VICAR AS DRAMATIST.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 8

VICAR AS DRAMATIST.

•'BBUQioN^Tb^p' , iEßAC™!'3PK(ii!:.''-THB ; ;;■ ~-■;;■ ;v/ : ;-:.;;;:stage.: ;:■, :y/^':.. ,"„'•/■ ,■ 1 >The' Church of 'England .has produced.;: a dramatist.' He -is tne, Sev. H.: M.: , DoWnton, vicar of St. Peter's, Plymouth,.ahd.has.:written '&■ ieligious • and .■■historical.: play,' "(Jswald ot Sorthumbria,'-'.being a'.dramatic chronicle of the.' { conversion,- bf' ■i'lorthunibria..and'. Wessexv to'..tiie;Christian , ifaith.'V;. ■. '■-.'. v ':--'.:•■■;:■ : ;Tiei play'.is* issued' in,.,book'. fonn,;.and it is to'be'prpduced ott'a rajjher elaborate, scale.-in ; 'a ; . ■pubiic.'.hall. , ' 'l'lie^.'.performers,".about 'sixty 'in number, will be drawn irQm peoploi.of., the! 'parish, with the assistance:6f.prominent:pevpn amateurs. A professional manager .has t bewi obtained.- ;:"'■•..■; .:■'.. : ; . r - : i■•••:■':-•. -. :■ ■■ .'■ ■ [ '■ Mr.- Downton, on being ,interviewed, .said: ."Many, : people, ;• whilst ■ not, .objecting ' to: the theatre, may,.seriously■- question . the -wisdom. at miniig .St"up';.with riligiou's subjects,'br ; of' allying'.toe: Church too closely with- 'dramatic, , ' ,'liy. answer .to '\ such; an objection , is !that the origin of- the 'drama,' whether .in ancient'or modern, days, has always been.found :ainbngst 'religious' bodies and•' '.religioas -niysr .teries."-. ■■■', ' ' '■'.' ':': •- '■'•."'.'. •'- . : ''. •'■". •.' ~ : -.'. .'.'. 'The'vicar-was asked: "What, should be the .Church'e attitude towards tlie drama?" ■ "I thiiik it' should be' one of benevolence, iln'days.'past tKe.Church, in:.severing herself from the. drama,' lqst-a : great instrument for the..teaching of religious.truths and religious history.' She; allowed the. enemy to steal her guns. > 'We'must'recoTer them'and. turn' tbem on what,:is' false, and■,ignoble.' My; idea \is' to, bring- the truths ..of. religion, to the eyes 'and '• minds ■ of people through' the dramatic. 'medium;. ~;'To' some Minds / tbb -.. drama, in any forin .Belbngs.to ,the world, the flesh, and the deyil, but I think this: section is- becoming stoaUer, and .smaller. The fact that' somo : oj our Church'papers pnblish weekly' a column 'on'dramatic/affairs is, I .think, evidence that, .their readers'are 'abandoning the old' attitude 'of.ihostility to,:the;drania and are, recognising its .'.influenra;,for-.good 'or i 11.,'. There.-is ev.ery evidence: that the:modern drama is becoming ;mqre.full of purpose. - Many of bur dramatiste, it'.'seeinr toiiie, ai'e; men, with a.mission."',:' ..>.".'., : ' .:'■..'■ '. ... '- . .'..•Mγ. .Downten' ;ssys'..he drifted into writing .plays in .quita : a casual way,/ but the success of,-"St. Augustine of Canterbury," eight years iagoied,him::to;take-the. subject up- seriously .Hcbas ambitions,. and his hope is that the combined committee who'produced the Church Pageant, last y.ear.'may see', their way, to take his play in hand. /' . -. '--■'' .•• •-.'■ , .."And what aboiit the .Censor ?"was' ; the'naxt ■question, .'':''.''., ; v : ■■■■.',■'. ■""■ '.': : . v , ": "■'. ■ '"Oh! he has passed the play,:though I must :confess'.'l hod ftarsj 'as : it> deals' so mtimatblv with;religious/snbjfecte."' '■■■'■/' ,'• ■'■-•.- ■ ... J