The undergraduates' night performance of "The Builders of Babylon," the Hasty Pudding Club play for this year, will be held in the club theatre on Holyoke street this evening at 8.15 o'clock. Tickets at $1 each are on sale at Leavitt & Peirce's. Public performances will be given in the club theatre tomorrow and Wednesday, and in Jordan Hall, Boston, Thursday and Saturday evenings.
The book and lyrics are by H. W. H. Powel, Jr., '09 and W. G. Wendell '09, and the music is by J. A. Warner '09. Mr. Eugene B. Sanger has charge of the production of the play.
The graduates' night performance was given last Saturday evening. "The Builders of Babylon" presents in a very original setting a play which, from its large number of excellent performers, takes rank among the very best the club has yet produced.
In this year's play are four stars: Wendell, Harrison, Blagden, and Hutchinson. Nor does any praise of them detract from the excellent work of Middle-mass, Butler, Loring, Roelker, Powel, and Gardner. The scenery was the best the club has had in some years, likewise the costumes. Mr. Sanger's dancing received the applause it deserved. The music provided several songs of exceptional quality, and in the quartette at the end of the second act the composer did not go beyond his powers. The book, though not productive of any unusual situations, was amusing and clever. As to the topical songs, the best was "It Pays to Advertise."
Lanigan's account of the Yale football game, though a difficult thing well done, is, we suggest, a little out of place in a musical play. Gardner and Loring should speak their songs. We wish that the part taken by Hutchinson could be lengthened; it is not often that the Hasty Pudding Club has a performer who not only makes up well as a girl, but has also the ability to suit acting to looks.
Aa Nimrod, King of Babylon, Wendell gave an amusing representation. His songs were well done and his acting excellent. The Cough Brothers, Hem and Haw, were presented by Butler and Middlemass. The latter, who had the longer part, has remarkable ability. Harrison had the tenor part; his acting was always smooth, and his fine voice was never heard to better advantage. As Googoo, "the detec-a-tive," Loring repeated his success of last year. Powel filled creditably the part of the scheming Grand Vizier. Roekler could not have been better in his representation of the perfect butler, and Schenck, Barton, Lanigan, Cate, and May showed that much can be made of a small part. Blagden as Ruth made a very pretty girl indeed; his singing was good; and his acting startlingly realistic. Gardner, in one of the most difficult parts of the show, deserves great credit for his portrayal of an unappreciated maiden.
In conclusion we mention as the best things in the play, "Egypt," the love-song by Harrison, "It Pays to Advertise," and the workmen's chorus at the opening of the second act.
The cast is as follows:
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