Life, 1924-10-02 · page 10 of 41
Life — October 2, 1924 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a theatrical review of "Clemo Uti—'The Water Lilies'" by Ring Lardner, a satirical play mocking avant-garde theater. The plot synopsis describes nonsensical, plotless acts that go nowhere—characters enter and exit pointlessly, rats appear inexplicably, and nothing coherent happens. The humor targets experimental theater of the era that prioritized abstract or symbolic staging over narrative. The illustration "Over the Rocky Mountains" shows a pilot and passenger, with the passenger asking to identify Chicago—a mundane, practical question that contrasts with the play's absurdist pretensions. The satire suggests that modern experimental theater is laughably meaningless, more concerned with appearing artistic than actually entertaining or communicating anything substantive to audiences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
L IFE - Clemo Uti—* The Water Lilies” By Ring Lardner CHAR Panne, a Pricst. Setuso] Getisof Both Waysuatten, a Shepherd's Boy. Twins. RACTERS Two Caritatists.* Wama Tamoiscu, her daughter. Kiema, a Janitor’s third daughter. Keveta, their mother, afterwards their aunt. *Note: The two Capitalists don't appear in this shovv. [Transtator’s Note: This show was ACT I. (The Outskirts of a Parchesi Board. People are wonder- ing what has become of the They quit wondering and sit up and sing the following song.) Cnorus HAT has become of the dises? What has become of the dises? We took them at our own risks, But what has become of the discs? (Wama enters from an exclusive wale parlor, She exits as if she had had waffles.) ACTS IL & HL (These two acts were thre to happen.) out because nothing se ACT IV. (A silo. Two rats have got in there by a mistake of them scems diseased. The other look. The out, Both rats come in again and wait for a laugh, The. don't» get it, and go out, Wama enters from an offstage barn. She is made up to represent the Homecoming of Casanova, She has a fainting spell. She goes out.) Kevena Where was you born? One at him, Papre In Adrian, Michigan. Keveta Yes, but I thought I was confessing to you. (The Padre goes out on an old-fashioned high- wheel bicycle. He act if he had never ridden many of them. He falls off and is brought back. He is in pretty bad shape.) t ACT V (A Couple of Salesmen enter. They are trying to sell Portable Houses. The rest of the cast don't want Portable Houses.) Rest or THE Cast We don't want Port- able Houses. (The Salesmen become hysterical and walk off- stage left.) Passenger: OW, NEVER teritten as if people were there to see it.] Keveta What a man! Waysnatten (the Why wasn't after my sheep hepherd’s Boy) yu out there this morning to help me look Citorus or Assistant SHernerns Why did you lay there asleep When you should of looked after his sheep? Why did you send telegrams When you should of looked aiter his lambs? Why did you sleep there, so old, When you should of looked after his fold? Setuso Who is our father? Getitso We're twins, ain't we? Wama Water Lilies). What of it? Hush, clemo uti (the (Two queels enter, overcome with water lilies. The: both make fools of themselves. Th any self-control. They quiver. They show over again, but it looks useless.) SHADES OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS Pilot: wat pip you say? don’t seem to | mt to play t taut Gooro MIND NOW—I JUST ASKED YOU TO POINT OUT CHICAGO AS WE PASSED, comicbooks.com