The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-06-09
CLASSIC PLAYS GIVEN
THE ELSIE HERNDON KEARNS
COMPANY WAS PRESENT
ED BY THE NORMAL
SCHOOL in FOUR
DRAMAS
Shakespeare, MoIiere and Everyman
(By P. Caspar Harvey


With select audiences that varied
from responsive to appreciative the
Elsie HerndOn Kearns Company
gave four classical dramas under the
direction of the Fort Hays Kansas
Normal School, Monday and Tues
day. June and 5th.
The plays presented are. each good
acting plays and this added somewhat
to their reception by Hays audience.
The Tanning of the Shrew," thin as
1T is, is always effective on the stage,
The Winters Tale" varied by tragic
Jealousy. idyllic love, and supposed
death, gives a good picture. Lies
Femmes SaVantes," with its keen sa-
tire, permits an audience to take men
| tai 'pokes" as some "highbrows' of
its own community. And every
man, more appropriate than ever
because Of the death summons on that
very day to so many Americans,
touched the hearts and souls of every
| one present.
Miss Kearns was good throughout
the entire engagement. Her audi
ences liked her. At no time however,
was she brilliant. In the first Danish
| ment scene of the "The Winters
Tale" she brought SO many tears that
the hearers did not even applaud at
IS so arranged as to even invite it.
The audience at ''The Tanning of
the Shrew" was responsive. The en-
tire cast ''put over" the farce with
all the boisterous vigor necessary.
For some elemental reason unknown
to mankind, a crowd is caught I'D by
the Whirlwind wooer and carried for
ward to the end by the humor of the
situation and not of the characters
or even the work of any of the play
ers- Mr.. Somnes was, frankly, a dis
appointment as 'Petruchio." Per
haps he was too used to outdoor pro-
ductions.
In both the first play and ''The
Winters Tale" Mr.. Somnes indulg-
ed himself too much in defamation
and too little in Interpretation of the
character he was supposed to act.
He was too loud, too indistinct, and
too careless of whether his auditors
understood either him or the play. In
this play what ''Leontes" says in the
first scene must be given very clear
" or the audience does not under
stand why anything happens. Mr.
Somnes failed utterly to do this. Miss
Patterson as 'Paulina" was indeed
excellent. Mr.. Osborne as "Auto-
lycus" received more "hands" than
anyone save Miss Kearns AS 'tHer-
mione" Miss Kearns showed the noble
dignity of fearless resignation and
forbearance which has made this
Shakespearian woman eternal. The
piay is we'll suited to her and she liv-
ed up to many of the traditions of
the part. 1t was indeed fortunate
that Hays and the Normal School have
been permitted to see "Hermione" so
veil given. Mr.. Blackmer as "Flori-
zeH" combined just enough tender
ness with potential virility to make
him appeal to the feminine part of
the audience.
The one feature of Lies Femmes
Savantes" that struck the audience
most was the elaborate manners.
bows, dress, and highbrowism of Mr..
Somnes as F'Tristotin." He was very
good in this part.
1t would be difficult to analyze the
emotions of the audience which sat
so silently and intently through
''Everyman. There was something
about the occasion itself that added
to the appreciation as well as insight.
The players themselves said it was
the best audience. To say that it
was elevating is to understate it. To
say that it was inspiring is to over
state it. A dramatic contemplation
of summons of death is neither, yet
it is appealing and at times intensely
personal Miss Kearns was every
man." Of all the company, she, of
course, was the only one who could
possibly have taken the part, but most
of US would have wished a man to
play it. Her portrayal of the varied
emotions called for in that role was
at least appealing, often touching. 1t
is to be regretted that few indi-
viduals in the audience failed to even
respond to the idea of "Everyman.
But there have always been that few
since it was played first, centuries
ago, and there will be that same few
centuries later. ''Everyman' is eter-
nal 1t meant much to have it pro-
duced by so good company away
out here in Western Kansas.
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