Page 88 - 1936

D R I M A I I C i

N the seventh season of its existence the Proscenium Club lived up to its fine
reputation by presenting on the eve before the Christmas recess a group of
well-selected one-act plays. First Two Crooks and a Lady, written by Eugene
Pillot; next The Crimson Cocoanut, by Ian Hay; and finally The Silence of
God, by William M. Sloane, III.

With a sinister title and a sinister John R. Lemon Two Crooks and a Lady turned out
to be quite exciting. Miller, "the Hawk" (John Lemon) and Lucille (Adrian Sanford)
were the crooks. These two tried to keep up with the mental gymnastics of Mrs. Sims-
Vane, a paralytic played by "Charlie” Talcott. Mrs. Sims-Vane outwitted the crooks and
saved her diamond necklace. Also aiding in the play were a secretary and two cops, Clarke
Murray, Everett Newbegin, and Samuel Peckham. The Crimson Cocoanut was the mirth-
spot of the evening. Francis Wood as Robert, a waiter, was the outstanding comic. The
scene was a restaurant in Soho. Robert, aiding Jack Pincher, detective on commission,
who was Francis Rollins, to round up the famous anarchists, Madame and Nitro Glise-
rinski, won for himself half the reward, which enabled Jack to marry Nancy Jobstick,
Eddie Seiler, despite the protests of papa, Carter Palmer. The Gliserinskis were "Kenny"
Clapp and "Flip” Hersey respectively. In The Silence of God, a new find, David R.
Wilson, portrayed cleverly the conniving prime minister of Graustat who was forcing
into war a neighboring country's almost helpless prime minister, William Vail. The
legend of some church bells supposed to be rung by the Omnipotent and an emotional
young secretary, Frank Drummond, averted the war and caused the ministers to make
plans for arbitration. Acting as Commanders-in-Chief of the armies were Robert G.
Ingraham and Marshall Maclsaac.

The final production of the year, on March 27, brought out on the stage a charming
water-resort hotel in Italy. The pink stucco walls, the balustrade, the quaint lamps all
made a finished set. The play, The Man from Home, by Booth Tarkington and Harry
Leon Wilson, was a shining light in the history of the Club. The situation involved a
young Yankee lawyer who rescues a young American girl, gone English, from buying a
title from the grasping fingers of a family of decayed British nobility. Robert G. Ingraham
took the very difficult part of Daniel Voorhees Pike and brought Mr. Pike to life in a
startlingly realistic manner. The leading lady, Miss Nancy Sioussat, and several other girls
were lent to us in return for a few of our best looking boys. Various other parts in the
play were filled by Chase Sanderson, David Wilson, Charles Talcott, Kenneth Clapp, and
Frank Drummond and others. A great deal of credit must go to the hard-working stage
crew under Thomas E. Steere, and to Robert Aldrich and his husky bunch of ticket sellers.
In planning and helping to construct the set Donald Boyden, ’34, contributed generously.
Of course, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind as to the time and energy which Mrs.
feannette K. Andrews put in to bring forth such excellent results. The play was indeed a
credit to all who took part.

This June the Club will lose many of its old actors, but is certain that many of the
boys left behind have the ability to carry on the work through more and better seasons.

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O S A I C