The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-07
Pantomime and Two Comedies
Presented by Students
in Auditorium Last
Night.
ACTING WAS GOOD
The Shepherd in the Distance"
The Neighbors," and
Close the Book"
Well Received.


menu served by the class in dramatic
Interpretation to an audience which
filed the downstairs Of the University
Auditorium last night.
The Shepherd in the Distance" a
pantomime by Holland Hudson. closed
the program with dancing goats and
strutting wazirs like the imaginings Of
our childhood strung on 4 iiTrfd of plot
The Princess goes in search Of the
Shepherd in the Distance All is pur-
sued by her guardian. She escapes, but
the Shepherd is captured. In disguise
the Princess beguiles the Wazir with a
dance, binds him, throws poison in his
face, and then. with the aid Of a goat.
frees her Shepherd The necessary nois-
cs we're made with a trumpet, Socd
blocks and drum by clown seated at
the side of the stage.
The Neighbors." by iona Gale. shows
the busy housewife forgetting the trou-
bles Of her ironing. the chronic invalid
neeieciing her miSeries. the Immaculate
housekeeper ignoring the dangers Of
damage to her curtains by buffalo
bug the grOuchy man cooling his an
ger and the seii-oonseious lover forget
ting his bashiuiness, IN the responsible
iiy OF having somebody human to do
Tor as the old grandmother expresses
It. When a little orphan relative is to
be brought to penniless woman 5 home.
the neighbors forget Their individual
troubles IN getting ready surprise
shower to disguise their charitable
Eifis- The pathetic desire OF the grand
mother to have 1somethin human to do
and the awkward bashiuiness OF feler ;
love for lnez were the two most effective
Things In the play.
That nobodys family tree isils o have
a lew crooked branches is the lesson Of
Close the Book, by Susan GlasPeil.
Jhansi. who boasts OF her gypsy blood
and freedom from social conventions, Is
engaged 20 Peyion kootskngiish proies-
scr in a university. To make the at
fair les shocking. Peyions relatives in
vos.igaie Jhansis ancestry and Ind that
she Is the child OF ordinary parents, pill
lars Of the Baptist Church. She denies
the chsrge. and finding ], proved, would
renOunce society forever but further
reaCIng in the book which gives her gen
eolngy proves that her famiiy-and fey-
tons as well-has been guilty Of quite
gypsyish acts. The revelations becoming
too personal, the grandmother orders
her to close the book.
The acting in all three plays was uni
iormly good TO an extent not usual in
amateur productions. Miss Roberta Bar
neti as Grandma and Eugene Montgorn-
cry as Peter. in The Neighbors;" and
Benton Cabberf as Peyion Root and
Miss Frank Robertson as Jhansi IN
"Close the Book we're particularly con-
vincing. The many properties in The
Shepherd in the Distance" were man
azed with none Of the usual amateur
blundcrs.
The casts were as follows:
Close the Book: Jhansi, Miss Frank
Robertson; Peyton Root. Benton Cab
beu; Mrs. Root, Miss Helen Cuthbert
son; Mrs. Peyton. Miss nellie Lee Jen
kinson; George Peyton. L Nerdell Rob
erts; Bessie Root. Miss Mary Bess Mes
ervey: Senator Byrd. Garland c. Aryini
Mrs. Senator Byrd. Miss Frankie vii
son. Director. F. Nerdell Roberts.