Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-13
MARY MAGDALENE
IN DARING DRAMA
BY MAETERLINCK
Marquis de CasteIIane Describes
the Latest Example Of the
Belgian Poets Genius.
BY Marquis De Castellane.


linck. our Belgian philosopher who
has been decorated both by the coun-
Try Of his birth and the land Of his
adoption, has considerably stirred mp
the whole Rivera by his new play
Marie Magdallene'
The echoes Of that daring and re-
markable play have been heard in
every salon in Paris, and 1 wish TO
repeat them 20 America
Mary Magdalene as a great Bibi-
cal character appeals strongly TO Pa
risians She is so sympathetic, SO
generous, so spendthrift and so Ike
the French character thai when she
was converted she followed out her
conversion TO its logical conclusion
We have examples even in modern
times of great courtesaus mendine
their ways as did Mary Magdalene
and dying In the odor OF sanctity
Such, for instance, was the Mar
uuise DE PaiNa who flOurished uH-
der the empire. whose gorgeous silver
bath is still shown as a luxurious
curiosity at the Travellers club. and
who retired 20 her native SILICA to
Ole in the performance OF merito-
riOus works
Theme Treated Reverently.
Personally ! see no objection 20 put
ting Biblical stories on the stage. al
though I prefer to study them from
the sacred book. Maeterlinck can
treat a Biblical theme i'm a reverential
spirit but / think he violates one Of
the proprieties--or occasions its vio-
lation--by having the play put on the
boards so near the Casino that the
spectators pass from it's beatitudes TO
the bacCarat table
The first act Of MaeterliuCks dra-
ma takes place in Bethany in house
occupied by Silauus. a Roman philos-
Opher. Mary Magdalcne Is all this
time living IN retirement In neigh
boring villa. The philosopher invites
her 60 his home, whore she meets "a
Young and handsome tribune. \eTus
who has previously been infatuated
With her and whose old love comes
back. She is dressed In the height %
the fashion of that day and Is naughty
ana Contemptuoua.
The Conversatica turns 90 certain
Nazarene whom tnc blind and lame
and the halt follow. and Silanus dis
,usses Him in q superior and Austria,
sort OF way.
Coming Of the Nazarene.
a strange and motley crowd APP
Tfcnrs. crying for help and cure OF Ms.
Then IN the distance q gentle voice Is
heard murmuring the eight bratiWde-.
The philosopher thinks them cu-
lrious.
Mary listens with rapt attention
ana becomes spellbouud she never
heard anything like that before They
B..
.ous nature b. aroused. she PUSHES ont
io SEQ who IL is that utters such Celes-
tal wisdom. But the followers Of the
AdZarene know her as "a professional
beauty and repei her and chase tcr
baCl, into the house They threaten o.
stone her.
A climax Is reached whea ,u, voice
+ heard saying with sad so'emuitv
"Let him that is without sin among
you cast the first stone"
The scene Of the second act s. laid
On the villa OF Mary. Il opens with
love scene. She Is stiU IN love
with the handsome tribune N.vu7.
The story Of the raising ~ Lazarus
from the dead is told by the philus
opher, Selauus NeTus SCOTS But
the gaunt figure of Lazarus appears
IT. the doorway, and addressing one
word 90 Mary. says Come.
Conversion OF Mary.
The beauty is torn by a terrible
conflict. Her love for Nerus draws
her IN one direction, but she feels au
Irresistible impulse 90 obey the sum-
mons OF Lazarus Finally the tears
and prayers Of her udWirar are 90
20 avail and she slowly follows Lag
aTus
Seianus. the phiIoSopher sums up
abe situation by saying
What we have jusI seen is as Won
derful as the resurrection OF the
dead. And the curtain falls second
time
In the third scene Mary is ln tine
midst Of a crowd assembled i'm the
house of Joseph Arimathea she tries
10 make those present form "a rescue
party 20 save Jesus from the rlu.
% His ,aptUrs. They seem eoWardtE-
Even Lazarus is afraid. In her eN-
tremity MARY turns 90 her old lover
Nerus and beES him tu save Jesu-.
H promises 20 ao so on one surlia
condition She chooses the h.gu."
course and NeyuS aeuDuul.~ her is
rhe authorizes, just aS the Christ IS
being Ted of lu gTICifNiun.
Nerus makes 3D. last appeal hgi The
repeutaut NaElaleur indignantly rr-
pes him. and the piece closes Iu
transport OF religious ferya-
NaeterNuck maintains the Cia-
l0gua throughout on IS very Eigl
plane