Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 17, 1923, edition 1 / Page 5
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April 17, 1923 THE TAR HEEL Page Five x :: x x x : x : ; :: :: x x I x : : : x x x x X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X X. X X : : : x x x x x x x. x x SERSUCHER 1 COOL, COMFORTABLE, ECONOMICAL PRITCHARD-PATTERSON, Inc. UNIVERSITY OUTFITTERS x x x X X. X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X. X X X X X X X X. X. X X X. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X. X. X X X X X X X X X X HAIL AND FAREWELL BIDDEN TO PLAYMAKERS ON EVE OF TWO WEEKS WESTERN TRIP (Continued from Pago One) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx A STORE OF INDIVIDUALIZED SHOPS BUNCOMBE STUDENTS We Are Proud of You S the men of the future, we salute you! You have enrolled yourselves for a purpose and all accounts are to the effect that you are working straight .to your goal. We, your home people, are intensely interested in your advancement, looking to you, as we do, for the lawyers, doctors, engineers, journalists, business men, agricul turists, etc. of the future. We are proud of your literary achievements, of mem berships attained in the leading fraternities and the de grees conferred upon you. As for your athletics, we are enthusiastic over your success and the reputation you have won for yourselves by reason of your vic tories. You bear names well known and respected in Bun combe County and are fitting yourselves to replace the men responsible for the development of this section. And, we like the way you have gone about it. Bun combe students, we wish you success in all your en deavors. You have the moral support of all Buncombe County behind you. ELEVEN PATTON AVENUE-ASHE VILLE Thpy were the usual irritating com plexes present Saturday evening, who well nigh ruined the effect of Mrs. Lane on your critic by their chortles, caehi nations, and enraptured delight at the cleverness of the Lane Katzenjaniinors in pillaging their mother's jam jars, while she (poor Batts) was having such a time of it getting Prudence to go er, batty. Now if there is any moment when our esteem and brotherly affec tion for mortals is sorely tried, it is when throaty giggles burst upon one from .behind, while the only "heavy" bit of the evening is struggling towards its difficult climax. For those dear souls that must find the silver lining those that seem unable to cerebrate or take the tragedies of the Playmukers seriously, that allow their noise and laughter to spoil the illusion for oth ers, we hope that the Playmakers will furnish, down in the old Law building, when it becomes their home, a nursery with pretty and appropriate baubles. Another thing I remarked was the uniformity with which the young ladies excelled in their parts sill the efforts on the part of the young men. it was certainly "Ladies' Night," so far as histrionic honors go. Denny and Char lie Gold gave the only intelligent work among the malo roles that I recall. George is getting to be tho old war horse, but I am happy to state that his drunk was, by all Ilayshaking and critical standards, the work of a rank neophyte. He became moro and more sober as he drank. But then, home and cops have that effect. There were flash es of finished excellence in his work, lie has more of that nebulous thing denominated technique than any of the brethren. But from the time Miss Taylor came querulously in as Mrs. Zimnier, until "Mama" had her lights put out, the male parts were but feeders to the work of Misses Frazier, Taylor, Batts and Thompson. Quite a galaxy. On the whole, the three jdays, to 1110 at least, seemed to have much in com mon with Mrs. Lcdbetter's grits. Sub stantial, but there was something lack ing. There were no wide expanses of the light that never was on laud or sea, only the glare of footlights, except for once when Miss Batts stood trans fixed by the side of her tub. Not hav ing witnessed a Playmaker performance in over a year, Miss Batts was new to me. She brought something in the stark apathy of her pinched face and listless droop of shoulder and blanknoss of eye, washed out, that I have not seen on the Playmaker stage during the six or seven years of the Playmak ers' life. 1 think I can understand the neighbor, however, who said, "Yes, she's good. But I've seen her so much in that sort of thing that it's grown monotonous." She gives the sense of a one-stringed instrument, to be sure, but it was a pleasant revelation to me. Mac's Play And yet, in spite of her undeniably excellent treatment, the piece I was most interested in, having met Mrs. Lane in three-act form, while she was still very much alive and worth-while to the author, the "piece de resist ance" of the evening, tell through. Grits. There seem to be several reas ons, none wholly adequate. First, it should never have been put in one-act form. 1 understand now the author's qualms. But the staff did exeelcnt work in doing what was almost impossible. Prudence began on too trained and high a note at the opening. The transi tion of madness had to take place too quickly, and was not altogether to be expected. Her shrieks at the boys were good, they were a relief. But why did they not let her exit tin Ophelia? The song was not pathetic, as meant to be. She was not crushed. She might have turned around and entered to do the whole thing over again. Why didn't they let her grab a shirt from the tub and wildly wave it about her head, or do something of the sort? And please take the clock down from the wall. I thought it commonly ac cepted that a clock destroys to some extent the illusion. And please to make George Denny stop gnashing his eye brows. Miss Taylor again was good. Tn fact, it was an all-star cast, come to think of it. But tho very excellence of her characterization deterred from tho cen tral theme. The psychology, if I may dare use such a word, is all wrong any way. No mother would be so unsym pathetic to her daughter as Miss Tay lor was, or so ignorant of the fact that work was driving her crazy. But there's no use to go into that sort of thing. I do hope Josiah Bailey sees "Mrs. Lone. " Which suggests why there are not more negro plays written here"' They say there's a problem why not a playf Yes, I remember "White Dress es," but there are many other angles. Using the prerogative of every critic J submit that the difficulty of the Play makers this year has been one of find ing good script. They