"THE MIRACLE."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1356, 6 February 1912, Page 6

"THE MIRACLE."

UNRIVALLED STAGE PAGEANTRY. GREAT LONDON SPECTACLE. It was not one miracle that was enacted before mi enchanted and profoundly thrillod audience at Olympia, on Saturiiay. night («uid the London "Daily .Mail" of December 2C), but a whole series of miracles-Hie supernatural curing of a palsied cripple, in i( scene that recalls something of tho frenzy, though not tho loathsome details, 'described' by Zola in Lom-dfs, and by D'Annunz'io in the rnouto delta Motto" j the coming to life of a statue ot the Virgin, who, as we are told m an ancient Flemish legend, assumes the garb and duties of mi erring nun until the penitent prodigal returns to Hie sanctuary; aud other wondrous occurrences. But tho greatest miracle of all is tho complete artistic success that has' attended Professor Roinhardt's daring attempt to transform the ugly iron structure of Olyinpia into a magnificent Gothic eathedral, with the neuessary columns, stained glass, nose-windows, statues, traceries, and all; and his handling of the thousands of characters and "supers" engaged. in tho spectacle. ; And all this, including the digging out of a, pit and the construction of a lift twice the size of an ordinary largo stage, the making of many thousands of costumes and accessories, all historically correct in everv detail; and tho rohearsing—all this done in about a month! Hero is a miracle,' indeed. GREATEST MORALITY PLAY. The rapturous enthusiasm with which tho production was received proves that there is a public eager tor and in sympathy with morality plavs, and that this —tho greatest ever produced in modern, times—fulfils its purpose in the touching solemnity of a sublime legend was tho pronouncement of the vast audience that filled Olvmpia. . . . This is the story of "The Miracle": An aged man borno by tho sisters to the altar rails gives up the cathedral keys to the Abbess and, frail and'decrepit,* relinquishes her post of sacristan to the young sistor, who is. then invested. Tho touching ceremony ended, the vast gates are opened and tho thousands of worshippers stream in, chanting and praying; and forming a gorgeous procession, with banners and relics and all the pomp and ceremony of medieval Catholic Church usage, to witness the miraculous healing of a cripple before tho sacred image of the Virgin. Nothing more thrilling has probably been witnessed on the stage than the climax of this scene, with its myriad-voiced shriek and forward rush at the accomplishment of the miracle. Tho young Nun is left to close tho doors of the now empty cathedral. But as she goes towards the portal she ex. periences tho first call of the World—innocent enough, since it issues from tho; mouths of children, though instigated by the seductive piping of tho Spielmann the evil spirit that is to lure her forth into tho world. The children are merry-making on the grassy hill in the Rhineland landscape without the' cathedral doors, buftho Piper's lilt stirs them to abandon and rouses the dosire .to dance in the glad heart of tho unsuspecting 6acristan-nim. THE KNIGHT AND THE NTJN. Gradually she is obsessed by the ecstasy of the dance, and while she dances to tho suggestive strains tho Spielmann becomes a form amid the hill-top trees. And, beckoned by him, tho Knight appeare on the hill-crost, dismounts, and stands in statuesque immobility in the portal. The Nun cazes at him in fascination, and is thus discovered by tho Abbess, who makes her close the cathedral doors and do penance before the miraculous-imago. Tho knocking of tho Knight at the gate arouses, the Nun's desire to escape, but she cannot open the doors. Sho prays to tho Virgin—in vain; sho threatens; she snatches the Infant from the statue s arms, but Ho is removed from her sacrilegious grasp by supernatural power. At tho same time tho doors open, the Knight rushes iu to woo her, she lays her veil and scapula at the feet of the Virgin, and is carried off by the Knight on his horse, led by tho jubilant, demoniac Spielnrami. Compassion for the straying girl fills tho heart of the Madonna, and, putting a=ido her jewelled crown and gorgeous vestment, she steps down from the pedestal and takes the discarded emblems of the young nun's vows. The Abbess and the Sisters now return and find tho sacred statue vanished. Tho Madonna, takes upon herself the duties and tho work of Sacristan, and the first act is done. The intermezzo tells how the Knight is met and killed by a Robber-Count, who takes the Nun to his ribald board and makes her dance upon tho tablo for the guests' amusement. Upon this scene of debauchery the King's eon breaks and wins tho girl by the cast of the die. He in turn is killed by tho King, his father, who also succumbs to tho charm of tho Nun's dancing. And through it all, fantastic and weird, grotesque and gruesome, the Piper leads her on with his fateful instrument. She is tried by the Inquisition, rescued by tho populace, only to bo thrown from hand to hand and to sink to a miserable state of degradation, until she is seen dragging her wasted body in the trail of a marauding army —a despised camp-follower.

A I'EAST OP COLOUR. Now, spent with the hardships of the struggle through the suow, exhausted, with the baby at her breast and, the Spielmann at her heels, she breaks away and lottore back to the cathedral, where the Virgin, having dropped veil and scapula, has resumed her gorgeous vestment and mounted her throne—a statue.once again. Spent with the, flight, the Nun swoons, and on tho frosty air without is borne the lovely strain of tho "Adcs'.o fideles;" "Come, all ye faithful" is wafted into the cathedral, and the Nun awakes—to iind her child dead. The wretched; woman, rent with grief and sorrow, takes the dead infant to the altar steps and lays it at the feet of the statue. Once more the Virgin returns to life, slowly takes the child in'her anus, and resumes her immobility. Tho Nun, awaking from another swoon, is gladdened by the sight of her veil and scapula on tho steps where she hnd left them when-she set out for the world. She kneels and puts them on and bows her liead in praver and penitence. The nuns comb in. The statue has returned. Such is "Tho Miracle," The pageantry—the procession in the first act, the Inquisition scene, iind the stirring spectacle of the march past of tho marauding army- provided a feast of colour and rhythmic movement probably unequalled in the history of modoril stagecraft. Here Herr Eeinhardt found scopo for- his genius of working with gigantic material. ' ' Certain alterations, cuts, and accelerations will be required, and will no doubt bo effected in due course, for (here can be no doubt that the length of ' certain scenes was only mado tolerable by the beautiful slrains of Ilninperdinck's score. The lilt of his dance time is as captivating as (he rhythm of his martial strains is stirring. Mme; Trouhanown's dramatic gesture and admirable diluting, Signora Maria Canni's intensely touching and sympathetic impersonation of the Madonna, and Jiorr ■Pallonborg's fascinating rendering of the Spiclmann, which 'renders this Spirit of Eyjl (ho pivot of the whole action, aro dumb-show performances of extraordinary expressiveness and intensity that will linger in every spectator's memory.