25. ProfessenBernhandi box 31/5
—
EXTRACT FROM
J Umne
110 J01 1936
—
— —
Date—
It has not been possible as yet for
ine 10 sce the production at ine
Lmbassv Theatre of Arthur Schnitz¬
ler’s plav, Doclor Bernhardi,
confrère tells mne that the author’s
Pskilled craftsmanship is given good
effect bythe actors and generallg bi
the staging. He singles out for
special praise the performances of
Abraham Sofaer as the Jewish doctor
and hv Bernard Merefield as the
Gatholie priest. And his conelusion
EXTRACT ERC: 1
—he is not himself a Catholic—is that
most interesting, refreshingl
it
THE GLASGOW BULLETIN,
Well-presented, but not quite
plausible.
65, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, 6.1.
The version used at Swiss Cottage
is a new one, specially translated
and adapted. It may be, therefore,
that opinions formed when the origi¬
20. Str 1936
naltext was published some vears
ago are no longer tenable. Then I
BATTLE OF THOUCHT
thought the play interesting, but fail¬
ing dramatically berause the cause of
ON THE STAGE
the action was completely out of
character with the man primarily
concerned. The first scene was a false
Priest v. Doctor in a Drama
scene in so far as it concerned à Jew,
of Two Minds
and that seemed to weaken both
argument and construction in a vilal
* PROFESSOR BERNHARDT“
spot.
Bernhardi is a surgeon. One ofthe
From Dur London Correspondent
patients in the hospital is a woman,
There is nothing more effective, when it
criticallv ill but unnware of danger.
can be dramatised, than a conflict of
Any indication of the serionsness of¬
opinions, but it fakes a playwright born to
her condition will be likely to kill
put such a battle inte theatrical form.
her. Therefore she must not be
A good example of the art was seen atp¬
warned that she may die.
the Embassy Theatre, London, whien Arthurig
But the woman is a Catholic and a
Schnitzler’s drama of two minds,
priest insists, as of course he must,
* Professor Bernhardi,“ appeared, with
on being taken to her bedside. Bern¬
Abraham Sofaer in the title-role.
hardi opposes him. finally exeindes
Ronald Adam and Louis Borell had made
him from the ward. Ands thereafter
Pa most capable English version of the play.
determined efforts are made 1o dis¬
Protessor Bernhardi, overseer of an
Austrian hospital, refused to allow a priest
credit Bernhardi, the difference
access to a dying woman. The doctor’s view,
widening until it becomes a general
based on a solid combination of Humanity
attack of anti-semitism.
and science, was that the patient chanced
Now I am willing to accept the
to be happy and unaware of her state. Whry
shbuld last-minute religion warn her of an
author’s sincerity and to believe that
end which might be more peaceful other¬
he has represented both parties tothe
wise
conflict as fairly as he can. He may
Gulf Widened
not want necessarily to be an advo¬
cate; perhaps his desire is to empanel
The priest’s attitude towards this reason¬
ing was uncompromising, and scene by
the audience as a jury and preside
Iscehe the gulf widened.
himself as judge. But he has started
Schnitzler set forth the case for each sidel
off with a bad example. 1 do not
with comparative fairness, although science
believe 7hat a medical man of longex¬
seemedto have a rather better showing than
perience—unless he were fanatically
religion. Hlowever, the writer had not taken
one side actively, so the theme never lost
opposed to belief in Eternal lise—
its first interest and was vital to the last.
would object to the calling in of a
Mr Sofaer’s main study, Siniere, stubborn
priest. I cannot imagine a practising.
Pand prond, was accompanied by other
Jew attaching more importance to
notable portraits, especiallv those from Alan
Wheatley. Ronald Adam, Graveley Edwards,
time than to eternity.
John Garside, and Bernard Merefield.
Only the other day I heard the view“
Jewish rationalism versus Catholieh
non¬
of a well-known doctor, a
philosophv.
Catholic, who was attending a friend
An unsual debate.
—
during bis last illuess. He said that
he wished more of his patients were
Gatholics, or he had often noticed
the peace that accompanied the last
Sacraments.
And surely a Jew knowing that man
has a soul as well as a bodv would
recognise if not insist upon the
collaboration of a priest.
These points to my mind gravely
affect the drama, which may have
been strengthened since its text was
published. But I must see the play
when i can in order to appreciate the
work of two men whose acling is
always sound—Abraham Sofner and
Bernard Merefield.
