Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-02-29
NORWAY
"ARAB1AN NIGHTS

Il ARABIAN NIGHTe."
OF the many school dramas given here
In recent years, mono have scored .
greater success than did the play Arab
Ian Nights given at the Opera House
last Tuesday evening nnder the auspices
of the senior class Of Norway High
School. The students that took the
parts are certainly to be congratulated
upon the manner in which the piece was
presented, and much credit Is also due
Harold Anderson, who coached them
and assisted greatly In making the play
pass off smoothly.
The play is light comedy, well adapt
ed to amateur production and easily
staged, az one scene 10 used In all three
acts. The action of the play oenters very
largely around one character, Arthur
Hummingtop, . young man of wealth,
recently married to young and charm
ing wife, but who as he expressed 1t,
not only married his wife, but also bis
mother-in law and brother-in-law. Much
of the success of the play depended up
on the way in which this part was given.
and Russell Bethel surely proved him
self star in the manner In which he In.
terpreted the part. Although mo- had
much to learn, he had it perfectly com.
mitted and gave 1t clear and distinct
voice that could be easily understood
Throughout the hall. His stage manner
was easy and pleasing and his work
brought forth frequent applause.
While his wife was away on o visit
and he was left in charge of his mother.
in.law, q part splendidly done by Miss
Imogene Hunt, he disguised himself and
went for lark in the park, at the close
of which he escorted young lady home.
Although he gave hey an assumed name,
| he also loaned her handkerchief, which
unfortunately for him, his kind mother
in-law had marked with bis full name
and address. The next day the young
lady appeared at his home, liked the
looks Of things and decided TO stay, and
did 20 10 spite OF his pleadings and
threats. While in conversation with her,
the mother-in.law appeared, and in ut
of desperation Hummingtop introduced
her as his niece. This part was taken BY
Miss Esther Pike with a care-free manner
and spirit that added distinctly to the
success of the play.
Later in the day the real niece appear
ed, Miss Frances Andrews, and things
began to get decidedly complicated.
One falsehood By Hummingtop only
made it necessary for him to tell anoth.
or, and at last 1t got 80 the truth sound
ed strange to him. Ralph Ormerod, Al.
bert Bartlett, Hummingtop's friend,
tried to help him out OF his difficulty,
but only made matters worse, and found
when he fell in love that Hummingtop
had told bis sweetheart, first that he
was a married man and later that he was
a widower with q daughter Rosie in
boarding school. This made trouble be.
tween the two friends. u
When the wife returned it capped the
climax. The mother-in-law told her all
she knew and some things she guessed
at. The situation was finally cleared by
Hummingtop's artificial niece, as be
called her, falling in love and proposing
to his brother-in law, Paul Seavey, who
as mammals only boy made a decided hit
both by his makeup and his rendering
of his lines. After the marriage Rosa
confessed sll and made the mother.in-
law decidedly uncomfortable by calling
her mamma.
Marion Bradbury as the wife and Eu-
gene Descoteau and Doris Shepard as
the servants of the household carried
out their parts well.
During the waits between acts some
enjoyable numbers were played on the
victrola BY Freeland Howe.
There was fair attendance but such
creditable performance was deserving OF
q full house.