SUNDAY MIAGAZINE
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 1922
Campus Dramatic Tendencies
(By Agnes Hoeiquist) democratic organization and gives op- but we are handicapped by a lack of have an organization that is fitted to
No one who pays more than the portunity for development in several finances and a dearth of campus sup- head such an arrangement in the Play-
different lines of wrrk. I port. ers club. They shold "be under the
"Also, if the clubs are to accom- "If courses could be given here in direction of a man who can rehearse
doubt that the drama is again con- plish their best work the students in- the theory of stage craft it would not productions, direct all courses dealing
testing the primacy of the novel in terested must be more discriminating only greatly aid those already here in- with the drama and give work deal-
popular interest. Theaters that pre- in their choice of clubs. I should terested in, that phase of the work, but ing with play technique and writing.
sent real drama in preference t like to urge that they turn out for would also attract men from all over To do this it isn't necessary to pat-
"crowd catchers" are being packed; that club into which their. particular the country. Whether it is pfacticable tern after anyone. We have our owyi
problems which are confronting so- abilities and interests will best fit." to establish such a course at a uni- materal. Our greatest fault is in the
ciety today are finding their most Discussing the work of the Comedy versity I do not know, but I am cer- lack of encouragement to woidbe
forceful expresson in the play. The club, Richard A. Forsyth, '22L, said, tamn of a definite need here for train- dramatists. They may take work in
material with which the dramatists 'There was a time when one success- ing of that sort. the study of literature of the drama
deal is not only hot with emotion, ful play a year was the aim of our Prof. R. D. T. Hiollister of the pub- and still have no insight into the
but also with strange and new forces club. But our purpose has been li speaking department, states that ' production of plays or the social as-
whch'inay be disturbing to social widened in the attempt to give every- there are. two questions involved; pets of the drama."
order. In view of these facts the one in the club a chance to do some first, the general social and recrea- "People interested in drama," said
trailing oprospective playwrights be- work, at least before the members of, tibnal aspect of dramatics, and sec- lrof. L. A. Strauss of the English de-
comes a vital question, the club. The business of acting itself dnd, the serious and acadeilic study partment, "have long been looking for-
In recent years a growing interest is the primary interest of the club. of the drama. ward to a professor in the drama. I
on the campus in all studies contrib- Whether this is a wedlness or not, a "It is not our business to fit stu- don't think the primary business of
utory to the drama has resulted in I do not know. dents to go out into the field of drama such a man should be the produc-
the growth of dramatic activities to "We certainly need a mlan who can so much as it is to send out men and lion of plays. Rather we need a man
such a degree that some coirdinat- give his entire time to the work of omen with an adequate and well- Ito cordinate existing activities. A
ing force has become a necessity. directing the dramatic activities on roanded education. I believe that the course such as Prof. George Baker
Work believed to be as promising as the campus. I don't believe that the general cultural traiing that can be gives at Iarvard is much to be de-
aby done at Harvard or at the Uni- existing clubs should be merged, but ctained in the literary school is the sired." - ,
versity of California is being done on a central coirdinating organization is first need of a dramatist or actor. Prof. O. J. Campbell, of the Eng-
campus' In an unsystesiatic way necessary. The presence of a central Wietber we need a separate school of list department, insisted that it is a
through scattered courses, conse- authority would avoid the conflicting the theatre is doubtful. Were we to ,mistake to teach the technique of any
quently failing to accomplish the re- performances of the clubs and the! establish a chair In dramatics we profession at a university. "Our pi-
suits of whch Michigan is capable. existing finaficial confusion." sould have to separate academic mary business," he said, "is the teach-
Student opinion anxious only for An interesting outgrowth of the in- and professional ideals and stand- ing of principles. There ought to be
adequate training and a chance to terest in dramatics is the workshop of ards. .a chance here for the man who wants
experiment both in writing and pro- the Players Club, which occupies the "A study of the drama should carry to write plays. He should be trained
ducing plays is most emphatic in urg- old' fire-engine building next to Tap-i a student past the first flush of the more effectively than he is now.
ing the need for a chair in -dramat- pan school on East University. The I stage-struck into a more sober ap- "Jt would be an ideally good thing
ics. , work of designing sets apd of con- preciation of the drama as a real force to correlate dramatic interests here,
Amy Loomis, 'II, a member of three structing scenery for all of the Play- in life. but the maz in charge will have to
dramatic organizations, expressed a ers Club, productions has been direct- The need for the correlation of the be an ideal person. Still it would be
belief in the need for a definite de- ed by Archibald MacDonald, '25. In courses contributory to the study of a great mistake to have a rigid cen-
partment in thedrama. "Personally," the shop surrounded by paint pots and the drama is also recognized by Prof. tral control. The fiejd of dramatic ac-
she said, "I have received my most scenery finished or in the process of J. L. R. Brumm of the journalism de- tivity seems very well divided' between.
