Reed College - Griffin Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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11181 REED COLLEGE ANNUAL + 1915 Elem dzg Maitrc dc Musiquc ............. Harry Wembridge her. When he has gon Gilbert, an eccentric ttLiterat from AutresIElcvc. ............... Adele Brault and Clara Wuest Munich, appears. He too has ritten a novel. Their interest Dem: Lacquazrs ........... Charles Rogers and Arthur House Danscurs et Danscuses Barbara McLoney, Alta Armstrong, Stephenson Smith, James Rogers German Plays Modern German drama had its first histrionic inning at Reed College on March twenty-fifth, 1915, when two one-act plays wer given by the Deutsche Verein. Die Literatur, a comedy by the Austrian dramatist, Arthur Schnitzler, was playd in German; Deth and the F001, a tragedy by Hugo von Hoffmansthal, was presented in an English metrical transla- tion. I Die Literatur is a sketch of the literary life of the Austrian capital. The plot is constructed around the ambitions of Margarethe, a beautiful and selfish woman with a flattering opinion of her own powers. The comedy begins with a con- versation between Margarethe and Clemens, a Viennese noble- man whom she hopes to marry. She pretends to be interested in his hobby of horse-racing, but it soon appears that she has, contrary to his ambitions for her, been riting a novel which is soon to be publisht. Clemens rushes out to suppress the novel, leaving Margarethe to believe that he has forsaken in riting leads to a comparison of their two novels, from which it appears that both hav 1nc0rporated letters reminiscent of a previus love affair of the authors. The contents of the letters at such that discovery wil prevent Margaretheis hopes of marriage. Just then Clemens comes back with the solitary copy of Margaretheis book, which he has supprest. Gilbert maliciusly gives Clemens a copy of his own book. When Clemens states that, contrary to his usual interests, he wil read both novels, Margarethe, safegarding her ambitions and saving the incident from ending tragically, takes her own book and throes it into the fire with a renunciation of thz'c Litcratur for Clemens sake. This comedy, caracterized by brilliant conversation, was presented by Joyce Kelly as Baron Clemens, Lois Williams as Margarethe and Alexander Lackey as Gilbert. The pro- nunciation and caracterization of all three actors met with approval. Von HoffmansthalTS Beth and The Pool is quite uncon- ventional dramatically; it has few dramatic moments, and consists largely of a monolog by the Fool. More lyric than dramatic, the play givs a poetic portrayal of the caracter of a man whom the author calls a 11001? Surrounded by artisic indulgence and luxury he has livd without realizing lites depth or meaning. Dcth, not hideus, but spiritually stern and

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REED COLLEGE ANNUAL and 0f the suicidal attempt of the flower seller wer wel brought out and fully appreciated: The cast was 2 Christopher XVellwyn, an artist .............. Howard Barlow Arm, his dazttc; .......................... Marian Allhands Ferrand, a w gabond .................... Alexander Lackey Timson, once a coachman. . . .k .................. Frank Scott Mrs. Meegan, a flozoe; ozrl .................. Verna Menefee Sir Thomas Hoxton .......................... Joyce Kelly Professor Calway. . . . . . . .- ................ Stephenson Smith Canon Bertley ........................... Charles Larrabee Vegan ...................................... Jay Seehrist Constable .............................. Donald Lancefield First Humbleman ......................... Matthew Riddle Second Humbleman ........................ Harold Golder A Loafer .................................. Lindsley Ross French Play The first act of Moliere's Bourgeois Gentilhomme with the original music of J. B. Lully, was presented before the col- lege in the reception room of the Arts Bilding on the evening of March nineteenth. The production was a faithful attempt to reproduce as nearly as possible the atmosfere of the original performance as it took place at Chambord in 1670. The participants wer all members of a loosely organized group of French students in the college usually cald the Acardanie, i ;r14 J 1 9 15 11171 and their work with the little play was partly for their own amusement, and partly to introduce the college to the Bow- geois Gentillzonmzrc as a preliminary to engaging interest in its production as a whole during the coming year. The springs of the plot ar not deep in the interior of the human hart, but involv, nevertheless, some essentially human caracteristics, so that Moliere,s inspired merriment fixes itself hartily upon all witnesses of his play. Monsieur Jourdain, the bourgeois with aristocratic notions and aspirations, is the center of a little scene, in which a ballet master and music master at brought with their disciples to apply as much polish as the bourgeois soul is capable of receiving. The singing lesson and the dancing lesson ar really funny, so that Moliere himself must hav laft whenever he took part in them. Lully, who was court musician to Louis XIV, and the pio- neer in French opera at Versailles, composed some of his best music for the songs of the piece, and the portion of the play produced contains several of the best ones of them. Dr. Cushing was principally activ in the production of the Bourgeois Gcntilhommc, tho all of the Academic wet in coop- eration. The costuming and staging wer under the direction of Lois Williams. The performers wer: Monsieur Jourdain, bourgeois ............... Edgar E. Piper JWaitrc dc Musiquc .......................... Mr. Cushing Maitre de Davzscr ....................... Charles Larrabee

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