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People, Sehnitzler’s play seenis, unlike these
of Ibsen, to be true to life. It may be that
Schitzier was inspired by the example of
Shaw in The Doctors Dilemma,? but the
Frelation between their play's is no closer than
that each of them presents a gallery of portraits
of medical men. Moreover Schnitzter’s play
deals not only with a problem of medical
conduct, but with such a problem in its
Bernhardi, a Jewish doctor, a specialist in
internal diseases, is the Principal or Director
of the Elizabeth Institute in Vienna, A
patient, a girl, is dwing in one of the wards, a
vietim of surgical malpractice. But she is in
a state which the doctor calls euphoria.?
She is not merely unaware of her nearness to
death: indeed, she is under the happy illusion
that within the negt hour somebody who is
dear to her will take her away from the
hospital, back to life. She is a Catholic, and
the nursing sister, unknown to her and to the
Professor, has sent for a priest to administer
the last unction. On the arrival of Father
Reder, the doctor refuses politely but firmly
to permit the priest to see the dying girl.
At the sight of him she would die in terror
instead of in peace. The priest urges that,
as à sinner, she is in greater need of absolution
than many another Meanwhile, hy a scarcely
noticeable flicker of an eyelid, Father Reder
has sent the nurse into the ward and, while
he and Dr. Bernhardi are still arguing. the
sister returns to say that she told the
patient of the presence of the priest, and
reluctantly admits that this terrified her into
the knowledge that death was at hand.
Starcely has she spoken whien another doctor
comes to say the patient is dead. Mr Huncker,
curiously enough, saw nothing dramatic in
this scene. or indeed in thie whole play till the
middle of the fourth act, when Doctor and
Priest come face to face again. Yet I find it as
tense and as moving a situation as can be
imagined There is no doubt about the
honesty, the strength, and the sincerity of the
two men, though it seeins to me that Mr.
Huneker’s Semitic sympathies determined his
approval of the later scene, where the priest
admits privately what he would not say
publiely, that the medical man was right.
In the meanwhile the case has been caughi
up in the whirlwind ot anti-clerical and anti¬
Semitic prejudices, with the result that
Bernhardi has been forced to resign and
sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for
an offence which is called sacrilege.' which
according to English law wonid be one of
common assault. He is condemned on the
false testimony of the nursing sister, who
swears that he used violence to the priest,
though Father Reder himself declares that
he felt no violence, but only a light touch on
the shoulder, It is always difficult in foreign
plays to appreciate a legal position, which is
öne of the things that militates against the
interest of“ Doctor Bernhardi“' for English
eaders.
The rest of the play is The Enemy
#the People“ again, with, of course,
lifferences. There is a great amount of
Jebate and argument, almost as much as in
Lucien Guitry’s“ Pasteur, and the play is not
in the ordinary sense dramatie So much of
the uction (for instance, the trial) takes place
off“ and is merely narrated in retrospect.
it is an iromeal and argumentative comedy,
and, of course, quite alien in much of ite
spirit But the Dector is a grandly conceived
character, and the whole piece has reality.
Miss Landstone’s translation reads well. even
though here and there a word has a wrong
value It is an unusual play and well worth
attention.
R. C. R.
„4 Galn
DURRANTS PRESS GUTTINGS,
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e Om
—1927
Dated Oetebe
Addren ol JoZ
A NOTABLE GERMAN COMEDV.
70p
his play has been widely acted on the
Continent,? wo are told by way of intro¬
duction to Herr Arthur Schnitzler’s five¬
act comedyProfessor Bernhardi,“ which
is now published as an English transla¬
tion by Hetty Landstone (Mesers, Faber
and Gwver, Ltd., 6s.). Except for a read¬
Eing by the Jewish Drama League, the play
Shas never been acted in an English-spenk¬
ing conntry, and the conclusion one reuches &
ffrom the opening assertion is that the
Continental theatre must be in virile con¬
Hition.
For Professor Bernhardi'' is as
far removed from the medern stage iden
pf comedy as it is possible for a play to be.
To begin with, the characters are en¬
tirelv men, except for a nurse who has one
nominal appearance, and speaks but a fewi
words.
Then the matter is somewhatg
Startling for a comedy. Its thieme mug bes
Ieseribed as an extension of the question!
Should a doctor tell!
Should a doctor
#ave the right to refuse to allow a priestt
4o attend a dring girl, who is happy in
she belief that she is cured! Ataug rate.)
Professor Bernhardi, Director of the Eliza-f
lbeth Institute, Vienna, considered he wasg¬
justified in doing so on one occasion, assert-
ling that he acted for the best in a par¬
ticulal euse. But the doctor happens tot
be a Jew. The dissension as to the pro¬
prietv of his action among the othert
members of the staff of the establishment
jeventuallyg gives rise to political complica-
stions After four acts the doctor is sen¬
Itenced to two months’ imprisonment for#
sacrilege
Such is the somewhat grim and gloomy
progress of Professor Bernhardi.“
would be dilficult indeed to justifg ther¬
Mitle of comedy if the play ended at this
point. However, the fifth act is revela¬
tion.
Since he has expounded a problem rather
ithan set forth a solation, Hlerr Schnitzle“:
bas written a good dramatie piecc of work.
The characterisation is immensely interest¬
ing. though one occhsionallg has the feeling
that thie doctors and professors appeur oni
as animated talkers, and that frequent
exits and entrances alone prevent turgiditge
and weariness creeping in.
Professort
Bernbardi' is a ünelv-cenceived plnv
would be admirable if scmeone could pro¬
dnce it t0 prove that the English theatre.
is in a state of health and strong enougin
to stand it.
But as Jiterature iu is u.
notable comedy.