Areopagitica

Vaguely resembling refugees from about five different grade B pictures, the (choke) lovable characters from Soc Sci 2 gathered under the aegis of the Lowell House Drama Society Saturday and Sunday nights to poke this hallowed corner of the academic world full of large and funny holes.

The vehicle for the debacle was a playlet called Areopagitica or Escape Fromm Freedom, written eleven years ago by John A. Benedict '54 and Kenneth J. Reckford '54, two veterans of Professor Samuel Beer's annual odyssey. As Professor Beer related to the audience Saturday night, the play, performed only once before, was uncovered after an exhaustive and painstaking search--in his desk--by Thomas Reckford '64, younger brother of the co-author. Even not knowing the dangers involved in exploring the wilds of Professor Beer's desk, I would say the expedition was well worth it.

The story opens with Max Weber, most of whose works are untranslatable from the German (although some people make feeble attempts) in heated debate with his daughter, Charisma Culpepper. "But, my child, you have been spontaneous and variable for too many years and, I might add, with independent causal effect. It is time you became routinized," Herr Weber blusters out. Charisma, whose independent advantages were causing the routine effects all evening, is horrified at the prospect: "I may even become feudal--and based on benefices," she wails. The domineering father, not to be swayed, commissions Emil Durkheim to find his daughter a husband, with the threat that if the attempt is unsuccessful, Weber will have to become an anthropologist.

Charisma then bemoans her maleless state in song: "I know I'm confessin' that I don't understand, but I want no caressin' by an invisible hand." The true believers in the audience, fully aware of the futility of the Smithian free market, appeared anxious to offer several ingenious recovery plans.

After disposing of three prospective suitors--Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, dressed as the Marx brothers--Charisma is enchanted by the massively masculine figure of Beowulf ("a wandering ethos") who is followed by a broken-hearted lover, Grendel's mother ("mother of Grendel, an anti-social type"). The fair damsel was ravishing in green makeup, red eyes, a nightgown sort of thing and shocking pink tights. Several tutors got quite excited at this one and had to battle the marxists to get backstage.

Then comes one of the world's great love scenes:

CHARISMA: Oh, you're so wonderfully undeterminable. I used to dream of someone who wasn't a social scientist--and now I've found one: a real humanities man.

BEOWULF: I know your kind. You'll just change into things, like Grendel's mother.

CHARISMA: Oh, no. I'm variable, but so Invariably variable.

BEOWULF: You are? Oh, then at last I have a theory of labor value.

CHARISMA: And I have a Leviathan to call my own. (embrace).

Cries of "piece in our time" echoed from the assembled throng at the sight of renewed British-German relations.

One obstacle remains for the blissful couple--Prof. Mathiez ("a feather from the left wing"). Oozing onto the stage he exclaims, "You have nothing to lose but your brains--I mean chains." His threat is mitigated when it is revealed that he is really the father of Grendel, i.e. Grendel's mother's ("mother of Grendel, an anti-social type") husband. Charisma and Beowulf then sing of the joyous life they will have together as the defeated Mathiez writhes in the corner: "We'll just be petty bourgeoisl I'll pet you, you'll pet moi."

Tom Reckford, the bibliophile, also directed; Walt Jewell produced. Marshall Moriarty as Weber coughed exceedingly well, and Emilie Rahman as his daughter was enticing. Reckford, as Hobbes; Charles Bevard as Locke, and Judd Conway as Rousseau were properly raucous. Jack Henrikson made a bellowing Beowulf; Mary Doyle, a grucsome Grendel's mother; and Alan Horsley, a mushy Mathiez.

The set, by Jim Parry, seemed to be trying to say something. Among the posters on the wall were an announcement that "Young Americans for Feudalism" would sponsor a speech entitled "Will public education destroy private initiative" and a sign "Homans saves" (for the uninitiated, Homans wrote a touching panegyric about the 13th century English peasant--400 pages worth--75 of which were devoted to measurements of the peasant's plow).

One problem was that many of the characters are no longer studied in the course, and several references to Ruth Benedict and Margaret Mead passed unnoticed. But it was still a lot of fun, even if I won't be able to take another Soc Sci 2 paper seriously.

Rumors that the next production would be a take-off on Phil 1 with President Pusey playing Immanuel Kant and David Riesman as Socrates could not be substantiated.