ADAPTOR REVIEWS H. D. C.'S MIRACLE PLAY

The following pre-review of "The Wise Man" was written for the Crimson by D. G. Robinson '26, Adaptor and Translator of the Dramatic Club's Miracle Play.

Today and tomorrow the Harvard Dramatic Club presents at private performances at 8 and 9 o'clock the fifth annual Miracle Play against the "Cathedral background of the Germanic Museum," as the official notice phrases it. The cathedral background is the replica of the golden gate of Firebug that stands at the end of the Romanesque Hall and serves as an almost ideal stage for a religious play of this kind.

The play the Club has chosen this year is a Spanish play. In previous years the Club has given two English plays, one French, and one German. The aim of the Club has given two English plays, one French, and one German. The aim of the Club in these Christmas plays is to present to its annual in these Christmas plays is to present to its annual audiences representative medieval play from as many countries and of as many types as possible. The future will probably see the production of plays from the Italian and the Provencal.

Is Spanish Play

The Spanish play, the Auto de los Reges Magos, is a midtwelfth century Epiphany play, the only extant play of this type from Spain. In the original it is but a fragment. The whole latter half of the play, as the Club is giving it, is a reconstruction based on analogous texts. It is originally in verse, but prose has been resorted to in the translation.

Several characters appear in this play that have not appeared in former productions. Prominent among these is Herod's Son and the Old wives who play interesting roles. The Shepherds do not appear at all. The stressing of the idea that the Magi were astrologers is carried out in a fashion unique in this play. For a play as old as this Spanish play is, it has points that are remarkably natural and modern in matters of dialogue and motivation.