E. J. M.
—
EXTRACT FROM
J Umne
110 J01 1936
—
— —
Date—
It has not been possible as yet for
ine 10 sce the production at ine
Lmbassv Theatre of Arthur Schnitz¬
ler’s plav, Doclor Bernhardi,
confrère tells mne that the author’s
Pskilled craftsmanship is given good
effect bythe actors and generallg bi
the staging. He singles out for
special praise the performances of
Abraham Sofaer as the Jewish doctor
and hv Bernard Merefield as the
Gatholie priest. And his conelusion
EXTRACT ERC: 1
—he is not himself a Catholic—is that
most interesting, refreshingl
it
THE GLASGOW BULLETIN,
Well-presented, but not quite
plausible.
65, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, 6.1.
The version used at Swiss Cottage
is a new one, specially translated
and adapted. It may be, therefore,
that opinions formed when the origi¬
20. Str 1936
naltext was published some vears
ago are no longer tenable. Then I
BATTLE OF THOUCHT
thought the play interesting, but fail¬
ing dramatically berause the cause of
ON THE STAGE
the action was completely out of
character with the man primarily
concerned. The first scene was a false
Priest v. Doctor in a Drama
scene in so far as it concerned à Jew,
of Two Minds
and that seemed to weaken both
argument and construction in a vilal
* PROFESSOR BERNHARDT“
spot.
Bernhardi is a surgeon. One ofthe
From Dur London Correspondent
patients in the hospital is a woman,
There is nothing more effective, when it
criticallv ill but unnware of danger.
can be dramatised, than a conflict of
Any indication of the serionsness of¬
opinions, but it fakes a playwright born to
her condition will be likely to kill
put such a battle inte theatrical form.
her. Therefore she must not be
A good example of the art was seen atp¬
warned that she may die.
the Embassy Theatre, London, whien Arthurig
But the woman is a Catholic and a
Schnitzler’s drama of two minds,
priest insists, as of course he must,
* Professor Bernhardi,“ appeared, with
on being taken to her bedside. Bern¬
Abraham Sofaer in the title-role.
hardi opposes him. finally exeindes
Ronald Adam and Louis Borell had made
him from the ward. Ands thereafter
Pa most capable English version of the play.
determined efforts are made 1o dis¬
Protessor Bernhardi, overseer of an
Austrian hospital, refused to allow a priest
credit Bernhardi, the difference
access to a dying woman. The doctor’s view,
widening until it becomes a general
based on a solid combination of Humanity
attack of anti-semitism.
and science, was that the patient chanced
Now I am willing to accept the
to be happy and unaware of her state. Whry
shbuld last-minute religion warn her of an
author’s sincerity and to believe that
end which might be more peaceful other¬
he has represented both parties tothe
wise
conflict as fairly as he can. He may
Gulf Widened
not want necessarily to be an advo¬
cate; perhaps his desire is to empanel
The priest’s attitude towards this reason¬
ing was uncompromising, and scene by
the audience as a jury and preside
Iscehe the gulf widened.
himself as judge. But he has started
Schnitzler set forth the case for each sidel
off with a bad example. 1 do not
with comparative fairness, although science
believe 7hat a medical man of longex¬
seemedto have a rather better showing than
perience—unless he were fanatically
religion. Hlowever, the writer had not taken
one side actively, so the theme never lost
opposed to belief in Eternal lise—
its first interest and was vital to the last.
would object to the calling in of a
Mr Sofaer’s main study, Siniere, stubborn
priest. I cannot imagine a practising.
Pand prond, was accompanied by other
Jew attaching more importance to
notable portraits, especiallv those from Alan
Wheatley. Ronald Adam, Graveley Edwards,
time than to eternity.
John Garside, and Bernard Merefield.
Only the other day I heard the view“
Jewish rationalism versus Catholieh
non¬
of a well-known doctor, a
philosophv.
Catholic, who was attending a friend
An unsual debate.
—
during bis last illuess. He said that
he wished more of his patients were
Gatholics, or he had often noticed
the peace that accompanied the last
Sacraments.
And surely a Jew knowing that man
has a soul as well as a bodv would
recognise if not insist upon the
collaboration of a priest.
These points to my mind gravely
affect the drama, which may have
been strengthened since its text was
published. But I must see the play
when i can in order to appreciate the
work of two men whose acling is
always sound—Abraham Sofner and
Bernard Merefield.
E. J. M.