Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-18
A COMEDY OF TERENCE.
Harvard Students Will Render "Phor-
mIo"-How It VIII BE Presented.

Harvard Students VIII Render "Phor-
mIo"-How 1t VIII BE Presented.
The Harvard Graduate Magazine for
March says:
Thirteen years ago the presentation OF
the "Oedpus Tyrannus" OF Sophocles at
tracted to Cambridge a throng of literary
and social celebrities, who witnessed the
most elaborate and successful production
Of a Greek tragedy which had been seen
I'm this country up TO that time. Since
then the Latin department has had the
desire TO bring out Latin comedy. me
plans matured last summer. the commit
tee chose the 'Phormio' OF Terence ana
the various parts were assigned to stu
dents whose scholarships in classics en-
titled them to the distinction.
STAGE EFFECTS.
The "Phormio" was chosen as most
suited Of all the Terentian plays 10 hod-
ern conditions. To appreciate ii one does
not require thorough knowledge Of the
age in which 1t is written, for there IS
less personal satire than In most of the
plays of Terence Sanders Theatre IS
considered much more suited TO the pro-
duction of "PhOrmio" than the average
modern theatre, and may therefore par
TALLY offset the disadvantages OF small
seating capacity. Colored models OF the
scenery have been made. They represent
simply the front of three houses. and all
the action takes place In the streets
before them. The curtain will be ar
ranged after the Roman fashion, that IS,
being lowered from the top at the be-
ginning Of a scene and raised at the end
of it. On the curtain will be painted a
90 h. 60, ali H., Irfs -l.
Museum, in which the god Of the theatre.
Dionysus. comes with his train to supper
with a dramatic poet.
THE COSTUMES.
The actors in the Terentian comedy
wore the regular costumes of everyday
life, though somewhat conventionaliZed
by the usage OF the stage. The tunic and
mantle were the garments alike OF men
and women. The foot was clad in the So
called soccus. the shoe OF the comedy,
an adoption from the Greek comic stage.
In all of these details an exact reproduce
ton will be attempted but the masks
will not be worn. They would convey To
a modern audience nothing but bnr!esque.
which would seriously conflict with the
real purpose of the comedy. BY a skill
full use of creased paints the faces Of
the actors will be made up so as TO sug-
gest the outlines of the mask without
really being covered by 1t.
THE MUSIC.
The problem of acting and of the de-
livery of the lines is the most difficult OF
all. The verse OF the play Is practically
of two kinds that which is merely spoken
and that which Is recited or sung TO
music. IL is considered n difficult matter
for the modern to keep strictly TO the
metre and rythm alone. But when music
is introduced the difficulty of the task
Is increased many times Professor L.
d. Allen, OF the Musical Department,
has written accompaniment for all the
parts which have to be sung. These ac-
compartments follow the rythm OF the
Latin verses, and are. in the main, con-
fined to two clarinets. None Of the pas
sages will be sung outright. the only
difference being a greater richness of ac-
Compartment one Of the melodies has
been composed 10 conform to the scale
OF an ancient pipe now IN the British
Museum. and this Is the only attempt
which has been made to reproduce the
peculiarites of ancient music There was
only one accompanist in the Roman thea
tire. and he stood upon the stage playing
upon a double pipe. In the present in
stance there will be an oboe, two clari-
nets. and a bassoon. which VIII be sta
toned behind the scenes, while on the
stage will be found the dummy flute
player, with double pipe made from
ancient models. pretending TO accompany
the actors. Between the acts there will
be interludes for the four reed instru-
ments.
The cast requires fourteen actors. in
Guiding the speaker OF the prologue. IL
will be filed entirely from the college and
the Graduate School.