Evening star., 1935-09-22
THE State, which unfortunately ex-

THE State, which unfortunately ex-
ercises no controlling power, sub
scribes to the support Of this theater.
1t should not be outside the bounds of
possibility for it to take such action as
would insure that the Abbey Theater
should serve no longer as a medium
of propaganda against the Christian
faith. and that never again will it dare
to outrage the sacred ideals which are
the proudeSt possession of our Catholic
nation and its quickest spur to noble
deeds"
If this dramatic dose turns out to
be too bitter and a revulsion takes
place" said clergyman in letter in
the same paper. "the Abbey Theater
will not be in the same position as it
was when Mr.. Yeats called the police
men to quell the 'Playboy' troubles
before we were born. For, firstly, the
Abbey Theater Is now in tutelage to
the government elected by the Irish
nation, and, secondly. the Abbey Thee
ater has now to reckon with a vigor-
Gus intellectual force which is not
alien to the authentic spirit of the
Irish people.
HE fracas over the 'Playboy' was
but flash in the pan, a child's
cracker. in comparison with the hos
tillty with which the Abbey is con-
fronted if it persists in defying Cath
olic principle and flouting that reti-
cence which is a characteristic of
our people. Dublin people are not
prudes or Puritans if they exact from
government theater a recognition
and observance of the forms of plain
etiquette. And plain etiquette will
not tolerate horror. indecency or bias
phemy on or of the stage"
THESE obviously were not the opin-
ions of mere professional viewers
Withdrawn. The tone could be re-
! garded only as an incitement to riot
No violent demonstrations followed.
but before the play finished its allotted
run newspaper controversy had
/ flared to fever heat 1t did not die
down when The Silver Tassie' closed.
1t has not abated yet.
Brinsley MacNamara, one of the
new directorate which was expected
to guioe the Abbey to greater triumphs
with The renewed O'CaSey alliance as
an aid, had protested ere "Tassie"
opened. Evidence of dissension sur
prised those who presumed the new
members in perfect accord. Mac
Namara startled the ranks of de-
baterS all the more because he has al
ways been regarded as leader in the
naturalistic school of Irish authors.
He once wrote novel called 'HThe
Valley Of the Squirting Windows"
made up of such grim stuff that the
resultant outcries forced him to leave
his own home town.
Nevertheless MacNamara insisted on
certain deletions in the script. They
were permitted. He then issued a
statement saying he believed in ad-
vance "the fact a majority of the
players taking part in the production
were Catholics would be sufficient Sc
curity against Mr.. O'Casey's obscenity
and insult to- their own religion" but
that he was not satisfied when he
actually saw the play He also claimed
that he never had favored presenta-
ton OF 'TaSSie,'' but had been rushed
into it in an effort to avoid production
OF Within the Gates" which he con-
sidered worse.
a FTER agreeing to MacNamaras
censorial proposals the Abbey
board thereupon issued a statement Of
its own refuting his published remarks,
MacNamara resigned. The new di-
rectorate broke into factions at the
hrst hazard and what effect the
squabble will exercise on the forth
coming season all are fearful IN nre.