Topeka, Ka.
Appeal of Fry Plays Hailed by Top Critics
By JERRY KNUDSON
The work of Christopher Fry, English playwright, whose meteorite rise to fame has left critics open-mouthed, is returning to the University for an encore engagement. "A Phoenix Too Frequent" will be seen with George Bernard Shaw's "Dark Lady of the Sonnets" Dec. 10 through Dec. 13 in Fraser theater.
It's an encore well merited. University audiences were dazzled with Mr. Fry's "The Lady's Not for Burning" presented here last year.
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"Phoenix" was the first Fry importation produced in this country. This, together with the fact that the one-act poetic drama was badly coupled with a sensational racial prejudice one-act play, caused it to be withdrawn after five performances in April 1950.
Critics were lukewarm to cold in their reviews, but all recognized Fry's genius with words. In retrospect, most are agreed that "Phoenix" is one of his best plays.
Typical comments were:
"Fry writes to the heart more than to the head, with a controlled, compassionate irony that rates love above every other human emotion." (Time).
"... a dialogue full of tinkling charm and refined bawdy." (New Republic).
"... for truly poetic drama, this new man can write rings around T. S. Eliot" (Saturday Review of Literature).
"Here at last we have poetic drama which the theater can take to itself and the reader can delight in as poetry." (Nation).
Mr. Fry, born in 1907 and a member of T. H. Auden's generation, was an unknown entity until the production of "The Lady" in 1949. The public appreciated his epigrammatic brillance so much that by 1950 four of his plays were running simultaneously in London.
His other plays include "The First-born" (a solitary tragedy), "Thor and the Angels," "The Boy with the Cart," "Venus Observed," and "Rings Around the Moon." The last two were also produced in this country. His most recent is "A Sleep of the Prisoners."
"I lay the acceptance of poetry in the theater nowadays to two things. One is the reaction to the long hold of 'surface realism' . . . The other is that the world seems rather cut down a bit, . . . and poetry proves something people lack and wish for: a richness and re-affirmation."
Mr. Fry does his writing quietly in a small cottage in an Oxfordshire village. He explains his success this way:
Perhaps Nation magazine sums up the poet-playwright most incisively: "Christopher Fry gaily, cleverly, triumphantly offers us not despair or renunciation, but life and poetry seasoned with as much philosophy as we may care to add."
YWCA to Hold Christmas Bazaar Friday, Saturday at Henley House
The traditional YWCA Christmas bazaar will be tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Henley house.
The purpose of the bazaar is to provide a chance for students and Lawrence residents to buy Christmas gifts. "This year the bazaar will feature a snack bar where persons can eat various assortments
Taft Mum On Durkin
Washington —(U.P)— Sen. Robert A. Taft said in a telephone interview he did not know whether an attempt would be made next month to prevent Senate confirmation of Martin P. Durkin as secretary of labor.
The Ohio Republican speaking from Cincinnati refused to comment on the varying interpretations placed by editorial writers and commentators on his denunciation of Mr. Durkin's selection for the cabinet.
Mr. Durkin is a Democrat who voted for Gov. Adlai E. Stevenson for President. He opposes the Taft-Hartley act. Mr. Durkin was president of the American Federation of Labor Plumbers' union when tapped for the cabinet.
Sen. Taft's failure in response to questions to say Mr. Durkin would be confirmed on schedule is circumstantial evidence, at least, that the senator will challenge him next month. That is his right. The Constitution provides that cabinet officers shall be nominated by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
When all is sweetness and light, these nominations are confirmed in a matter of minutes without reference to committees. That is accomplished by unanimous consent suspending the rules requiring reference to committees. A single senator can balk any unanimous consent proceeding.
Sen. Taft may examine Mr. Durkin in committee. But Sen. Taft probably could not prevent his confirmation. Few Republican senators would follow him on that and few Democrats would vote against a fellow Democrat for a spot in a Republican cabinet.
Adest Protestant institution for women in the United States is said to be Moravian college.
of homemade foods at any time of the day, Miss Helen Pendleton chairman, said.
Bazaar committee members are Mary Taggart, college sophomore; Mary Mitchner, college sophomore; Tina Maduros, college sophomore; Barbara Becker, college sophomore; Elizabeth Wohlgemuth, college sophomore; Iris Barsby, education junior, and Kay Coolidge, college sophomore.
Members of each organized house made some type of article to be sold. The items include felt Christmas socks, felt glasses cases, sweater bags, dolls, and pot holders.
