This year's Pi Eta play. "The Campaigners," was presented before the graduates of the society in the Pi Eta. Theatre last night. It is fully as good as last year's opera, "The Belles of Bellesley," and was carried through with commendable spirit and dash.
B. Taylor '01, who wrote the book of the play, has followed a rather more serious vein than is usually found in theatricals of this kind. The music, however, is very bright and catchy, the dances are full of life, and the choruses keep together and show careful training. The acting is clever for the most part, being remarkably natural and unstilted.
T. Stensland 2L. takes the leading part, that of Colonel Einnoth. Though it offers fewer opportunities than his role in "The Belles of Bellesley," he takes it with great skill and is very amusing without any apparent effort. One of the best features in his-interpretation is a realistic German accent. A. S. Hills '00 makes a typical war correspondent in his part of R. H. Dailies, the ex-pressman. C. C. Brayton '01 is very acceptable as Brigadier General Shifter. G. C. Griffith '01 took the part of Mr. Hennerie Pipp, a fussy, much imposed upon gentleman, a counterpart of Life's Mr. Pipp. W. H. Taylor '01 makes up well as Bessie Bullett; the heroine of the play. He had a natural, graceful manner. The most important female character, next to Miss Bullett, is Miss Pipp, the Dean of Vassar. A. W. Hollis '00 takes the part of an elderly spinster very cleverly; his love-making with the gruff old Major Bullett is most ludicrous.
The first act has less movement than the second, and does not give so much opportunity for clever acting. It takes place at West Point and contains but one special feature, a golf dance. The second act, supposed to occur at Coonie Ilo, Porto Rico, is brighter and has more life. The sailors' hornpipe, in which eight of the leaders in the Spanish war are represented, is both novel and pleasing. Two other features of this act are the Cuban army, a unique dance by a band of recruits, and a quartette dance by four Spanish dancers. All the scenery used was painted from nature, and the costumes were more elaborate than usual.
The first public performance of "The Campaigners" will begiven at the Pi Eta Theatre on the evening of Thursday, April 12. Other performances will be given at Lynn, on April 17; at the Tremont Theatre. Boston; April 18; and at Temple Hall, Newtonville, April 20.
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