America on stage; "Pocahontas" by John Brougham

But he received maybe a scrappy start up the time. What on earth What's that nonsense you're screaming audience might hear why it's a prologue of my new play The Majestic historical drama of Pocahontas and translator. Oh no it's a nazi parody on Mr. Longfellow's poem you know Longfellow not oiks which just happened to use the same meter my dear the players who are history. I've talked to many did listen to the incident at which this dumbass found it occurred in Virginia on Wednesday October 12th 16 0 7 at 36 minutes past 4:00 in the afternoon according to the somewhat collaboration of Captain John Smith the famous adventurer. But. Prove that either he was mistaken or a little screwy here which transpired at a much earlier date. But upon examining the contents of a wallet found in the vest pocket of a man in armor a dock up near Cape Cod. An entire epic poem was discovered written by a Viking

Longfellow of the Norwegian Academy of Music. The poem contains several of the verse with John John John the love you'll be the death of me with laughter. Program five of America on stage. The character of a nation as seen through its theater. America on stage is produced by the Wisconsin state broadcasting service under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of

educational broadcasters consultant for the series is Jonathan W. Kervyn professor of speech at the University of Wisconsin and a specialist in the American theater. Here to introduce the program Professor curve sometimes a good clue to a man's character may be found in his laughter. I know what makes him laugh and you have an index to his education experience the level of his culture a notion in fact of his whole personality. Laughter can reveal a national character too. Here's what Constance Rourke had to say in a wonderfully lively book American humor. There is scarcely an aspect of the American character to which humor is not related or which in some sense it is not govern it is moved into literature not merely as an occasional touch but as a force determining the larger patterns and intentions. It is a lawless element full of surprises. The public laughter of the theater is often highly significant for as it

swells up from the audience responsive to the comedy on stage. This laughter may echo attitudes peculiar to a whole people at any date in their history. Turn back for example to the 1850s where we find American audiences roaring their delight at a burlesque by John Breaux and titled Pocahontas or the gentle savage. We're backstage at the Lyceum on Broadway where it looks like Pocahontas is headed for a long successful run. Miss Georgina Hudson plays the title role of the Indian princess and Charles Walcott is John Smith. He's almost as popular a comic as John Broome and of course the talented writer himself is playing hard to book on his father and the Royal Room making a tremendous play on my dressing room. Come in come in close the door. You're the reporter not just an admirer Mr. Broom.

Perhaps I shouldn't intrude just before curtain time. John rooms as a friend. Oh OK. I love a good joke especially my own program help or soap on the table. Thank you. Had fun thinking up a name. Of course the original aboriginal operatic extravaganza of Pocahontas. This is an Englishman Captain John Smith. Grace Jones says cod liver oil. I like this oh so charming. Haven't you heard heard. Don't take off your make up will have to cancel. What in tarnation I'm talking about the place is jammed I can't give them back their money. John think of something. If I knew what this is about me they want to know this is gone.

Run where it's almost couldn't turn and you can't be found we've searched everywhere inside out don't have to make an announcement. Give back the money. Ted Bundy you want sort of manager you know I can't manage to prevent Pocahontas without purpose. Well I can Charlie and I can. Me I wrote the city girl and I could look around her are you ok. Charlie Well I mean at least play it straight talk about what she says. If you were here you were mad we can do it it's a risk but it could be hilarious. Just keep on your toes to be announced but I'll have to explain something before the curtain goes on to say something like this. And time at all boy for a laugh. Well this could bring the hose up owing to the absence of Miss Hudson. The play will be produced without Pocahontas Mr Walcot that Mr. It's a great school. John there will a lark. Come on boy.

Well here's more than we bargained for but if anyone can pull off a stunt like this John Breaux is the man. New Yorkers love him and if the saying is true laugh and grow fat like John Bruhns put more meat on American bones than any other comic of our times. You can poke fun at anything without hurting anyone's feelings. And tonight he'll make theatrical history poking fun at his own leading lady. We'll be here watching from the wings and now the theater manager is coming out on stage in a minute the opening musical how well John Broome can pull off this crazy stunt of this as an audience's reaction to the news. I am I am. Ha. Oh and I am.

Now I am I was I am. I mean. We would say that's a game when you're low so. We have this. Let us proceed to business.

We take the tax off. No no no no. We didn't talk so. I can't believe I'm not soap made from my alarm is the crowd loud noise the noise is. Why is it true. Just two doors up and their leader is at hand. Fire on his back for Dave was there in every pass. Was this boat boy. And when you're back at 30 past

their leader this way you know Aboriginals you know what manner of man are you. And Smith John Smith. What's ironic. The monarch was a parable. Between ourselves. Truth be told when we have reached your goal and I like your community I see and hear a famous opera. Do

you know I am. And you know. Yes the Jews didn't use this utopian proceed. We'll give you rope enough. We

colonise if this most you will do a course of sprouts through sprout mean no sprouts. You can't live here my friend enjoyed it all I cando reason in such treason would YOU SHOULD I mean in friendship with you. We should like to Teddy in proof of which I'm ready not to marry any Red Queen that in my way I would except to scepter my hand your hand was among our lookout for squads to run their breaks near our wigwams were sure to warm their. What shall we do with them. I know

