The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-11
PLAYS By
STUD ENT PI.AY ERS

STUD ENT PI.A Y,lBRS
The rosy anticipations Of the members and
friends OF the University Dramatic Club
We're more than realized last night at Its
midWinter performance at the Lyceun. The
club provided exceptional material and this
was used with the utmost skill and 1ntelh-
gence by the dramatic director Clayton d. .
gilbert, IN plays worthy of. the long and
careful work done by the dramatis personae
and the director. The bill presented many
diMculties, especially for the director, which
only ambition would attempt and hard work
could accomplish. but the result was worth
all Of the effort.
Chief among the diflcultes Of an elaborate
production at the Lyceum is the staging, as
this had to be provided specially by the club,
It was complete in every detail correct and
attractive. The same can be said or the
costumes. One of the features of the principal
play were the really marvellous costumes OF
Thomas Sven, as Percinet, the romantic
lover. They proclaimed the poetic mould OF
the youth more plainly than words and In
this We're an artistic triumph OF suggestive
art. The most astonishing thing about them
| is that they were made from the designs Of
the young actor, who is just In his first year
| at the university. That of the second act was
! the most striking and certainly entitled to
be called creation. The Louis Quinze coat
1
was adorned with an intricate pattern Of gold
tracery as We're the deep stiff gauntlet cuffs
Inc cfayat was a mass OF rich lace, ana
| deep frlls of lace fell over the hands of the
young exquisite, whose curling golden locks
were crowned by a satin hat, ornamented
with white plumes. Ornaments, shoes, buckles
We're used with an exact knowledge of the
period
Miss Inez Lord, who played the part OF
| Sylvette, the beloved of Percival, wore a
succession Of dainty, girlish, diaphanous
| frocks whose simplicity belonged with the
| role and placed them In any historic period.
The Vatican gowns of the group of dancers
\ IN the second act were pink for one half and
blue for the other, with figured overdresses,
having the side painters Topped up short over
the hips and wide plat in the back. The
| costumes OF. the other men were the velvet
coats and knee trousers of the period, with
| ornate waistcoats, buckles at the knee and
on the high shoes, and tri-cornered hats.
| The plays were not only excellent in them
selves but in effective contrast. "The Old
| Musician" by Felix Morris is delightful but
| palmetto character study in which there is
| really but one part that of the musician, the
others simply serving to throw lights upon
MIN and to explain the story. The title role
| was played by Frank Lane with a distinc-
| ton and sympathy Indicative OF exceptional
| dramatic ability. He not only acted the part
well, Stimulating the pathetic droop of dis
couragenent and old age, but his voice was
| that OF the gentle weak, visionary old man He
scored distinct triumph. The Crochet of
George Webster with. his brutality and rough
voice, threw the old musicians portrait into
higher relief and the portrayal of the I'M,
feeling and dishonest landlord was a good
one Oscar Wren was dignified and manly
as the young friend who shared the attic
! ana the mfsfortunes Of the musician, and Miss
cara wheeler as Nina, the daughter whose
search for; her father was rewarded by sue
cess and happiness for all, was graceful and
she read her lines with admirable effect in a
charm1ngly modulated voice. Harry Mitchell
had the small part of Nina's servant
In opposition to the pathos Of real life was
the fanciful, light, sparkling conceit of Ed
mond Rostand's Lies Romanesuues, in
which there is not a hint Of real woe Two
sood nelghbors on adjoining country estates
wish, to unite their lands and fortunes by the
marriage of their son and daughter, but real
ling that marriage without obstacles isn't
tempting to two such poetic young simple
tons, the plotting fathers decided that the
surest way is to make the children think they
are stealing their sweets A feud story is
told the young people, and at the opening of
the play the plot has borne fruit and Sylgette
and Percival have made each others ac-s
quaintance over the high wall and are meet
ing daily9to feed their poetic fancies on Gro
meo and Juliet, whom they burn to EMU
late. The fathers, to have an excuse for be-
coming reconciled. invent an abduction. in,
which Percinet is peTfnitted to rescue Sylvette
from hired ruffians. This first act is complete
in itself and is being! used in New York with
out the other two. There is little action in
the last two acts, although the delicious fool
cry and dainty poetry in which the pair of
young lovers indulge and the amusingly mat
ter-of-fact and human quarrels of the old
neighbors, who find their ardent interest in
each other somewhat cooled by intn. te asso-
citation, are very entertaining.
The story is carried along by the departure
of percinet on his bridal eve, in search Of real
romance, after he learns of the deception. He
returns disillusioned and finds Sylvette also
cured and ready to love him, whether or not
there is any romance in so doing. The cur
tain dropped after very Frenchy rondeau
|recited by all of the cast. with the lights
gradually fading out a characteristic Rostand
effect.
The heros part of Mr.. Sven was a distinct
creation, and one can with difficulty recall
and character to compare with him in this
airy, fanciful, rhapsodical manner, dreamy
poetical speech and wonderful grace The
sprightly Puck in Midsummer Nights
Dream The part was perfectly sustained,
and this was quite the most difficult thing in
the portrayal, that never a hint of the pres
ent WorkadaY world Of practical things
crept in.
The romantic illusion was well sustained by
the whole cast. although in none was the
flavor of romanticisn quite so exaggerated
as in Percnet; Even Miss Lord Sylvette
was q little sbrewder and more earthly, as was
the authors intention. but at times. stirred
by her lovers rhapsodies. she rose and
shared his visionary ecstasies. The two old
fathers, Berganlin and Pasuuinot, played by
lie Roy Arnold and Arthur Collins respect
lively were excellent bits Of character work,
in which the difference of type was cleverly
accentuated. Don Campbell in the part of
straforel, the abductor. made a friendly viii
lain with a leaning towards the picturesque
and romantic. and the part of the gardener,
although small, was played with good touches
ty Harry Mitchell.
A pretty feature Of the performance was the
mandolin playing at the interrupted wedding
by Messrs. Booth, Edwards, Wheeler, Moody,
| Kicker, Gerrish. Loria and Griffith This
was followed by a graceful incidental dance
| by group Of the guests, Misses Bean, Rob-
bins, Ozias, swart, Mcfarland, Fagundus,
| Alden and Kinyon. The dance was arranged
| and directed by Miss Marguerite Barbour,
and was full OF pretty movements and poses.
The audience was distinguished one. in
which appreciation was critical as we'll as
| sym pathetic, and the complete tisfaction
| Of all was the browning seal of approval de-
| sired and obtained by the club. The boxes
were filled with merry parties in which the
| handsome gowns OF the young women bright
ened the house and made it quite as attract
! i've in its way as the stage spectacle
| = -siI.st4
| Amateur Minstrel Benent.
Special to The Journal.
| Yankton. 8. D., Feb. 11.-Socfety. young men
OF Yankton are arranging an amateur min