audience could not hear it? Do you remember how one delinquent retainer never came to rehearsals
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Page 34 text:
“
88 THE BOOK OF THE CLASS OF NINETEEN-FIFTEEN until finally we sent a strong-squad (Liz Co.) after her? Do you remember how Kenelm failed to get all his mustache off for the fourth act, and consequently how in the excitement of the last love scene one ridiculous black hair trembled passionately on his upper lip? And do you remember what a relief it was to hear the applause, the stamping and cheering of the audience? We had all worked particularly hard on the play, since most of us were skeptical as to its success. What a relief, then, to hear our audience fired with enthusism. Indeed, the next day, Sunday, wherever we went on the campus, we were showered with congratulations. But alas! our success was short lived; we had pleased all of the college except the English Department — ah, fatal mistake! Monday, momentous day for all college plays, the Road to Yesterday was branded unliterary; it suffered the tortures of an English Department Inquisition; it was stoned with condemnations, exiled from our memory, until even its little life, such as it had, poor thing, was rounded with a sleep. Its persecutors seemed to forget that the Road to Yesterday contains a quotation from Shakespeare! But our only defense was of the dumb-dumb variety. However, they were generous in praise of our acting, and so was Mr. King. They merely felt that in our choice we had taken a step backward instead of forward in the history of Sophomore plays; and of course the evidence was against us — we stepped back three hundred years. But then, that was only in the two middle acts. Surely in the first and fourth we were sufficiently up to date: witness Lil Mudge and our hero Jack. Witness also the fine modern spirit of cooperation of every member of our class in producing the play (far be it from me to refer to the Scientific management ). Everyone worked tirelessly for the common cause, and many are the happy times we fought together. These are only a few reminiscences of our play, but at least they suggest the way that leads back to yesterday, a road well worth traveling for the sake of experience, friendships formed, and pleasant memories gained. Dagmar Perkins. The Editors wonder if the author is here referring to the dressing of Jack in doublet and hose by six faithful lackeys during a two-minute speech on the stage. Surely that was a triumph. And as for cooperation — consider the Mob!
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