MR MASEFIELD'S NEW PLAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 7

MR MASEFIELD'S NEW PLAY

A JAPANESE STOItt

"The Faithful" is a dramatisation of a story, which Japaneso artists have often illustrated (writes the "Manchester Guardian's" dramatic critic of John Masefield's play). The Forty Roriins end their revenge upon the Daimyo Kira is ono of the stock classic examples of feudal devotion. Their own Daimyo, Asano, had been stung into assaulting Kira before tho Emperor's envoy, who by his presenco made every place in which audienco was held sacred ground. Asano. was ordered to commit hara-kiri, and his lands were forfeited in consequence. His vassals, after enduring tho miseries of homeless, hunted men for a year, crossed the hills one winter night, led by Kurano, and ciit off Kira's head. Their opportunity was the second visit of. the Imperial envoy, on which occasion Kira had withdrawn his strong bodyguard. Their 'revenge satisfied, their loyalty proved, they too killed themselves.

Mr. Maeefieids play has dignity, beauty, and strangeness; moreover, , at moments a calm intensity which is a very rare quality indeed. His subjectmatter is* the interplay of. a few strong passions in a proud, stoical race whoso conventionality is religious and adamant. His treatment of it lias only one defect -rit is too gradual for ■ telling performance: If he would only cut'some of ITio scenes, "The Faithful" would be an extremely fino play. He would haw to sacrifice admirable things, but the loss would foe an enormous gain. The play lias in any case to 1m acted slowly, and this accentuated its defect, for without gravity of gesture, pauses, and dignity of movement the right atmosphere would not be. created. Now , Mr. Masefield's play progresses by spiral movement, notably in .'the drunken scene, when Kurano, to avoid suspicion; pretends, Hamletlike, to be crazy in order to prepare his revenge. Mr. Maseiield does i.ot mark time. The scene moves, but ft is in spiral fashion, passing. and.repassing over tho same point, as it were, higher tip. likewise in the last act the scene between Kurano and his son might bo com. pressed into a few sentences and tho recital of the sufferings, of the Eonins— each of them recounts his own in turndelays the action overmuch. The first act is riveting. Asano and another neighbouring .lord have been sent to Kira, at whoso house the envoy is to be received, to learn the ceremonial:proper, to the occasion. Kira instructs Asano to make gestures which are really insults.to the.representative of the.Emperor.. When'the. startled.onvoy finds his hands seized Asano guesses in.a flash that hohas been .betrayed and publicly humiliated. He cannot control himself (it was on that Kira counted), and commits sacrilege by trying to stab his betrayer in the eacred . presence. The bullying, greedy, wily Kira: is finely drawn,'and the part was admirably ucte'd by Mr. Hubert Carter. There was u rasping odiousness in his treatment of these two neighbours, whom ho is determined to ruin, which would have beon intolerable to proiid men. The scene between Kurano (Mr. Herbert Grimwood) and his wife, who has allowed herself to be made an instrument in Kira's plot, had just the right hardness. Mr. Grimwood played well all through.' Afiss Walsh,, as Kurano's wife, might have mado much more of her part, which js a most, moving one. The Stage Society has not given so • good a performance for some time. The minor characters were excellent, Mr. Noi-mari ' Wilkinson's' scenery beautiful, and Mr. Maseiield has only to compress his text (but oh! vigorously, remorselessly!) to leave the English theatre one of the most dignified, thrilling tragedies it has had an opportunity of perfuming • Tor a good 'many, years. L\M.