Faksimile

Text

8
box 31/5
25. BrfOEBernhand
from—The
Now
ailn Telegraph
Id.
eof Iseue
WDSc
193
Every Thursday
Drama of the Day
IE JEW IT. TLAYS
By SYDNEY
·PROFESSOR BERNHARDI“ w. Cankoul.
P the miuny voung mien wilo areftheir audiences. But! Professor Bern¬,
1distinguislung themselves in the #ardi “ is as stimulating a piece of intellee.
theatre world to-day Mr. Ronald tual tight-rope work as enn be found, and
Aduen, of the Einbassy, is one of the most
I hope it will draw all London. It is
reinarkable. He mnst surely bethe most
unusual, has the touch of reality, an
industrious. He has turned out play
undereurrent of satire even against the
atter play from lis theatre in Hampstend
Jew himself, and the playwright holds the
wich persistent optimismm and an astonishi¬
scales with unerring balance Chroughout.
ing average of success.
Thie sucress or failure of such a piece in
The catalogue of productions with
the West End should prove a test of the
##wllich his naie has been associated is a
theatre public’s intelligence, It should
Tlong, varied and interesting one. It shows
receive thie support of every member of
la shrewdness of judgment, a catholicity
the Jewish community, but iny own
lof taste, a spirit of experiment unsur¬
limited experience has gone t0 prove that
passed by any other theatre management
Christians are, as a rule, far more
of his tine.
interested in plays of a Jewish problem
Idoubt, though, ifeven he has ever put
nature than Jows themselves.
Von a play that required miore courage and
Does the average Jew, outside his own
faith than Schmitzler’s“ Professor Bern¬
cirele and the pructice of his religion.
hardi, brought by him iast Tuesday to
prefer to consider himself simply as one of
the Phoenix in the West End.
Ithe community? Does he not, with excep¬
tions, dislike being singled out as a
A DIFFICULT THEME
I rather think he
meinber of his raco?
The Jew—taken seriously as a dramatie
does. Yet. whatever his ordinary attitude
topie—is one of the most ditlicult of
to theatre-going, no Jew who values the
theatrical themes. His problemns, private
work that other Jews are doing for the
land public, are of the gravest. With
certain people, not few zn munber, lie Stage should miss this particular play.
FINE CHARACTER ACTING
linvites antipathy. He is exciting at the
Imoment world-spread hostility. There is
Not for the first time have I drawn
always in him, there has been always in
attention to the merits of Mr. Abraham
him, and his surroundings the very seed
Sofaer, who plays in it the title röle. He
of drama—conflict. For that roason
contributes a piece of character acting that
ahnost every story dealing with Jewisli
is subtle, sound, and satisfying. He has
Fracil ditliculties und pult into stage or
theadvantage of being psychologieally in
Viilm form exeites publie attention and
ker with the ehnracter. He knows the
British sympathy.
man, and play's him as he has found him.
All the greatest of writers of varying
He realises the halt-obstinate, calilv
Inationality for theatre or übrury imve
determined side of the doctor just as
vividly und truthfully as he does the
songht inspiration from the Jews. Many
anger, the sense of injustice, the penetrat¬
lof thein have crented mnasterpieces from
Sthein.
And Professor Bernhardi, ing mental deminatien and physical help¬
desjute the cireimstance that itis feunded jlessness in faco of the superior powers of
upon an ineident which, treated with
bigotry and misrepresentation. And,
above all. he captures a sense of kindliness.
Torchinarg Jewish diplomacy und the ustiel
of humane gravity, teinpered with an
Hebrate uegmnent, could, and would, Imve
mnegorable appreciation of truth, that
been svoided, must he called as fine a
piece of dmlectical ingenuitp as
typities in its best aspeets the Jewvish
drammtist in controversinl mnood everInation.
Here is a piece of acting well worth a
coinposed.
visit, und surrounded by the most com¬
Polities seldlom pay as stage pabulum.
Woinen are so seldom stirred br thein, Tpetent or companies, Jews umd Chnistians
und our theatres depend upon womnen for jalike, it shonld innke the murk it deserves.