THE PLAY'S THE THING
The tale of the star high school quarterback-thespian from some faroff state has been chuckling its way across campus. It seems, according to the unsupported story, that this talented young man was thinking twice about Dartmouth because he heard the students were having more fun watching football than drama in the Hopkins Center. No doubt it's because
of the impact of the Center on undergraduate life that discussion of the choice of dramas has gained equal time this past month with Thayer Hall food, politics, and visiting hours for women and no doubt the concern that "the play's the thing" stems directly from the Winter Carnival production of The Story ofVasco.
Vasco, an American premiere of the French playwright George Schehade's long drama, was described by The Dartmouth's play reviewer Roger L. Simon '64 of Scarsdale, N. Y., as "dull in a new way." Simon applauded the idea of trying out new works in an academic theater but politely suggested that Carnival might not be the right time. Letter writer Robert M. Cohn '66, also of Scarsdale, was less charitable, calling the production an "all out effort to be 'arty.' " He castigated The Players for going too far, especially in dropping the Winter Carnival musical. He did, however, think 1963's "Three- penny Opera" production a good combination of fun and art.
William S. Curtis Jr. '65 from Boulder, Col., the Players' president, answered Mr. Cohn on behalf of that organization. The choice of five of the six plays, Mr. Curtis noted, was made without the Players' knowledge or consent by the Drama Steering Committee a practice instituted during the summer of 1962. The sixth play, The Inspector General, chosen by the students, will be student directed and staffed.
In the same issue of The Dartmouth Roger H. Davidson, an instructor in the Government Department and also from Colorado, had his say. He suspected from the newspaper's columns that he was about the only one to find merit in Vasco. He was appreciative, as were most critics, of the skills in lighting, set design, production, and special effects that went into Vasco and the big shows last year, but Mr. Davidson agreed that the choice of plays had been less than adroit. He feared that the Center Theatre's marvelous technical facilities would be allowed to dominate the selection and production of plays, adding "... it is at least one observer's opinion that the most effective presentations have been in the more spare facilities of the arena stage (Studio Theatre) Waiting for Godot, TheCaretaker, the fraternity plays."
Turning to the subject of Mr. Curtis' letter which shared the column with him and a letter of praise for Vasco, Mr. Davidson said "Somehow, I think I would find student errors of judgment more tolerable than those which seem to have been perpetrated by 'professionals.' "
Shakespeare and Lope de Vega (verse adaptation by Prof. Richard Eberhart '26) are coming up. Not much chance for continuing the debate there. Or is there?