your Majesty. What is it. Take it. Your way. It's curious what does it contain and take. Off the side. I am emancipated

maybe fresh from finishing school. You remember you off. I need no help while I play the fool. I don't care. Believe me there's no necessity at all delicious creatures for this sudden squall of me made me brave. Maybe I must play Pocahontas. Truly Is it time we busy breaking up our school before holiday. I'll tell you for the fair American institution I'm held captive by some near relation of yours maybe three can't be much. He's my father. Oh the deuce. I visited his Majesty's abode a portly savage Crompton

pigeon toed like Metamora up both in feet and feature. I never met a more amusing. No princes. We must marry in spite of fate. I'm going to spar him between the stands and all the history books you know could be the bends. I know they say that Rolf made you his wife. But I am rewriting that thought your mind on my life. I am one of these. OK hide me hide me. What is the meaning of this room for me Mr. Rooney. Mr. SMITH. You're in a fix with your job he treats your daughter. Come with me I'll settle you how you shall see I found the husband. You west with tonight. Oh yes my soul. History books. Right it is my love my only one.

My program this ain't you that I am. I mean you know the way. I see you would be rude. Well

that I am furious. You are the man. I hate you and then say I am. THE MAN. Let me answer that's been deep as he can be a first class venture cautious and a cute I would their word and a good shoemaker. Was Mike Smith before to be your sister was the one who was the wheel. I can't even feed the pride in my son go in with her. You might start by taking her out to daycare then you will become

more you'll be mine. You will be your mother come along. She wants you don't break you pouring out murder. Come come to know what's mine was my truck. By this time to be on the bus. None of your brave about and I see it before you can lift. Fight him shake his hand up I'm a game of that track who's got a pack. That's killing taught us how do you know that schools permit I show the game.

Oh no sledge no doubt there were no major Fredo will supervise until the game is one. That's. A. Snake. Well that's a fact. Did you go out of the archives

and I have really wanted you to have to make one. Here I am. Take this book there take a look I think you'll be joining hands only I keep you past the mystery will not let it last. Yeah I am. Oh yeah.

Yes yes I am. Now add to it. Here we will not be here. I am

and I am. God and God. When the you are listening to America on stage and here again is Professor Jonathan curve in all regard to these plays that have made history behind the footlights. Professor curve to revive a comedy is hazardous business. So what was hilarious in the past may seem depressingly unfunny in the present. Unless we can imagine the whole context in which a stage performance stirred appreciative laughter. We have trouble catching on to the joke. Pocahontas is of course an elaborate period joke. It was good enough that is funny enough to hold the

stage for use for us fully to get the point however we must look to a number of popular sentiments developing at the time. For instance there is the burlesque of heel off broom could count on his audiences knowing right away what he was up to here. For Longfellow's poem had only just been published. It was a current literary sensation selling within a few months more than fifty thousand copies. While the first edition of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass collected dust in the bookstores the public refusing to hear that poets barbaric yawp chose instead to listen to this Indian legend to this song that he offered. Barely a week after his publication fellow poet Bayard Taylor prophesied in a note to Longfellow. It will be parodied perhaps ridiculed in many quarters. Well Taylor was right. There was also behind the joke the audience is close familiarity with the romantic Indian tradition

that 50 years plays featuring the Indian idealized and bombastic had held the American stage in their extensive catalogue we find recurring over and over. The theme of Pocahontas and dramatize the counts of her supposed rescue of adultery Captain John Smith in Eighteen Eight. There was the Indian princes by James Nelson Barker as being the first American play to be produced in London. Barker describes Captain Smith as a man of might in Venus's soft wars or in Mars's bloody fight then in 1830 Washington the stepson George Washington Park Custis brought out his widely popular Pocahontas or the settlers of Virginia. Add to the list Robert Dale Owens Pocahontas of 1837 a drama one hundred and eighty pages in length whose heroine is referred to as the graceful mermaid of these ocean forests.

In 1848 here the forest princes or two centuries a goal which is author Charlotte Barnes correctly described as an ephemeral production but by the 1850s Indian drama was coming to be old stuff. Theater goers were fed up with it. John broom took it upon himself to sound its death knell and he knew from the laughter that greeted every scene of his burlesque that he had correctly gauged the changing tastes of his public. Romantic sentimentality. Notable in connection with the Indian play might be called one of the national flags during the first half of the 19th century. It was like an over inflated balloon only waiting for a travesty like Pocahontas to bring it punctured to the ground. Comedy speaks again to the American point of view. Anna Coren Mao it's a parody of city folk manners fashion or life in New York to be heard on program number six of America on stage. Manner.

I am. Honored. Program five of America on stage produced and recorded by the Wisconsin state broadcasting service under a grant from the Educational Television Radio Center. The programs are distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters a consultant for the series is Jonathan W. Kervyn professor of speech at the University of Wisconsin heard in the cast were cliff Roberts Tom grown bald Tom to teen Norman Mickey Ed Marcus Carroll Collin and Ken nosed music composed and conducted by Darren vaguely scripted by Jay Helen Stanley production by Carl Schmidt the preceding program was made available to the station by the National Association of educational broadcasters.

This is the end E.B. Radio Network.