PROF. BAKER ON D. U. PLAY

This evening the Delta Upsilon Fraternity will give its first public performance of Nicholas Udall's "Ralph Roister Doister". This play, surviving in one copy owned by Eton College, is usually regarded as our first English comedy in the sense that people and manners English and not foreign are depicted wholly for amusement and not to instruct or to moralize. It was written for the Eton or Westminister School boys to act, for Udall was successively master in both schools. It derives its inspiration from Latin comedy, but as a whole is original and English.

The performance before the Delta Upsilon graduates on Friday last showed that the play in its condensed form (for it was necessary to cut it to bring it into the time allowed plays today) is still very amusing. The setting, a square before an Elizabethan house, with a conduit in the centre, was admirable. The music--much is called for in the play--was well sung. Indeed in scenery, costuming and music the Delta Upsilon maintained and bettered in this performance its worthy record of the past.

Now that the cast has had experience with the play before an audience, the performances should be thoroughly amusing to see, for this year the Society provides an "all star" cast. No part is played poorly, and practically all are in the hands of very experienced players. Doubtless, in the succeeding performances, the clearness of enunciation which marked the latter parts of Friday's play, will persist from start to finish. The players should remember that the audience at the start knows neither the archaic speech nor the diction of the actors, and needs to hear every syllable. The action may be rushed, but, above all at the opening, not the speech.

There was much good acting Friday. Mr. Duncan threw much spirit into Merygreeke. Mr. Benchley's dry staccato made Ralph very amusing. But next time, probably, he will have brought together his effects and points into a clearly characterized figure. Friday he played somewhat unevenly, now depicting clearly and now sketching somewhat vaguely. Mr. Merrill, as Tibet, the maid; Mr. Haussermann, as Dobinet; and particularly Mr. Spelman, as Dame Custance, really supplemented the text and interpreted character. Not often do we see as simply effective emotional acting as that of Mr. Spelman in the meeting of Dame Custance with Goodlucke.

"Ralph Roister Doister" is an interesting, amusing, well-staged, and well-acted revival that maintains the best traditions of Delta Upsilon. The actors and Mr. Powell, the coach, are to be congratulated