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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1949)
PAGE 4 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN Sunday, November 6, 1949 German Faculty Member Reviews Theater's 'Faust9 By William K. Tfeiler Lincoln witnessed a cultural achievement of rare occurrence: the performance of Goeth's Faust, Part I, by the University Theatre. It is a very difficult play to stage Even the German theaters re frained from tackling it when it first was published in 1808; and it took 21 years before a direc tor had courage enough to bring about the world premiere. This was done in 1829 in Brunswick, Germany. Since then the play has had an impressive stage his tory. However, the difficulties and problems have remained as great as they were from the be ginning, and here in the. United States it was only the University Theater in Yale that preceded our own English version in this bold enterprise. Play Was Success Let it be said from the start that the play was an unqualified success if judged by standards of audience impresisons, and if one takes into consideration, as one definitely should, the limitations that are imposed on a director, a cast, and an equipment crew in a University Theater. Goethe's Faust can be inter preted in more than one way. Di rector Williams chose to follow Gothe's lead as given in the Pre lude on the stage and present a spectacle that would give some thing to everyone. He gave strong emphasis to the sensual aspect of the tragedy without neglecting to bring forth the deep philosophic implications of Goethe's great vuik. ine cast ionowen with a spirit of enthusiasm and dynamic devotion that made up generously ior some lack of experience and professional assurance and polish. Praises Wenstrand The center of attention is, of course, aust, the frustrated scholar and sensual-supersensual lover, the object of the "wager" between the Lord and the prince of evil. His role is ever threat ened by the more colorful and waggish Mephisto who could and would steal every scene if wise self-discipline were not to restrain him from showing off. This ever lurking danger in any Faust pro duction was most happily avoided. Faust (Jack Wenstrand) and Me pihstopheles (Dwight Smith) gave a balanced and surprisingly well-played-in performance that would have found approval even from a seasoned audience in Europe. The forte of Wendstrand's Faust was the authenticity of his heart rending: dispair, the profound des peration and the retention of a masterful pose in his dealinff with AUF (Continued from Page 1.) houses will emphasize the three fold scope of the year's drive: on campus, in the city, and through out the world. Other organized residences will hear speakers Tuesday nifiht when Sue Pryor and her assistants eon tact their houses. Both Greek and barb houses Mill win "We Sacri ficed" signs if their house makes a 100 contribution. The signs will be large enough to hang out side the house in full view of the campus. Honorary groups will also hear speakers at their meeting:, under plans drawn up by P.etty Green, division head. Activities have re ceived letters on the three bene ficiary agencies of the drive, the WSSF, the Chest and the DP pro pram. Mary Sidner is in charge of activities solicitations. Huskerville Trips. Cars will travel to Huskerville on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights to contact student residents there. Literature on the drive has been mailed to the Huskerville section under the di rection of John Mills. Letters containing blank checks were mailed to all faculty mem bers during the past weeks by di vision head, Nancy P.utton. Aid to faculty members is included in the World Student Service Fund or ganization. Contributions by students-at-large can be made throughout AUF Week at booths in Social Sciences, Love Library, Andrews, and the Union. The booths will be designed and decorated under the supervision of Jackie Hoss, while Mendell Archard is in charge of independent students' solicitations. Records of the AUF song and a melody from Pakistan will be played at the Union booth. The WSSF portion of the contributions through AUF will go to the Uni versity of Sind. Karachi, Pakistan, to build a student hostel for refu gee students. the devil. His monologues were spoken in an impressive fashion. His voice was utterly sincere, in gratiating and polished. A perfect foil to him, the striv ing if erring man. was Dwight Smith's Mephisto who was thor oughly convincing as . . . evil in carnate. His was a handsomeness that suggested the fallen angel Lucifer. His lithe and twisting body underscored effectively the voice that ran the scale from dripping oily hypoeiasy to cold satanic hatred. A devil of a fel low, indeed, and an actor of great i Ai-ii. iJini'iuuuuies. Catherine Worcester's Gretchen was acted with charm and com petence. It is hard to believe that this was her first greater role on the stage. She was one of the cast showing least the initial spell of stage fright that was notice able in a goodly number of the performers at first. Innocence and slightly roguish coquetteric made her a creature for whom to fall Faust easily might be under stood if not forgiven. She played her heart out in the scenes of utter despair and insanity, and by doing so won the heart of the audience who sighed in relief when the final majestic words of the Lord (Robert Pfeiler) pro nounced her saved. Roles Well Played Sharon Fritzler as the man crazy Martha and conniving neighbor lived fully up to the de mand of her role in providing comic relief in giving even the devil the time of his life. She is a highly talented actress. Cedric Hartman gave a fine and refresh ing presentation of the awestruck- naive freshman who was so de liciously led by the nose by Me phisto. Don Nichols as Valentine fought bravely and skilfully, and his curses justly made Gretchen wince. A high point of the play was the witches' sabbath at Walpurgis nignt. Although some annrehen sive eyebrows may have been raised at the bacchanal frankness or this carnal chaos, it definitely reflected Gothe's intentions who wanted to show in this scene the attempt of Mephisto to drown Faust in an ocean of sensuality in oraer to make him forget G retch en and his obligations toward her. I he stage setting was inielli gent and gave effective aid in sus taining the mood of the play. It comDined rather successfully mere suggestive outline with more de tailed props. The lighting effect was very good throughout, in parts even superb. The direction of the mass scenes was skilful and smooth. If mention is made of a few points of disagreement with the play as performed, it is done so only from the point of view of constructive suggestions and in order to show hew minor the criticisms are. The use of the loudspeaker might be questioned. It was disillusioning because the tonal qualities of this device were that of a loudspeaker and noth ing else. The voice of the evil spirit to Gretchen was too loud, since it was to represent the voice of conscience from within Grctch on's breast, it must definitely not have the stentorian boom of a sports announcer. Too much op portunity was also given to the audience to admire the backs of the actors, and not all performers heeded at all limes the paramount demand of the stage: talk so you will be clearly understood any where at any time in the audi ence, even in the most distant corners of the theater. But these are points that can be remiod and are mostly trace able to the shortness of prepara tion and the scarcity of time that could be given by the cast who are all full-time students in the University. The consensus of all who saw the play is: the Univer sity can be proud of its theater. Your reviewer joins in this with out any mental reservations. HE ! COMING SOON Three Dancing Classes Remain Know how to dance? If you don't, you still have three chances to learn at the Union Dance com mittee's dancing classes. Classes are held Tuesdays in the Union ballroom at 7:30 p. m. Remaining lessons are scheduled for Nov. 8, 22 and 29. There will be no lesson Nov. 15. Under Miss Donna McCandless' instruction, approximately 300 elementary students have attended the previous three lessons. Classes for advanced dancers may be held this winter. ISA to Hold Membership Convocation ISA will hold its first all membership convocation Monday at 7:30 p. m. in the Union ball room. One of the main purposes of the convocation is to explain to students the Independent Stu dents Association regional con vention which will convene on this campus Nov. 11 and 12. The convention will be at tended by approximately 12 mem ber schools of the Western con ference. The meetings will dis cuss problems of the different schools and propose plans for the national convention to be held in the spring. Another feature of the convoca tion Monday will be the organ ization of wards for independents not living in organized houses. The wards will be set up with 20 members in each one. 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