THE CRIMSON PLAYGOER

"Holiday," the fall production of the Radcliffe Idler Club, given last night at Agassiz Theatre, proved to be a rather drawn-out presentation of the commonplace situations and, hackneyed problems connected with the lives of America's aristocracy of wealth. The fundamental problem is this: should one postulate an ideal of wealth as the basis of human existence or should one go out into the wilds far from monetary cares amid the birds and fish and there look at one's soul. All this is quite apparent at the end of the second act, which by the way, is brilliant in spots and abounds in clever banter; there is, however, no real need of prolonging the third act with a reiteration of the case before staging the long anticipated ending. A shorter scene would perhaps have been more appropriate.

The producing and acting were, on the whole, commendable enough. Rosemary McHugh, although she suffers, of course, by comparison with Ann Harding, does well in the character of Linda, especially in act two; towards the last, however, her whining insistence became irritating. John Court '35 in the role of Nick Potter gave an admirable performance and Richard Sullivan '35 did a good piece of work as the drunken and disillusioned brother. Katherine Embree was adequate if somewhat stiff as Julia Seton and Thomas Radcliffe '35 was staid enough as the father, Edward Seton. The lines, of course, are clever, and the declamation of Nick Potter during the course of the New Year's party is a triumph. On the whole the production, aside from a certain stiffness and lack of smoothness, is satisfactorily done; it might be even more appreciated were it not for the memory of Ann Harding. There will be another performance this evening.