Did you know that TARC holds several collections documenting local theater? And did you know that Tufts has a small part in the history of the sci-fi genre and the entrance of the word “robot” into common parlance? This blog post has everything: Theater! Radio! International cultural exchange! Etymology! Read on to find out more.
R.U.R
In 1920 playwright Karel Capek published his play Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti, or as it was titled in English: Rossum’s Universal Robots (R.U.R.). First staged in Prague in 1921, R.U.R. had its American premiere on Broadway in the fall of 1921. Two years later, Tufts’ own Paint, Pen, and Pretzels (colloquially known as the 3Ps), under the direction of Professor Albert Gilmer, held auditions for their own production of R.U.R.
As John M. Jordan writes for the MIT Press Reader, “Few people today know “R.U.R.” But in its time, the play was a sensation, with translations into more than 30 languages immediately after publication.”
R.U.R. debuted at Tufts – and, we believe, in New England -- in late 1923. It was a great success – so much so that it was staged again a few months later in February 1924, and drew large numbers of Boston theatergoers and critics to Jackson Gymnasium. But it didn’t stop there! In late February 1924 the Tufts Weekly notes that R.U.R. was being adapted by the cast as a radio play to be aired on Station WGI. R.U.R. returned to Tufts during the 1939 season, and today is one of the pieces of Tufts theatre history that we are most often asked about.
Okay, but is this really where “robot” comes from?
Yes! It is from R.U.R., etymologists say, that the word robot enters English parlance, deriving from the Czech Robotnik, robota, robotiti, and Old Czech rabota and rabu. It was, however, Karel’s brother, Josef, who first coined the term to mean “a human-like machine designed to carry out tasks like a human agent” and encouraged his brother to use it in place of “labori” in earlier drafts.
Learn more:
In Tufts newspapers:
Newspaper articles about the 1923/24 production:
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231010-01 "Pen, Paint and Pretzels Forecasts Big Season"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231024-01 "'R. U. R." Cast Rehearsing for Presentation"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231121-01 "Cast of 'R. U. R.' Hard at Work"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231128-01 "Tufts' Production of 'R. U. R.' to be New England Premier"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231205-01 "Majority of 'R. U. R.' Cast are Experienced Players"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19231212-01 "Dress Rehearsal of R. U. R. Promises Great Success for Thursday Performance"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19240109-01 "A Rainbow Bridge to Salvation"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19240116-01 "Three P's Will Repeat 'R. U. R.' on Feb. 7"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19240206-01 "'R. U. R.' Repeated with Success Before Large House"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19240227-01 3 items under "Dramatic Notes"
Newspaper articles about the 1939/40 production:
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19391026-01 "3 P's Announces Drama R.U.R. as First Production"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19391102-01 "Glaser to Lead Cast for R.U.R., 3 P's First Play"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19391109-01 "Rehearsals for R.U.R. 3P's Play, Well Under Way"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19391116-01 "3P's Present 'R.U.R.,' Nov. 21-24, Price, Glaser Star in Drama"
- https://newspapers.tufts.edu/?a=d&d=TTW19391123-01 "3 P's 'R.U.R.' Is Powerful Melodrama"
More about R.U.R: