The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-31
POLI'S THEATRE

-0acA to the early udyS or cnllS Le1- Com; back to the streets. the resorts the palaces of. Alexandria; back to 3 period when the then new faith was preached by men who learned, it from the lips of the Redeemer-this is the translation that will be accompiSheG ny the play and tho players at Polls next week when they will present thei1 most pretentious effort in a gorgeous and complete production of ''Thais' \ New York equipment of the origi- nal scenel s- with all its ingenious eff fecte to produce the beautiful ano thrilling lscenes has been secured by Mir. Poli. and judging from the exper' fences of the play in Hartford. Spring field and Worcester. where his com- panies played it. the effect will be not alone impressive, but instructive, as well as satisfying every point ot interest that is embodied in successful 5ramatic
 There are five acts with many un- usual scenes. tremendous climaxes. and numerous company for the reg uiar~~ player will be greatly augment ed. and careful attention has been paid to the details of costume, Iuf- nishings and customs Of the time. In this envorinment will be enacted a story of love and the lure of the world. the workings of Providence for the, triumph of the right and the awakening of woman's soul, who in ignorance of the right leads life of sin until the precepts of the Master are brought to her understanding by the Christian Monk.
 Pasans and Christians figure in the story, figure as they did in these days of superstition and many trials. And it. is seen that men and women were rhsn very much like the men and women of today They loved, they hated, they had pride, they had jeal- ousies. they lied. they killed and lived laxly. The power of the new faith to change alT this is vivdly demon strated in the conversion of the beau tiful scapegrace. "Thais," and the moral is as vital today as it was at the time of its occurrence.
 ''Thais" is not a mythical character. There is authentic. record of her exis- tence and of her life. She was made the theme of two notable works, pre- Vfous to the writing of this drama, one the opera by Massenet, and the other a novel by Anatole France. Marie Doran, who wrote the work to be pro- duced here, has handled her material in masterly fashion, and with rever- ehce for the sacred character of the monk has limned him as true man of God. of inspired power and purity, maintaining this character through out. The opera and the book treated this character differently, changing him to a man of carnal desires and thereby disedifying the entire Chris tian body. Mrs Doran counteracts all this false conveyance by making him taAEtrue priest with zeal for the saw iuHEef souls that enabled him to ac- cosnplish. with divine assistance, the arduous task of converting the parnp- cred faYorite of a Grecian nobleman All the scenes are striking and vivid. First Is shown the cell of the monk, Paphus Fwho erstwhile was a pagan, but converted by the apostle mark, he retires to a ciofster in the desert, where lie is seen leading a life of hardship. fasting and prayer. A vision leads him to to- the belief that there is the soul of a woman crying to him to show her the way to salvation, and so impressed is he with the message, that when visited by Nicias Greek pagan of nobility. and his friend of former years, he importunes Nicias to seek the woman and when he has found her to send him qlick word that no lime may be lost in ac- complaining her salvation.
 The next scene is W inc room in Alexandria, filled with a carousing rabble and where Nicias finds Thafs disportihg. herself for the entertain flower girl, ignorant of all sense of shame. of right and wrong, for she has been tutored to market her wiles hy the old hag and her son who found her when abandoned in infancy. Mi cias, charmed by the innocence of the girl is impressed and there is seen that 9. mutual attraction is leading both to love. He forgets his vow to Paphus, and after f0rcible scene with those who would keep her, takes the girl to his palace, where she is in stalled as his favorite, amid luxuries that she never dreamed could exist To accurately depict the scenes in the palace Of Nicias, a scenic equipment is used that duplicates with vivid faithfulness the life of the rich and luxury-loving pagan.
 To the untutored mind of Thais, there is nothing wrong in her life; she is as happy as bird in the love and attentions of her handsome pro- teetor. But there comes a change, for Paphus, learning that Nicias has broken his promise, comes to the pal ace, and in moment of terrible de- nunciation starts his work of making her see the light of faith. Then is faithfully depicted the dawning of her soul, the first flicker uf faith famed by the almost frenEied abturations of the missionary On one side are the protestations of the pagan lover and on the other the severe and rigid com mands of the monk until miracu- Ious intervention turns the scales of doubt, and. in climax of religious abandonment she smaahes the idols, sets fire to the palace with a torch burning before a false god, and amid the panic and clamor of the catastro- phe that ensues, casts off her rich jewels and ornaments and leaves with the monk to find refuge and safe re- treat in the convent of the Grey nuns,s while Nicias, her lover stricken by a bolt from heaven, falls to the ground, unconscious. The convent, with its peaceful atmosphere, is the next pie ture. It is just after the vesper hymn and the nuns have been grant ed their period of recrea tion. Pass ing around, caring for the flowers in the garden. culling some for the altar 1 or to deck the symbol of salvation. the great cross that is always before their i eyes, the life Of these good sisters i is indeed a marked contrast to the@riot | and revelry Of the preceding scene i Paphus and Thais arrive, and she is l tenderly welcomed by Sister Albena. l the mother superior, who, when in the | wdrld was a daughter of Caesar. l Thais shows full realization of her 1 sins, and doubts that she can be for given, especially Jas she protests that | she still loves Nicias. She is con- soled and encouraged and then she prays for God to work his will upon her, no matter how severe. Recon ciled at last to give up everything, even Nicias, all are surprised by the sudden arrival Of Nicias on the scene. The first suspicion is that he has re- turned with force to take her away, but this is dispelled when he declares that he also is a humble penitent: that the stroke of lightning was like the