New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-26
THE VILLAIN IN "0MAR"
Hasan in the Play Was a Real
One in Omar's Time.

The villain we have always with us.
Whether dramatic motif requires his
presence, or whether it's only human
nature TO write play in which some one
Is always making THINGS unpleasant. the
fact remains that he is generally on the
stage and sometimes in the spotlight.
The more picturesque the play the more
picturesque the villain. So when Richard
Walton Tully wrote a Persian play about
Omar Khayyam it was only natural that
h should put in a character 10 form OBJ
stacles for Omar's progress through lie.
And now every night and at two matinees
a week Hasar Ben Ssbbah appears in
Omar the Tentmaker.' as real Per
sian villain. And, in some respects. he has
a good deal in common with the man
higher up" mentioned so often in the
gunmen's trials a year ago. as the cor
rupt politician who had his enemies re-
moved from earth every now and then.
Hasan Ben Sabbah in Mr. Tully's play
the role is PLAYED by Lee Baker-takes his
name and his character from a historical
parsonage. The scant records Of Omar s
period, the golden age Of Persia, in the
last half Of the eleventh and first part Of
the twelfth centuries. tell us that Omar
and two fellow students, Hssan Ben Sab
bah and MAN ul-mulk, went out from
the home OF the Holy Imam, their teacher
and followed diverse paths.
We know how Omar Khayyam Uhe
Tentmaker. in English, became an as
tronomer. philosopher and poet. Nizam
became Vizier. Hasan became remark
able villain. according TO Nuruliah Khan
a historian, and founded a famous sect
OF disciples The devotees Of the sect
were given hemp Chashish), and when
under its baneful influence were carried
into a terrestrial paradise, with beaute-
Gus houris, gardens. running streams and
all other delights. After enjoying these
pleasures for three days. they were
again drugged and carried out, anc
thenceforth believed that, if they executed
the orders Of Hasan Sabbah, they would
return and remain forever in this para
disc. About this time numerous
inhabitants began to disappear in mosi
mysterious manner. The place OF
slaughter belonged 10 blind man, who
used TO stand crying, May Allah pardon
him who wiz lead this poor blind man
% the door OF MS oWtlllHe' AAAN'
tho assassins seized and tortured the un'
susDecting victim, who was done to death
fer a good deed. May the curse OF Al
lah nc upon Hasan Sabbah and on his
sect"
The chronicles also tell US that Hassr
was raised to a place CT power by his
oid friend. Nizam. and. falling in oas'
atternp; TO supplaat his benefactor, wa'
disgTaced ana fell Edward Fitzgerald
is authority for the statement that Ha'
san attained evil celebrity among th'
Crusaders as the Old Man OF the Noun
tain And It IS yet disputed whether thc
word assassin which they have left II
the language Of modern Europe as theil
dark memorial. is derived from hashish
win which they maddened themselves tc
the sullen pitch Of desperation, or from
the name Of the founder Of the dynasty
Hasan.
So IL Is not surprising that when Hasar
appears on the stage In Omar the Tent
maker that he should be a real, dyed
in-the-wool villain. lie is the leader ol
q band Of assassins. and on his own ac
count plans q couple Of poisonings. But
he fails. and IN the end is banished b.
N.zam.