"THE STYMIE" EXCELLENT

The 1913 Pi Eta production, "The Stymie," had its first public performance in the club theatre last evening, the performance being complimentary to members of the Union. The customary "first-night" nervousness and indecision were agreeably lacking and the entire play proceeded with a smoothness arguing earnest and devoted rehearsal.

Few comic operas offer as pretentious a plot as does "The Stymie" and one is spared the usual experience of sitting through much unrelated dialogue in the hope that relief will appear in the form of another song. In fact, the play contains approximately half the customary number of musical selections, and the appeal to attention is frankly on the side of the story, with what amounts to incidental numbers, both songs, and dances, introduced for the sake of variety. The chorus of "Copper Moon" would have gained in effectiveness had it been sung "off stage"; and in several cases a faster tempo would have improved the spirit of the songs.

The dancing was not as elaborate as we have been accustomed to expect but was executed with fine precision.

J. R. O. Perkins '14 as "Trevor Graham" and P. Blackmur '15 as "Burtic Charlton" accomplished some decidedly clever acting, while T. E. Alcorn '13 and R. H. Allen sang their parts in splendid fashion. Both costumes and scenery were admirable and at least one unusual and really beautiful feature should be mentioned, the lowering of a lighted bell from which were released four doves.

In many respects "The Stymie" is one of the most distinguished undergraduate offerings of the type appearing in recent years. The professional excellence of the book and lyrics, the almost uniformly good acting, the surprisingly firm stage technique which marks the entire play from beginning to end; these and many minor theatrical virtues go to make up a performance of which the Pi Eta Society should be proud. A. T. DAVISON, JR., '06.

Other Performances.

Beside the performance at the Club Theatre tonight at 8 o'clock, there will be four others: Friday, at the Club Theatre; Saturday, matinee, at Copley Hall, Boston; April 3, Music Hall, Quincy; April 5, Town Hall, Andover. Tickets for the Cambridge and Boston performances at $1.50 and for the Andover and Quincy performances at $1 may be procured at Herrick's and the Co-operative Branch and by mail from H. P. Briggs '15, Box 73, Cambridge.