The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-30
OLD GREEK PLAY POPULAR
''THE RETURN OF oDYssEUs" AND
IT'S PROGRESS.

me days that are now passing are busy
and most interesting one to the students
of our state university. In the halls
seated upon the stairway the fair-faced
maidens are deelaining IN the most clas-
sic Greek; out on the campus under the
trees the tall, broad shouldered youths
are vieing with each other in the same
gymnastic sports as the Phaeacian ath-
letes practieed centuries ago; In the arm
DRY flock Of girls fit gracefully to and
fro in the changes of a fine, old dance
and play their game of ball with much
skill while at the same time they keep
every movement In perfect rhythm with
the music One catches hints on costumes
in the recess between the hours or hears
some enthusiastic maid initiating the
shrek of the gay Phaeacian lassies with
wonderful success. In fact the Greek
play has been taken UP most enthusiasts
ucally by everyone and its success is
assured. All the minor details are being
carefully arranged. Only a few days ago
the announcement was made that copies
of the play with the Greek on one page
and the English on the opposite one can
be obtained at the university book store
before the play comes off and that thew
Will be on sale at the opera house that
night.
The play '"The Return Of Odysseus,'
! has been arranged from Homer by Miss
Mabel Hay Barrons and the translation
is by George Herbert Palmer Miss Bar
rons, who has entire charge OF the play,
is well fitted for this work for In ad-
clifton to her classic education, her
thorough knowledge OF gymnastics, her
study o. music, she has natural dramatic
tendencies, a faculty for organization and
a positive knack for pa+ting at people.
Having studied while abroad from Greek
vases, Tanagran figures and old paintings
she shows wonderful artisticness and
skill in the costumes, the grouping of
figures and the dances. Small wonder
that DIR. Edward Everett Hale gave his
church pa1sors for an exhibition of her
work or that the people of Radcliffe col
iege. Tho Hotchkiss school and Of Brown
and Chicago universities were eager 20
have plays Of so much educational value
given by her at their respective institu-
tons. Miss Barrons' first play was a
dramatiza ton of the Aeneid, "The Feast
of Dido which she wrote when only
sixteen years of age. Later, '"Ths Flight
of Aeneas,'' .IIellenika, . which is a pam
tomime of Creek life, and THE Return of
Odysseus" followed
The interest in such plays does not lie
wholly among the students OF schools
and colleges but among all educated
| people, who enjoy seeing plays of edu-
| cational value, and who, although their
! school days have long since passed bv.
| are still deeply Interested in Virgil and
Homer
The characters IN 1.-THE Retrr1 of Odys-
seus'' are as follows:
DRAMATIs PERSONAL.
Odyssens.
Telemachus.
Alcinous, King of Phaeaeia..
Laodamas, Halius and Clytoneus. his
sons. 'A'N
Echeneus. phaeacian counsellor.
Euryalus, Amphialus and Elatreus.
Phaeaciian athletes.
Phemlus and Demodocus bards.
Pontonous, page to AIcinous
Suitors. elders and pages.
dA4,thene. disguised as Mentes.
Arete Queen of Phaeacia.
| Nausicaa, her daughter
EurycleiS, nurse
| house.
Actoris, handmaiden. @
Circes, nymphs and Nausicaa's maid
Act 1.-THE house of odysseus. in Ith-
AGA during his absence).
Act II:--Circe's palace (tableau).
Net l!l.-By the river Oh the coast Of
Act Iv.-The palace Of Alcinous.
acians. t,-''Se - 'iie ils,e-
xI:-The house of odysseus (after his
1