The record-union., 1897-10-21
NEW BIBLE PLAY.
JOHANNES" A DRAMA OF
JOHN THE BAPTIST.
Heinrich Conried Proposes to Pro-
duce 1t in New York
City.

After a period Of fourteen years 1t
is again proposed to introduce the story
OF the Nazarene upon the stage. the
efforts OF Salmi Morse TO present the
Passion Play in New York as the
atrical spectacle. and the refusal or
two Mayors of this city to grant him a
license for that purpose because of the
widespread adverse public sentiment
which the proposition aroused, viii be
at once recalled. Readers of the Her
aid" have already been apprised of the
completion of a new drama by the
German novelist and playwright, Su-
dermann, entitled johannes, and OF
the refusal of the Berlin police authori-
ties 20 permit its production in that
city, because its dramatic personae are
chiefly Biblical characters and the plot
is based on the career Of John the
Baptist. The original manuscript in
cIudes the episode Of the triumphal en-
try into Jerusalem of Christ riding on
the ass. but this the author excised
when rehearsals were begun.
Heinrich Conried of the Irving
Place Theater, has secured the Ameri-
can rights for johannes, and he an
nounces that 1t is his intention to give
the piece its first public presentation at
his playhouse. not excepting the scene
in which the Founder of Christianity
appears This news will, no doubt,
startie, if il does not shock, the sensi-
bilitiss of many persons of reverential
mind, but Mr. Conried thinks that he
can so modify the representation of
that portion of the drama, concern
ing which Sudermann himself seems to
have had his misgivings, as not to Of
fend religious sensibiIity. 1t, however,
remains TO be seen whether or not,
when Mr.. Conried announces a definite
date for the production of this play,
which Germany has prescribed, he will
encounter the same storm of opposi-
tion before which Salmi Morse was
compelled to bow. A number of fresh
facts concerning Johannes" and its
author, which viii be found interesting
in view Of Mr.. Conrieds plans, are
given herewith:
"JohaDnes'-"John the Baptist"-a
Biblical drama by Herman Sudermann,
author of "Magda," which Duse has
made famous, denied performance by
the police censors of Berlin, and to have
its rirst production IN New York-that
Forbidden, why? Because an old
German law declares that no Biblical
parsonage shall be enacted on the stage
Then how about the Queen of Sheba, -
Goldmark's opera, one of the stock
pieces Of German opera houses, intro
ducing not only the Bible character,
but also Solomon. who is surely some
thing of a Biblical character? Why
bo
body understands what is sung
What a queer version of where ig-
norance is bliss it's folloy to be wisel"
But in this instance bliss" seems
all on the side of the censor For there
are also Otto Ludwig's "Maccabaer'
and Hebel's Judith both stock plays
Then why not johannes ?" The CEN
sor shrugs his shoulders and looks
wise. Berlin theatrical circles shrug
their shoulders, too, but also fume
Nor is Sudermann idle. He has gath
cred eighteen of the elect, including
Sorma, Reicher and Kainzi, into the
Deutscher Theater at Berlin, and has
given an authors reading of "Johan-
nes," which has made a profound i'm
preston. He has also appealed to the
Reiehsgericht, or Supreme Court.
And now a secret Sudermann in
tended that the last scene of "Johan-
nes" should show Christ entering Jeru-
salem. But the author knew it would
be hopeless to expect the Berlin police
censor to pass that episode, and hence
suppressed it. At the Irving Place The
ater, however, where Manager COnried
viii produce the play shortly, Christ S
entry into Jerusalem will be shown,
but not exactly as described in the
Bible for Mr.. Conried wishes to avoid
shocking religious sensitiveness. There
fore the Savior viii not enter riding
upon an ass, as Sudermann intended.
since something might occur, such as
the unruliness of the animal, to mar a
scene the effect of which is intended
TO be solemn and religiously uplifting.