Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-08
WESTHAMPTON COLLEGE
TO GIVE Greek PLAY
Young Women VIII Present tho
"Trojan Women Of Euripides"
at Y. NJ. G. A.
SIMPLICITY IN STAGE EEFECTs
Students in Classical Course to Take
Various Parts I'm Effort to Bring
Out Strong Points OF Old Greek
Drama.

The presentation OF the Trojan
Women OF Euripides" on tho night OF
April IS in the auditorium OF the Y. NJ.
c. A. by the students OF Westhampton
terest, since the play 10 seldom given
by amateurs. The play has been
coached by MT. Vache, and the cast
Is tho same az In the successful pro-
While 1t is impossible TO produce tho
play exactly ar 1t was given In tho old
Greek Theater, utmost simplicity In
staging has been observed, and the
costumes are designed after classic
models, the color scheme being most
artistic and the lines OF the Greek
draperies most effective.
The rising curtain discloses Hecubn
played by Miss Mamie Sydnor senior
Greek student. lying OH the ground in
"a stupor. The stage is dark. but grad
ualiy from the dusk energies the figure
OF poseidou Outlet Brown). armed
with crown and trident. who opens the
play with the usual monologue. which
puts the audience In touch with the
y
the play, in this case the fall OF Troy
and the subsequent fate OF the sons
and daughters of Hecuba. AS he turns
10 go, Pallas (Miss Elizabeth Gaines).
clothed in flowing robes. appears be-
fore him and Graves poseidon's help
against her old friends, tho Greek. for
their treatment OF the prophecies,
Cassandra, Poseidon consents and tho
MI ha
torious Greeks on their homeward
passage.
MANY DRAMATIC SCENES
AS PLAY DEVELOPS
The scene brishtens. and Necuba
wakes and. in dramatic recitative,
laments tho woes OF Troy She calls
other Trojan women TO help her, and
she and the chorus unite in bewailing
the fate OF those who sit In tho dust
at the Greek Kings door Tho action
proceeds. Tanhybius Miss Emily
Gardner, the herald. introduces the
opposing forces OF the Greeks, and
hiGn dramatic tension is reached by
the entrance of the white robed
priestess, Cassandra miss Kathrine
Minor), who. in her madness. utters
wild words prophetic OF coming horrors
upon the insolent Greeks
The highest point in tho play dra-
matically. Is the scene where andre
mache tar;ss Mary Porter, In the
presence OF her son. Astyanax, alter
nately uttcrs the woes OF desolation
with Hecu6a. At the entrance Of
Talthybius. who comes TO tear away
the child. AstyanaN. from, his mothers
arms Andronache breaks into an i'm
passioned lament. during the course OF
which the child is torn away from her
and killed and Andromache is borne
away 10 the ships.
The parts Of Menelaus Miss Eliza
beth MacLean) and Helen Miss Eliza
beth WaddilD are well taken. and at
this point action hastens to a close as
Helen is ordered by her husband.
Menelaus. TO be conveyed TO Sparta.
there to await judgment. The scene
darkens to a close as IIecuba and the
chorus lament the dead child, but
burst OF flame as the torch is set 10
the city Eliminates the stage while
they chant last lament over Troy.
As the Creek trumpet sounds the
women go forth In the darkness
The chorus work in the play Is ef-
fective. and brings out the strong
points Of the old Greek chorus. Alto
gether, the atmospheric produced ia
that OF serious classic drama, the
part OF Hecuba and Andromache are
rendered with restrained emotion. and
ore feels glimpse into the ancient
classic world. away from the hurry
and turmoil of modern life.