The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-19
THE PRINCESS"
Tennyson's Immortal Poem Splendidly Given by B.,H.
 s. Seniors
Final Performance This Evening at SIS at Warner
 Hall

The spIendidly successful presenta- tion at Warner hall, last evening, of Tennyson's romantic medley, ''The Princess, is today a source of gratifi- cation and pleasure to many besides those who took an active part in the production. Needless to say, Miss Clarke, the coach, and her pupils, High School, are well pleased with the result of their weeks of preparation And equally so are the parents of the youthful players, and their school mates, and those friends who were for tunate enough to be among the first nighters.'
 'tThe Princess. one of Lord Tenny son S major poems, was first published about the middle of the 18th century. In if, the poet purposed to settle or at least to give definite expression to that of Woman's Rights. We of this day can testify that from a didactic standpoint, the poem has failed in its mission. There are still some in the world who will dispute the argument of the great English laureate, who will reject the lesson of the poem, who will assert most emphatically that the striving after equal rights is far from being a fad, a pose, that will inevit- ably yield to the innate tenderness of the true feminine nature.
 To really know and appreciate the story, one must read it in the orig inaI, for the plot, without it's back ground of beautiful word pictures and 1 lyrics so rich in exquisite imagery, could never have achieved immortal | ity.
 The play was chosen by a. vote of the class, and strangely enough they selected the most difficult of all the | number suggested.
 It is no easy task to take young people, accustomed only to modern ! forms of speech, and in the space of | a few short weeks, drill them into an l ity with the stately, sonorous lines of The PTincess,-lines with whose | rhythm, every gesture and step must be in perfect accord in order to best there were many who had misgivings as to the outcome, but they were hap oily disappointed.
 Miss Fanny A. Northrop, to whom was entrusted the title role, handled her part with grace and apIomb wor- thy of one older by far both In years and experience. Seldom do we find an | amateur performer in whom are com | bined, as in Miss Northrop, perfect self possession, a clear enunciation, and a thoroughly intelligent interpre- tation. The character of the Princess is one that calls for repression Of nat ural emotions which is perhaps as diff ficult form of acting as the highly emotional. By her clever rendition, Miss Northrop has achieved a distinct triumph in High School dramatics.
 Sharing equal honors with the Prin- cess, Miss Isabel c. Baker as Lady Psyche completely captivated her au- dience. The contrast between the two natures, that of the Princess, regal and reserved, and of the Lady Psyche, womanly and tender, was a finished bit of acting.
 Miss Bakers perfect boise and com prehension of the possibilities of her role were especially remarkable. In the third scene of the first act, when the Prince. Cyril and her brother Florian try to pursuade her to keep their secret. her work was little short of professional
 Stuart A. Hamilton made a splen- didly weak and vacillating King Cana. As the ruler who was ruled by his daughter. ne got everything possible out of his part. John F. De- brothers of the Princess Ida were pleasing. Lewis Calhoun as the King, was gruff and blustery enough to briwg out to advantage the contrast between himself and Gama. James Jensen enacted the most difficult of able style. He presented the Prince in a manner little more serious than is usual. but in no way did the part suffer aSs result of this. but rather did it produce a pleasing and convincing effect.
 Lady Blanche, the villain of the play was most capsibly handled by Miss Marjorie H. Rovden. This was a difficult part to play inasmuch as it was calculated to run counter to the svmpathies of the audience. Miss Rovden's dramatic talent is of very high order Miss sally Wilmot gave a. very clever rendition of the highly bell was effective the Fortress