Widener Features Exhibition of Masks In Theatre Collection on Seventh Floor

All followers of the theatre will be interested in seeing the ballet and theatre mask exhibitions now being shown in the Theater Collection on the top floor of Widener. The Theatre Masks have been loaned by the New England Repertory Theatre Company, having been used in the recent Boston Production of O'Neil's, "The Groat God Brown."

These will remain on display until November nineteenth, along with a special exhibition of the Russian Ballet and old prints of ballet dancers, arranged for the visit of the Ballet Russe de Monto Carlo.

Of particular interest to those concerned with the theatre craft are the examples of a mask in process included in the exhibition. Each successive make shows a progressive degeneration of character.

The requirements of O'Neil in "The Great God Brown" make it necessary for the actors to put on and off their masks before the audience. The problem of holding the masks closely in place and yet allowing them to be taken on and off as part of the expressive action of the play was solved in the case of these made by the New England Repertory by the principle of a fencing mask, using sections of clock spring fitted to the size of the head.

A group of photographs of the actors and scenes from the play are shown with the masks. The production of "The Great God Brown" was the third given by the New England Repertory Theatre under the direction of Edwin Pettet, two of Shaw's "Androcles and The Lion," and "Heartbreak House" having been played in Boston in May and June. The fourth production, "Madchen in Uniform" will be presented for a week at Peabody Playhouse the end of November.