Advisory board bazaar committee members are Mrs. H. A. Ireland, Mrs. J. B. Bravo, Mrs. Paul Roofe, Mrs. Eugene Alford, Mrs. E. C. Buehler, and Mrs. Marvin Tripp.
Spanish Club Chorus: 4:30 p.m.,
113 Strong, to learn carols for the Christmas party. All interested invited.
Official Bulletin
Christian Fellowship: 7:30 p.m., 22 Strong, Richard Burson, speaker.
TODAY
Versammlung des Deutsches Verein: 5 uhr, 502 Fraser. Music program.
German Christmas Choir: short
rehearsal, 5 p.m., 306 Fraser, tenors
Christian Science organization:
n.p. Danforth.
Air Force Reserve: recruitment drive, 7:15 p.m., Col. Smith, Kansas City, speaker.
KuKu club: 7:15 p.m., 106 Green, election of officers. Attendance required.
YMCA: 7:30 p.m., 101 Snow. Jan Brazda, "I Was a Communist Prisoner."
Mountain club: 7:30 p.m., 402 Lindley. All interested invited.
Y's group: 9 p.m., Henley House FRIDAY
Christian Fellowship Missionary meeting: 12 noon, Danforth.
Christian Fellowship cabinet meeting; 5 p.m.
Kappa Phi: Christmas meeting, 7 p.m. Chio Omega House.
Upstream: dinner panel on "General Education", 6 p.m., Sunday, Community bldg. Tickets $1. Call 1534R, 2464, 1387R for reservations today.
FUTURE
Hillel-D.S.F.: joint meeting, 3 p.m. Sunday, Myers hall. Speaker: Dean Harold Barr, Rabbi L. Cashdan and Dr. Amiva Chakravarty.
Math Colloquium: 5 p.m., Monday,
203 Strong.
DurkinCancels Ike Meeting
Chicago — (U.P.) — Secretary of labor-designate Martin P. Durkin cancelled his plans at the last minute today for his first visit to President-elect Eisenhower's headquarters in New York.
"Strictly confidential" business will keep him in Chicago throughout the day. Mrs. Durkin said.
She declined to reveal the nature of Mr. Durkin's business, but said he would not be available to reporters all day.
Mr. Durkin has been handling a business matter in Chicago for the AFL plumbers union which he heads.
He has had only kind words for his sharpest critic, Sen. Robert A. Taft, and it was not believed Sen. Taft's attack on Mr. Durkin's appointment was involved in the cancelation.
FALL FOOD VALUES AT THE
NEW A&P Super Market
A&P No. 21/2 Cans
PUMPKIN 2 for 25c
A&P 9 oz. Pkgs.
MINCEMEAT 2 for 35c
Ocean Spray No. 303 Cans
CRANBERRY SAUCE 2 for 37c
C&H Powdered or 1 lb. Pkgs.
BROWN SUGAR 2 for 29c
B&W Frozen 6 oz. Cans
ORANGE JUICE 2 for 25c
Heart of Ozarks, Frozen 12 oz. Pkgs.
STRAWBERRIES 29c each
In Shell Lb.
PECAN NUTS 49c
THESE PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU DEC. 16
University Daily Kansan
Thursday, Dec. 4, 1952
Christmas Display Travels In Freshman's Car Window
A traveling Christmas display has brought the Christmas season to the campus early this year with the imagination of a freshman responsible for the lighted panorama.
The display is in the back window of a car driven by Carroll Eary, engineering freshman. The display is much like those found in many homes during the holidays, including lighted pirate ships of Santa Claus, reindeer, a snowman, and background scenery. Plastic trees, dogs, and miniature fences surround houses on the snow-covered landscape (cotton that is.)
The display is built on a layer of wooden boards that prop the scene up to the window level. The lights are the usual home Christmas lights, but Erys converted them for use on his car battery. The figures are glued and nailed to the boards to keep them in place.
"My biggest difficulty was installing a fan at one side of the display," Esry said. "I hadn't planned
on it, but I discovered that when several people got in the car the windows began to cloud up with steam, ruining the effect of the display. The fan keeps the window defrosted."
Forbes Colonel Promoted
This is the second year for such a display for Esry. Last year the display attracted so much attention at a Texas air base that he had to turn off the lights on the display.
Topeka—(U.P.)—The promotion of Joseph D. C. Caldara, commanding officer of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance wing at Forbes Air Force base, from colonel to brigadier general was announced today by Air Force headquarters.
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THE BUS (Adv.)
by Bibler
"Reginald and the chief finally had it out over the best form of transportation."