have been enter taining this year, and it is not the ab sence of witches, blood-curdling ana thema and historical incident that I be moan so much as the lack of driving power that Green, more than any other, brought to the organization. Continuing on my lightning-bug way, I record a presentiment that as tho company troups along, there are going to be many women that will patroniz ingly heave a sigh over the lot of "John Lane's Wife" and "those poor farm women," only to got a severe jolt tho noxt moment in hearing so much of their own jargon from "Mama's" lips. With aid of program I recall that Lloyd Williams came on as Steve Haruu in "John Lane's Wife." Ho and his cuttings might better be cut out. There was no life in his performance. "Mama" Which also recalls the acting -of tho John Barrymore of the outfit Spencer Murphy. Personally, 1 side with "Ma ma." No daughter of mine would ever ospouse him. Murphy was loo stiffly, self-consciously at ease. He did 11 't know of any use for his hands, except to shoot his cuffs, and hold them before him like a clothing ad. But this duffer, now, that played Albert. Why, he was the whang! I didn't know as much as I pride myself on familiarity with all types thnt one with his facial expression could be found here. Live and learn. His name was Duff, and he really looked like he might belong to "Tom's" famous fam ily. Young Duff is an excellent farce man, though suffering from that bane that ever afflicts all amateurs, and many professionals, lack of restraint. Well, I must get along to Miss Thompson. Superlatives are in order, but not in my line. I had observed that evening dresses don't go far be cause they haven 't much backing. The young lady in point gave proof of it. Her acting? Who gives a whoop whe ther she can act or notf Incidentally, she can, and naturally they all can in those parts, and these parts, but if there was nothing especially spirituelle about her "acting, certainly there was little of the material about her. I eu joyed asking tho phlegmatic editor of this sheet his position on tho co-ed ques tion again. Her voice was relief after Mama's screochings. Easily the most radiant picture that ever graced the local boards. Which is indeed faint meed of praise. The play itself is jejune, but the characterization is much better than any of Ernest's other attempts. It got d uckies out of Horace Williams and myself. But "Spoon" needs to get the lightness of touch in these things that Clare Kumnicr and A. A. Milne pos sesses. He lacks subtlety. He spoons broad jokes of vaudevillian nature down your throat, but then they howl for that kind of thing like they once did for Castoria. The only thing he overlooked, that I recall, was a pun on King Tut, but some of his lines were nearly as old as that gentleman, so things are square. Mama's misuse of words, cliches, and misinformation somehow was not refreshing, but flat as grits. Then if 1 were Charlie Gold, playing a mill owner, I would, not wear a college boy's attached soft collar. He has possibilities, decidedly. As a North Carolina textile-mill owner he showed himself typical by referring all conduct to that "sine qua non," the book of etiquette. Miss Frnzier did better work as "Mama" than in tho part she had in the first play. For instance, while Mrs. Ziinmcr was reading the description of Jim Patterson from the poster, her at tempts to make the audience see that she recognized the description as being that of her nephew were ludicrous. To be perfectly frank there is not imich to "The Berry Pickers." The curtain seemed to fall of its own ac cord. The only thing to it was the really excellent work of Miss Taylor, in pantomime. It was the best acting of tho evening. She kept tho spotlight and madj it worthwhile. Klingen schmitt, who played tho part of the out law, was more gentle than "Mary Towl." He may be a wizard as an electrician, but he failed to produce a spark that would establish contact over the footlights. Miss Frazier had too much of a nasal twang for Colorado dialect, I was told. Dickson did his small part well. The settings were better than usual, and on the whole it was a more polished performance than is usually given. Miss Batts' haunting face and poignant acting will be remembered. But Miss Taylor should realize by now that her forte is comedy. She should always be cast in that kind of part. And Denny was nearly brutal enough as John Lane. The Playmakers should be compliment ed on "John Lane's Wife." Thnt is their proper direction. And so, with commendation, we bid the Playmakers "Hail and Farewell." Damon r JfcfiS "Hey. there! Aren't yon n friend of mine?" Pythias "I ccrtnlnly nm. I'd do anything In the world for you. Yes, anu Iniity!" Damon .'i'Al' iKht prove It I Give me back that I'.ldoriido pencil jou burrowed last night." PIXDN'S Ifte master draufogpenaT 17 fault- all iralert r J Jin "'" :- .t.t-tIi j y1111 to I ROYAL (TgAretteS Battery Park Hotel Asheville, N. C. Offers every attraction in the way of wholesome cui sine, efficient service and en tertainment. Golf, tennis, fine saddle horses. Motoring. Concerts. Dancing. WILBUR DEVENDORF Manager ;J XXXXXX.XXXXXXXXXXXX.XXXX.X X. 5 Stanford University CALIFORNIA Summer Quarter, 1923 sj Tuesday, 19 June, to Saturday, X J 1 September :; I :: J; Second Half Begins 26 July ;: X Opportunities to work for higher j; :: degrees and the A. B. degree in J the oceanic climate of tho Son X X. Francisco peninsula. ;: X Courses in the regular academic V and scientific branches, and in law. X Information From Office Stanford University CALIFORNIA X X X X. 'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx J. F. Dash icil was elected vice-president of the Southern Society of Philoso phy and Psychology at a recent meet ing held March .10 and 31 in Nashville, Tenu. READ THE ADS IT PAYS I We Welcome the Faculty and Stu dents of U; N. C. TO MAKE OUR STORE HEADQUARTERS WHEN IN DURHAM Should you need Furni ture and Rugs it would give us pleasure to serve you. We have sold the fraternities and the Uni versity at Chapel Hill and have given them satisfaction. We can please you also. Royall & Borden Chapel Hill Street Opposite Grand Central Garage DURHAM, N. C. Catch Your 8:30 THEN BREAKFAST at the ' UNIVERSITY CAFETERIA It pays to advertise in the Tar Heel our readers know a gooi thing when they see it. : i! I. lit u ' ,
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 17, 1923, edition 1
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