Faksimile

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which
erves a long and brilliat
süccess. It is up to the standard of
some of the best of the productions
seen at the Embass)—and that is a
very high standard indeed.
It is a revival of one of Arthur
Schnitzler’s greatest plays. Profes-
sor Bernhardi“ and, at this time, it
has a tragic appropriateness, for it 1
concerns the subjection of a Jewish c
doctor to the violence of anti-Semitie
feeling, the hysterical working up for
1
political motives of a trivial, domestic
incident into a national scandal. The
scene opens in the ante-room to a
ward at the Elizabeth Institute in
Vienna. In the ward lies a dying girl.
experiencing the only few happy
hours of her life, for she is certain
that she is about to recover. But the
priest has been called to administer
the last sacrament, and the doctor,
determined that the girl shall not be
disillusioned, refuses him admission to
the ward.
He is a doctor, concerned with the
welfare of his patients, but the in¬
eident becomes a cuise célebre, in
which a Jew is guilty of ‘religious
obstruction.“ It is on that charge.
following the resignation of the board
of trustees and his own suspension
from the Institute, that Benhardi is
gentenced to two months’ imprison¬
ment. On his release, the controversy
is still raging. the participants being
violent supporters of the doctor's
action, hypocritical politicians, profes¬
sional rivals, an anti-Semitic Party in¬
tent on embarrassing the Government.
This theme is convincingly and
faithfully discussed by the author,
though the ending is somewhat incon¬
clusive; but it is a theme of great in¬
terest and strong dramatic possibili¬
ties, which are fearlesslv realised.
A moving portrayal of Bernhardi is
given by Mr. Abraham Sofaer, but it
is not a faultless portraval. It is
obviously a very thoughtful piece of
acting, and displays admirably the
character's integrity, absolute candour
(sometimes to the peint of indisere¬
tion), and bitterness. At the same
time, there is, if anything, too much
reserve, too great a restraint in the
painting of a character who certainly
did not regard himself as a figure of
great nobility, but was looked upon as
such by his supporters. In avoiding
a ranting, tub-thumping performance,
which would have been insupportable.
Mr. Sofaer has inclined too much to
the other extreme.
The acting of the large cast in gen¬
eral maintains a refreshingly high
level, and there is no performance
that does not ring true. So well do
the actors co-operate that it is difficult
to select any individual performance
for particular praise. But mention
should certainly be made of Mr. Adam
himself who. in addition to putting on
the play and collaborating with Louis
Borell in the English version. takes
the important part of the able but
hypocritical Minister of Education,
and gives an excellent performance;
of John Garside as the honest, anec¬
dotalfather“ of the Institute; of
Bernard Merefield as the dignified but
perplexed priest; of Peter Achmore. as
an unfortunate, dithering, incom¬
petent doctor: of Max Adrian. in a
particularlv good performance as an
evcited, voluble Jewish doctor: and of
Alan Wheatlev as a fashionable, in¬
sinnating, cvnical but rather charming
Socialist politician.
The plav is produced bv Herr Hein
rich Schnitzler, the son of the auther.
H. M.H
HXTRACT FROM
WESTERN MORNING NEWS
9 Frankfort Street, Plymouth.
19 ik 1936
Dat
A Stimüläling Play.
GCHNITZLER’S well-known play.“ Profess
Bernhardi,“ is to be seen at the Embassy
Theatre, at Swiss Cottage. It is being done
in a new version by Louis Boreil and Ronald
Adam, which is excellent, thougn it dees not
quite overcome the suggestion of ihe play's
date.
Its chief drawback, nowever, is not in this,
but in the fact that its interesting theme,
which arises from the refusal of a doctor 1n
allow a priest to hasten the end of his palient
by administering the Last Sacraments, is not
developed as it might have been. Instead, Dv
Fmaking the doctor a Jew it has been fürned
into a political play of the enmity between
Jew and Gentile, a question which is in many
places as burning lo-day as it was when ihe
Iplay was written.
competently acted, with Mr. Ab
B
Sihe professorg M
s the priest.
specting eas
npatible
Aorae and
A#um
19 JUNE 1936
Aun
Date
THE THEATRE.
By DOMINO.
UPROFESSOR BERNHARDI.“
Arthur Schnitzler is chielly known in this country by
lus delightful“ Anatol“' play's, and even those are familiar
only to the few. But he is a dramatist or n proneuncen“
individualitg, with insight, satire, u power to build up
character, and an ability to get drama from argument.
Indeed," Professor Bernhardi, adapted by Louis Borell
and Ronald Adam, and produced at the Embassy Theatre,
Swiss Cottage, is an elaborate argument ’between twot
schools of thought, theological and scientific—or, perhaps
it would be better to say, human.
Professor Bernhardi is a doctor who, for purely human
motives, refuses to admit a priest to administer the last
sacred rites to a woman who is dying in a Viennese
hospital. He knows that, she is happy, and does not
understand how near she is to death, and he believes
that the priest would agitate her and frighten her. The
priest, seeing only the view of his Church, believes that
Uhe action of the doclor has imperilled the woman's
soul. The case is given much publicity. People take
sides. Because Bernhardi is a Jew social and political
iseues are dragged in. The doctor is charged with
Religioüs. obstruction, is tried, and sent to prison.
The author elaborates something which seems to begin!
as à small personal differenee until it becomes an affail
that looses angry passions and swells into something
that approaches a political war in a way both subtle and
dramatic. The result is a challenging play of a kind to
set people thinking as well as talking. And although
Arthur Schnitzler is obviouslv on the side of the doctor,
he does not unfairly weigh the scales against the priest.
HIe sets himself to attack intolerance, vet ends with u
whimsical twist to suggest that the“ well-meaning man,)
out to speak the truth as he sees it. and determined to
press home his honest purpose at all costs, mag do morz
harm than good after all.
The author has not allowed his antagonists to be merelt
mouthpieces, points of view on two legs. They are human
Hesh and blood. And the rest of the characters, even
the smallest, are so neatly, drawn that they must aff
live in the hands of capable actors, and all the actors
are mnoré than capablé in the Embassy cast. As the
doctor Mr. Abraham Sofaer shows the sincerity and the
straight purpose of the man. As the priest Mr. Bernard
Merefield is equally sincere and human; he makes von
zee his point of view. Others who are outstanding in
the smaller parts are Mr. Ronald Adam, Mr. John Gar¬
side, and Mr. Graveley Edwards, and there are manz
more good little performances in addition.
Professor Bernhardi“’ is not the type of. play to please
Those who merelz want“ an evening out
to celebrate
a wile's birthday or because they have brought off a
long-prieed winner, or something of that kind: but it
should have its appeal to those who regard good drama
in the same light as others regard good literature.
Dl-