University of Western Ontario - Occidentalia Yearbook (London, Ontario Canada)

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'7591?'rx UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO 'Q' A UJ ,Q5 FACULTY up ARTS Hespcrian Club Executive Sumllvngf IN Tumlxv, lf, Slwulw-Q, A, KN-mx. I.. Wwxrr. S xl M ll rs u rl'r.-:ul--nu. K, Fu D Il Page Tu eucvsezcvl

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r UNIVIQRSITY OF FACULTY W E STE RN ONTARIO 'J 5, VW, W Q, ,sf soxqaigs OF ARTS H espericm Club E YOURS to hold it high! said last year's Executive, and handed us the past record of achievements, the minutes, the none too, heavy bankfbook and the responsibility of directing the activities of the Hesperian Club for this year. The Executive held the usual long and inconvenient meetings, one of which was graced by the joyous presence of last yearis Secretary, the irrepressible Wally Ferguson. They wrangled at long length over weighty matters of policy and program which now, happily, are as dead as only past discussions can l'e. Without the tact, the eternal patience and the friendly humor of the President. Miss Margaret Ruddell. who strangely manages to have her name omitted from all the thank you lists, we should certainly never have pulled through. And when actual meetings took form from programs planned, she presided with a graciousness so genuine and unaffected that it deserves special mention. This year iv: definite project was covered at our meetings. The programs provided ranged from food for babes in parodies of famous poems to the mysteries of Imagism and Symbolism for the more sophisticated palate. Of course, no one who wasn't at the meetings believes they were interestingg but those who were there know. The necessary labor of preparing the programs was provided by Club members. chiefly under' graduates, though we had the enjoyable assistance of Mr. Collin and two M. A. students, Miss Christine McKerracber and Miss Frieda Daly, in handling the knottiest lnot the naughtiestj topics. So generously was material provided that there was even some to spare-a surprising surplus which we hope to hear before a new executive comes in which will have forgotten all about it. The thanks of the Club go to those whose work, often done with essays and seminars in the ofling, provided the matter for these meetings. As in other years, our hostesses have been more than kind This year's banquet was appetizing and not too heavy, from the menu and its quotations to the delightful talks on Contemporary Trends in National Life and Letters, given by Mr. Celieres. Mr, Bassett and Mr. Damaske. We giggled over Mr. Celiere's discussion of the uetceterasl' and heard with interest Mi. Damaskes account of German student life, and Mr. Bassett's comments on the noneftoofamiliar American schools, their ideals and their writers. We enjoyed a whole series of hearty laughs Lyes, Dr. Neville was therej, and learned, among other things, why Mr, Gemmell expects to graduate and three working C73 definitions of a gentleman. And Mr. Milne was put in his proper place. The Club's birthday cake ceremony was inaugurated with a touch of doggerel ritual and preceded by a preposterous collection of P'sf pendf ing presentation of the perennial pastrvfl The artistic finger of Mr. Knox was to be felt in this pie, no-cake. And when there was nothing else to do, there was the production to plan, to feed, to sell tickets for and to worry over. This was a year! For the Executive we wish a rest from their labors, for our seniors, inspiraf tion for the future, and for the rank and file, many years of long life to be happily used in attending meetings of the Hesperian Club. M, L. W. Page Tiuentvfslx

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UNIVERSITY OF or 1.,' HQ, . ve Alb ri A WESTERN ONTARIO G C G 5: 1 E : . .a e fa .o ff '.'fuV9 o, G3 FACULTY OF ARTS Hamlet HE lirst complete Shakespearian production produced .it the Uni' versity of Western Ontario in recent years scored a decided success, when the Players' Club .ind the Hesperian Cluh united in the pro- duction of l'Hamlet. Audiences just slightly shoi't of capacity houseS greeted the players at hoth presentations and the success of this play augurs well for the future success of the Shakespearian dramas, which it is expected will he presented annually at the University of Western Ontario- Perhaps the most striking characterstic of the players was the fact that they were practically letter-perfect in their lines. To master such a lengthy play in this manner is an achievement of which the participants may well he proud. To the director, Mr. W. S. Milne, and to every one connected with the production go our heartiest congratulations. It was .in outstanding success. Mr. Alex. Knox played the heaviest role of the play as 'iHamlet. Mr. Knox showed a great improvement over his acting of last year in this same role. He made his actions live his lines. Mr. Milne, in his role of Polonius, gave us a new picture of Ophelia's father as a rather fussy old courticr. His diction was very clear and his acting proclaimed him as a player of great experience. Miss Frieda Daly made a lovely Queen Gertrude and one could hardly believe that she could have even thought of committing the crimes Hamlet charges her with, Miss Ruth Tanton played the diflicult role of Ophelia very well though a little additional action would have made the role stand out more. jack Screaton as Laertes gave an impulsive interpretation of this character and played the part very well. During the whole of Thursday nights performance Mr. Screaton was suffering from an attack of acute appendicitis and offfstage was under the constant care of a doctor. From his acting, one would not have suspected that he was in the horrible pain of an appendicitis attack. His sheer grit and staying power can only he appreciated by one who has had appendicitis. Len Potter as the ghost gave an excellent portrayal and the steady monotone of his lines was ghostly in itself. jack Rankin lived up to his reputation of lxM1l8SfOllE5ll in the part of Horatio. Mr. Stiling as the King was inclined to be too rapid in his speeches, otherwise his rather unpopular part was well done. The remainder of the cast in their less spectacular roles showed that they had been well directed by Mr. Milne. They included: Francisco, john Cooperg Bernardo, R. G. Elsong Marcellus, C. F. McRaeg Rosencrantz, R. G. Elsong Guildenstern, T. A. Millerg First Player, A. H. O'Neil1 Second Player, Murray McDiarm1d Third Player, Genevieve Carmichaelg Soldiers-Hall Newell, Geo. Stull, S. Veleriote, j. Cookg Messenger, John Cooperg GravediggersAM. Mc- Diarmid, C. F. McRae: Priest, L. Potterg Osric, Geo. Hartwellg Pages and Ladies of the Court-Hilda Grant, Mary Buchner, Margaret Steven. Margaret Griffiths, Nadine Patterson, Margaret Thompson and Agnes Will. Elinor Higgins was assistant to Mr. Milne. The costumes were made under the direction of Miss Margaret Marshall with Miss L. Gunn as designer. The lighting under the direction of Wm. Curnoe. The University Orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Herman Couke, played the incidental music, as well as the selections between acts. Mr. Jack Johnston and Mr. Gordon McNally were the efhcient busif ness managers of the productions. Page Twenty-eiglir