The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-06-07
ANU SING FARCE
BY BENNINGTON
WRITER
civilian Warren's Welcome
Produced by Vt. Students
ROGER G. RAMSDELL AUTHOR
Play IngeniousIy Constructed and the
Dialogue Is Bright, Laughable
and Natural

II has been previously mentioned in
the Banner that one of the features
of the closing of the year at Vermont
University at Burlington was to be the
production by the students of a play,
william Warren's Welcome" written
by a Bennington boy, Roger G. Rams
dell.
In recent years the students of the
university have taken a more or less
active interest in amateur tneatricals
but the production of William War
ren's Welcome" is the first instance in
which not only the players but tne
playwright have been students of the
institution. The center of the produc-
ton is a son of Mr.. and Mrs. II. Nj.
Ramsdell of Washington street and
was graduate of the Bennington high
school, He receives his degree at the
university this month. OF the play IT.
self the Burlington Free Press says:
Zone of the most amusing and one
of the cleverest farces ever given In
this city was presented last evening
in the Strong theatre before an audi
ence that completely filled the house.
The play was William Warrens We'll
come" and was The work of Roger G..
2amsdell, senior in the university.
The play kept the audience In a gale
Of laughter Throughout. and the action
vas almost continually broken by the
enthusiastic and appreciative applause
Of the audience. The play is brisk in
action, the situations comical, the dia-
logue sprightly, witty and filed with
smart speeches. Though built around
the old and often employed theatrical
device of mistaken identities, the play
nevertheless took on new lease of
life by virtue of the skill of tne play
wright in evolving the most laughter
provoking situations, in the delineat-
ion of character, and in the construc-
ton of natural and bright dialogue.
The plot was ingeniously constructed.
and the working out of the same was
cleverly managed.
THE play tells the story of several
men who masquerade, forced by cir
cumstances under the name of Will
liam Warren. The real Warren, need
less to say. turns up, and as difficulty
in establishing his identity. The work.
ing out of the plot was artfully evolv-
ed in many laugh provoking situa-
lions.
Much of the success of the play was
owing to the players They acted
with the ease and assurance of profes.
SIGNALS. There was not weak spot
in the cast, and it would be difficult
to pick out one who acted better than
the others. Mr.. Hamilton Parker, a
retired business man, was most cap
ably acted by the author of the play
| Mr.. Ramsdell His facial expression
was unusually good, it being varied
and expressive. Macrae, IL, was the
butler to the life. John Parker was
| naturally acted by William White Jr.
who had a much too small part in the
play. AS Mr. Parkers maiden sister
Miss Mildred Parker, Elias Lyman Jr
brought down the house by his excel
lent makeup and laughable attitudes
voice and acting. The part of Sidne,
Earl. second story man, was cleverl,
done by H. A. Gregg. Grant E. Scot
who was tne heroine in the colleg,
play of last year, again impersonatet
the heroine in the person of Miss Syl
via Parker. He was successful in pre-
senting the role of young lady in voic,
in carriage and appearance. The par
of Howard Thurston, a somewhat dif
ficult role, was we'll done by E. w
Chaffee. AS Nathaniel Rhodes, a frs
story man, d. W. Upper portrayed I,
the life of the typical tramp. Georg,
+. futile played with ease and spirit
A. Draper, motor car agent, a char
acter which fitted him excellently. A,
the valuable and persistent agent h,
was delightful and kept the audienc,
laughing every moment he was on tn,
stage. The role of the lover, the rea
William Warren, was enacted by Geo
S. Harris who gave it natural ant
easy operation.
The play was written under the dir
ection of Professor NV. Andrews t.
whom much credit is due for finish
ed production.
The cast was as follows, given II
the order of their first appearances:
Hamilton Parker, retired bust
ness man, r. G.. Ramsdell, '09.
James, his butler, Charles F. Ma
craze, IL.
John Parker, his son, William
Whits, Jr., IL.
Miss Mildred Parker, his nader
sister, Elias Lyman, Jr., IL.
Sidney Earl, second story man
Hugh A. Gregg, IL.
Miss Sylvia Parker, Parker.
daughter, Grant q. Scott, 10.
Howard Thurston, Eben w. Chat
fee, II.
Nathaniel Rhodes, a first story
man, Donald w. Eipper, ~.
"A. Draper, a motor agent, George
p. futile, II.
William Warren, a class mate o.
| young Parker, George 8. Harris 100