Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-23

SLuQlOS. AS a youth, ne eIlU6rCal
football. basketball and baseb
Dominican priest, head of c. W.
taught acting, direction and
writing. directed plays, writer
skitS, and performed the mar
riages of many show business
figures.
Last night Father Hartke be-
came a playwright, the adapter OF
1.-THE Little World of Don Camil-
To-" fourth of the university
theater's major productions this
season.
A great deal of practical expert
ence and an impressive scholar
ship are to be expected of such
a man in his first full-length
play. They are also to be found
in it, in its comedy, its humanity
and its wisdom.
True. these same qualities were
evident in the original and highly
popular novel, later a film, writ
ten by Giovanni Guareschi,
Nevertheless, they do not come
over naturally or easily into a
form as distinct and exacting as
that of the stage.
The dramatized Don Camille
has not merely an admiring and
sympathetic adapter but also one
who is understanding and in
formed by experience.
The simple way to dispose of
Guareschi's hero would be to
make him a comic figure. He is
individually that in his one-cleric
war against communism in his
Italian flock. and his hand-to-
hand struggle with Peppone, the
leader of the radical party.
Don Camille is sly, dialectically
shifty. brave, and devout but
not above using a Furnishing left
hook to the jaw. He is a man Of
God, however. as well as man
and Father Hartke's play is as
concerned with showing him in
the one guise as the other.
This gives THE Little World
of Don Camille" a gamut of
moods that is not always within
the scope of a youthful univer-
sity cast.
OF the plays varied flavors,
then. the one that comes off best
is the comic. This is most
Cheerfully sustained during the
episode three acts in the running
conversation between Don Ca
milo and his conscience, the
latter represented by an off stage
voice whose owner is not so ce-
lestial that he cannot be drawn
into amusing argument.
The difference between these
debaters centers in a method of
dealing with Peppone, the Com
muniSt. Don Camille is for di-
rect action, his conscience in
favor of divinely gentle guidance
to redeem the politically Grant
flock.
1t is a combination of the two,
Of course, that eventually brings
the village priest and his politi-
cally distraught parishioners to
q happy solution of their conflict.
The imperative acting require
ment of THE Little World of
Don Camille" is a competent
performer in the title role. AS
director of his own play, Father
Hartke has found his man in
Robert Conforti. The latter is
an actor obviously familiar with
the mental and emotional ca
price in the Italian nature. And
one technically equipped to ex-I
press it in voice and fluid gesture.
Tom Kelly's Peppone is a.
worthy foeman for such Don
Camille and Jean Schertler, as
Peppone's wife, does well enough
with another Of the plays size
able roles.
James Waring has designed an
effectively flexible Italian village
for Don Camillo's battle; Joseph
Lewis has dressed the town in a.
becoming poverty: and Anthony
Verdi has provided a corking
musical accompaniment.
TOURNAMENT ECHO: In
winning the One Act Play
Tournament. Arlington Players
made their Blue Concerto one
of the most polished perform
ances in the events history i
The decision of the judges, the
towns three drama critics, was
unanimous in it's favor AS
was the vote for Friendship
House Players THE Boor" as
runner up The tournament,
approaching 80 years in age,
shows steadily improving work
on the part Of community drama
groups Most especially in
choice Of plays and in production
values The big problems re-
main the eternal ones Of amateur
drama, speech that puts real
feeling and thought into words.
with projection and clarity :.
Movement that approximates
the natural in its grace and re-
Taxation But the tourna-
ment, nevertheless, is a huge and
growing project that represents
tremendous amount of work on
the part Of a great many peo-
pie -. Quite properly, the audi
ences at Roosevelt high school
auditorium increase yearly in
number and enthusiasm Ar
lingtonians nearly lifted the roof