New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-05
A SCRIPTURAI. STAGE PLAY.
SUDERMAN.IS "JOHANNIS"-FORBID
IN BERLIN, cut MAY BE
PLAYED HERE
PLAYED HERE.

| mann. There not only may be. but there are.
! But there IS no doubt whatever that he has a
! faculty for getting his plays talked about the
one that l. most talked about just now Is the
! latest one as usual. and it is called "Joh2nnis'
The German dramItists Of the now school %
! have hard times with their plays, now and then'
and now the police will rot let Herr Sudarmann
| play his "Johanns" in Berlin. There are censors
Of plays in Berlin. and the head Of the Police
| Department is the chief II them. These censors
! read all the plays that are proposed for pro-
ductlon and decide whether they are safe FOR the
mental. moral and political health Of good Ber-
| liners. They have given careful thought to
| "Johanns" and have decided that 1t would never
do to let good Berliners see IT, on the ground
that it is on a biblical subject. An appeal Is
to be made to the courts before Herr Suder-
mann will give UP his case. but in the mean
time the good Berlincrs are in no Immediate
! danger, while there Is even 4 good chance that
good bad and Indifferent NEWCOMERS may get
chance to see the pay before it is done in
| Berlin, or anywhere else. Heinrich Conried IS
extremely anxious to put it on the stage Of the
Irving Place Theatre at an early date, and ne
especially hungers for the glory Of giving it its
first production.
| "Johannis" Mr. Conred says-and he has
read tn. play-has nothing Objectionable about
|
it, He seems to think that the more biblical IL
! Il, the better it Is. and that appears to be the
| opinion Of Herr Sudermann too. There is noth-
ing in IT, they declare. to shock the sensibllitles
! of any onr the story and the characters being
treated in the most revcrent manner, and they
DO not see why it should be forbidden when
PLAYS Of the modern French school are per-
| mittcd
"Johannis" is in a prologue and five acts.
! Three of the scenes represent streets in Jerusa-
! lem. two Of these being near the temple, two
are In the Kings palace, and one Is in the
prison of John the Baptist. The purpose of the
| author, 1t is said has been to show, among
| other things. the vulgarity and corruption OF the
| priests Of the time and the subserviency or the
! people to them. Herod. the son OF Herod the
| Great. Is on the throne. and he Is man DIS
tingushcI for nothing bat weakness and vices.
He has married his brothers wife, Iierodias,
who is angry with John for declaring that her
marriage is unlawful John has been preaching
! in Jerusa,em. and the daughter OF IIerodia9,
Salome. has fallen in love with him.
John has naturally no thoughts OF worldly
love. but the subject largely engrosSes some Ok
the other PERSONS OF the play Herodias, for in
stance discovers that the affections Of Herol
are becoming diverted from herself to her
daughter. E,rcd.2s secures the Imprisonment
of John. Hcrod visits John in prison, and after
talking with him is impressed with the man
and his mission. and promises him degree OF
freedom and comfort. Salome visits him also.
makes violent lo,c to him. which he reslsta.
whercuIon her love IS changed to the desire
Tor revenge
Then comes the scene 81 the feast at the palace.
when Ilorld asks Salomc to dance before him
and his guests Shc VIII d. so II he Will promise
t. grant her a request This he promises and
sh. dances Urged 10y her mother she asks for
IT,. head 4 John She IS not unwilling t. make
this request on her own part. as she is eager FOR
revenge upon him. Hcroi is surprised AT III.
choice Of Il KIT. sin" has previously pleaded Ia
Johns behalf John b. sent Tor and Salon" tries
t. make him beg ms hf" Of her but he Will no.
II. only asks that his LIE may be spared III
the return II the messengers whom h. has :, .:
to Jesus. H. has heard Of the works q Jesus.
and sent two q his disciples to learn whether Re
is indeed the one who's coming h. has hEsen
lorct,ld.
Even as thy are talking ~ this the nessen-
gers return. They bring news Of the works II
jesus ana lis teaching. and Ills message giv,t
10 them: "Hl ssod is b.. Whosocver shall not b:
offended in mo" In these words John feels
confirmation of himself. for h. declares that for
4 moment. when hc heard IF the coming 4
jesus. h. was offended in Him. feeling that h!s
own mission was now done. In this H. believes
himself t. have siuu,d and II" is ready for his
d.ath.
John IS led away and Salouc watches him joy
fully a. hc goes. She watches still a the exc
cuti,u takes place out ~ view Of tn" others, and
then -h" runs 10 receive the head In "A moment
she returns not with the head. which she has
taken To- her mother but with the bloody