valuable experience in 'Masques.' construction, MacDonald discussed his partment. "In order to do it success- the organizations here. I believe that
However, I believe that whatever is to method of work. fully," he said, "we need an unusual a university this size should afford
come of importance in the field of dra- "Of course, I make mistakes. All man at the head, one who not only plenty of chances for the student who
matics will come through the Play- my'work is purely experiment. Our has a scholarly interest in the drama is interested in dramatic activity of
ers Club it it be allowed to develop eim is to establish something simi- but one experienced in the practical any sort as it is one of the most vau-
on its present basis. It is the 'most lar to the Little Theatre movement, business of the theater. We already able of extra-curricula activities."
Euripides---An Athenian Questioner
Editor's Note: This is the fourth manifest the personality in which they fists had shunned reality as something Euripides almost always preferreu
of a series of articles dealing with mingled to produce the poet and the too contemptible to depict in poetry. pathos to comedy or tragedy. His
authors of an older day. It is ire- man. Euripides asked "Why?" and straight- characters'seldom merit the ill fates
cisely such articles as this that we Euripides had the philosopher's in- way he introduced slaves 'and nobles that befall them. Commonplace per-
wish dealing with the writers of an- telect and training "with the artist's in the same scene. Athens nearly sons. in the throes of great emotion
other day. It is seldom that they are imagination and genius. To state tisswooned away when he presented a are his favorite characters. These
viewed froe anything but a pedantic correlation is to sound the keynote king in tatters. Orators and dema- and many other characteristics are
angle, the fufther back the dates, the of.Euripides' nature: disquietude. gogues strode from the theatre when like those of the Naturalists of our
more pedantic the view. Here is ne Sophocles could find his a ql in beauty. a Euripidean character questioned the own time. "How disgusting to show
ore Epdntic s the view. bHrebis nEuripides could not. His aversion for justice and omnipotence of the gods. A passion and instinctive emotion in the
shierinp a h sham and his instinct for truth war- human being, even a woman characters drama; and to deal with slaves and
. . reprimanded a deity for acting as he women even worse!" so the proud
By Helen G. Lynch) red with his inclination for eeauty. had, while the grave Athenian Archons citizens must have felt if we can
Hellas had its Methodist ministers His poetry is touched to the quick satd blinking and gasping in- the ront judge from Euripides unpopularity.
and its Willia'm J. Bryans. And it with this incongruity. The tumult and sat blnking and spin the foudge om ipies unolrit.
had a few rebels against such uphold- strife within and between his chaac- row wondering- how soon -they should Any .one interested in colecting
ers of "normalcy Eripiesuhp d- stanstrse ot ald undwerstood byr- be annihilated for being even spectators famous passages for a "Socialist's
ers of "normalcy." Euripides stands ,ters are not always understood by at so profane a performance. Ettri- !Hand-Bok" could find many a one in ""
out in history, not only as the creator those who attribute certain qualitiesa ds proned an ero nce En R ok" oulfis mnaoe:
of a beauty thatis as illusive and as of Greek Art to Greek life in general. pdes questioned and denounced the the works of 'this poet:
seductive as the "Mona Lisa," but also That haunting serenity which dis- myths and miracles of the Greeks. "Fr blockishess goes hand in hand
as a pulverizer of lock-step morality tinguishes much of Greek Art is ab- lie offe e predlsntntion w ealtht
that the noblemen were descended And ,poverty for birthright wisdom
and sterile mentality. Physicalscience sent. Harmony and purity such as is from deities: gains."
and philosophy attracted and influ- found in the Parthenon and "The"gains.
enced him although he dedicated his Antigone" are lacking in favor of con- "Earth made all alike in ousward Many attempts to explain '1is
life to the pursuit of the Muses. tention anid fever. Many persons have show; surgeon-like deliberation in the char-
My =intention is neither to expound explained this on the probabalit' that All differences did fancy frame acter portrayal of women have been
his philosophy with its austere dis- Euripides was partially of un-Greekl Naught do we really own; the same made on the grounds that he was a
dain, nor to betray the whimsical parentage and therefore lacked the es- In naturO are the high and .low." woman-hater. One says, "he showed
moon-beam chaser, but rather to re- sential Greek trait, This seems un- Only modern naturalism has gone be- himself to be without pity for 'th'e
gard these two only in s far as they satisfactory. Former poets and art- yond this. (Continued on Page 8)
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