Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-13
DRAMATIC TALENT
IN W0MEN'S COLLEGE
Demonstrated in the Plays, Les
Romanesques" and Man Who
Married a Dumb Wife.
By Bertha La Tour Welcome.


Newark. Dec. ban achievement Of
the students Of the Women's College of
Delaware was the production cf Les
Romanesqucs. by Edmond Rostand,
which was given before an enthusiatics
audience here on Friday night II was
from all points Of view decided success
Those who understood French found that i
the words of the original were delivered
with not only fidelity to French speaking
standards but with much of the true
French dramatic spirit. A French atmos
phere undoubtedly pervaded the whole
performance; the story OF the young
lovers. Percinet and Sylvette, was enacted
with ah irresistible appeal "naivete'
wholly delightful the schemIng fathers,
Bergamin and Pasquinot, afforded the
necessary comic touches when they
cleverly pretended 10 be enemies IN order
to bring their children together. Their
rapid change from the attitude oil affection
To one of threatening malgnity was par
ticularly we'll dCne. The final episode was
especially spirited In thus. Strafrel, the
universal genius conducts, at the
instgaton of the fathers. pretended
abduction Of Sylvettc and Percinet comes
| to the rescue and obtains the consent, not
| only Of Sylvette, but OF the old men
| Themselves Gertrude Rouse made
| charming Sylvettc, the picture Of girl
| hood. daintness, and gentle charm.
| Dorothy Ford, as Perclnet, was all that
| the touching hero e the play should be,
| handsome. ardent and impusive. Anna
! Kane. as father of Sylvette, showed fine
use of facial expression, rs well Of language
| in portraying her part, and Ethel Ferguson
as Bergamln, the father of Percinet,
actually put hereelf into the part Of the
| father, loving though making pretense Of
| disdain and enmitv Her walk, makeup
and whole physical attitude clevcrly por-
trayed the old man and her words were.
under the stress Of pretended anger,
hurled forth with the vehemence OF which
only French ryllables are capable Stra-
| frel as played by Rose Roberta, pos
sessed ali the dash and bravado Of the
part The duel which took place between
| Strafrel and Percluet was particularly
thrilling and the feigned death II Strafrel
was exceptionally dramatic in its effect
| The companion brigands PLAYED bv Emma
Davctt, Louise Jackson and Edith Leon
| ard. took their minor parts admirably
well
The action on the whole was so drama
| tic and vivid that those who did not un-
stand French needed no Interpretation
/ az the words For the convenience Of
| those who were 'shaky and also for the
interest which is added To the program
a resume written in French hv Mildred
| Wolfnder, class OF 1924, appeared.
THE DUMR WIFE.
"Anatole Francis The Man Who
| Married a Dumb Wife. WAS rendered in
! English by remarkably well chosen cast.
| Helen Fisher represented most perfectly
/ Catherine. the beautiful but dumb wife
Of Master Leonard Boatl. rs MI too talka-
I tive. The Judge, Margaret Foster.
showed trie dramatic talent in her por-
travail of the Judge, yexed just because
Of his yo'lng wife's inability 20 speak and
later driven nearly 10 madness by her
| incesSant chatter II is interesting 20 note
that Miss Foster used almost no makeup,
| but relied wholly upon changes Of facial
| expression to put across her part
| Elizabeth r. TAYLOR, as the sympathlz-
ing lawyer, Master Adam Fumes, not only
acted her part with much skill but spoke
her lines in tones which, rich and full,
we're carried remarkably well. Edith
! Leonard was a most impressive figure as
the dignifed physician, Master Simon
| Collins, and delivered both her lengthy
professional speeches of diagnosis and her
terSe words OF advice with dignity which
achieved the desired farcical effect
Emma Davett and Louise jackson. as
Master Jean Maugier Surgeon and Master
Seraphin Dalanner, apothecary, respec-
tivelv, showed clever acting which brought
forth much laughter and applause
Hannah HoIllngsworth as Giles Borscour-
tier, secretary to Judge Botal, and
Marian Rodney, as Alison. the servant,
furnished much sprightliness and humor.
Wmifred Hanchett, whose stage presence
is always pleasing, made charming
Mademolsele de la Grandiere, ward to
Master Fumee.
The stage effect of this produC d IN WIS
most pleasing 4 complete set O. emery
had been built by Prof G. + Brinton, DR.
+. NJ Il. Foster and Mrs Van keuren,
and this was in turn decorated by COM
mittec OF students headed by Margaret
Finck and advised by Miss Rachel Taylor.
of the art department
ELABORATE STAGE SETTINGS.
For the first play conventional out
of-door effect was obtained by the use of
broad green and white stripes strings OF
laurel branches and dlmlnutive spruce
trees, as . background The wall. upon
which the action took place was banked
and covered with vines and spruce trees
For the second play simple and most
effective interior was furnished by means
OF silver gray curtains upon which, AT local
points OF interest were placed huge disks
of bright color, which gave the uneX-
pected touch necessary TO secure dramatic
effect From the top of the stage opening
handsome blue veIour stationary curtain
reached to the line which marked the top
of the stage scenery Two sliding cur
tains of the same blue velour screened the
stage from the audience between the acts
These curtains have sn interesting history.
which was detailed IN Every Evening
Saturday The Woman College Dramats
ic Club now possesses q set of curtain
which may be used either in Wolf Hall or
the "Iiilarlum' of the Women College
Miss Orlista Dikemay Of the Home
Economics Department, gave not only
valuable advice but much practical help
in manufacturing the curtains The night
ing arrangement was planned and regulat
ed by Mr. Van keuren and added greatly
20 the effects. The costumes for both
plays were excellent in design and eXecu-
F/on. The success of the costumes is due