A Tragedy of Body and Soul

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 329, 14 April 1928, Page 22

A Tragedy of Body and Soul

“In Abraham's Bosom ” ! PULITZER PRIZE PLAY CREATES INTEREST IN NEW YORK The Players’ Guild of New York is making an interesting experiment »t | the Community Theatre in its presentation of Professor Paul Green's tragedy of soul and body, “In Abra- ; barn’s Bosom,” the play that was - crowned as the best of the season of 1926-27 by the committee in charge of bestowing the Pulitzer prize anrmaUy. The piece should be seen, if only to i discover what the judges think is an . uplifting drama, one that advances the cause of the theatre in America, 3 says a New* Y’ork critic, r Another, and, perhaps, better reas* n is the excellence of the production and the good quality of the acting. Nothin? more atmospheric or beautiful has ? been seen in America recently than i the mysterious bit of forest in which j the wretched Abraham takes the ven- , geance of his race on the white man. killing his half-brother. Unfortunate Man

Seen “In Abraham’s Bosom” is 1 depressing experience, for there isnt a ray of joy in its seven scenes. Green has written it in the expressionists mode, with swift-moving scenes and no division into acts, although the passage of many years—twenty or more of them—is compassed in the

! action of the play. Constructively the piece is blah- but I it is effective and its many episode* | cover the life of an unfortunate man. As a matter of fact, Green wrote se'- ‘ eral of the scenes as separate one-art I plays, three of the seven, at least . I the first, second and seventh, and. j think, qne other. I It is generally accepted as a fart | that Professor Green’s play has to do with the efforts of a negro to rise greatness through education, and tnaj the w’hite man’s opposition to tm possible rival of his own position j the head of creation, is the cause his downfall. Seeing the play one dis* 1 covers it is Abraham’s insane temp that brings about his ruin and IV tumble to earth of his high projects Played with Artistry The blood of his white lath** | Colonel McCranie, seems to c ‘ our f e . i red hot torrents through his vei ° ’ and when the consummation of desires is about to be accomplish • he makes a physical attack on so j one, a wrliite man occasionally; so times one of his own dark race, - in the case of the breaking up ° . „ | school because of his inhuman bea of one of the children for a m offence, and finally, the killing o white half-brother, who had hatea ■ to be sure, but was at least fair ' r him and willing to help him a ° as he kept in his place, but n terms of equality. Cameron Prud’homme ringuished performance of Adi* his acting in the “Emperor scene rising to sustained tragic ing that carried the spectator ! emotionally with the crazed jmThere are many let-downs w «itapersonation, but -he scene 0 j tion when he gets his school. tll der and the dignity °£ 111 redeem it from inanities.