The Doge of Venice

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 16, 30 October 1931, Page 1

The Doge of Venice

Historic Drama from 1YA

By

MICROPHONE

"Tt may be," said the Doge to Bertruccio, the artisan, and Calendrc, the mason’s sculptor, "that we meet next onthe broad Piazza, standing _side by side amongst, and gazing down on the grizzly things that once mere men."

NO ADIO drama plays an ; important part in overseas broadcast productions and the Radio ~ Broadcasting Company is endeavouring to keep pace with the whirligig of time in this respect. The presentation of "The Doge of Venice," an historic chronicle-drama, at 1YA on November 4 will be the most ambitious undertaking in the field of radio drama at Auckland since the production last year of "Paolo and Francesca." , The play has been specially written for the microphone by Dr. G. de Clive Lowe, of Auckland, the author of the murder-mystery, "The White Owl," and other successful radio plays. Incidentally the general manager of the company, Mr. A. R. Harris, suggested the style of historic drama to the author, as he is of tht opinion that actual history presented in the form of swiiftly-flowing drama would appeal to the greatest number of listeners. The production will be in the capable hands of Mr. J. M. Clark and his versatile company which needs no introduction to 1YA listeners. Dr. Lowe has taken his material from the most interesting chapter in the long and chequered history of ancient: Venice-that of the fourteenth century when, under the iron hand of the then Doge, Marino Faliero, Venice vied with Genoa for supremacy on the sea. Nfhe story is pithily confined to the exciting isternecine events in April, 1355, when the aged Doge was executed for treason, Marino Faliero, who was one of the most complex mentalities the old world ever produced, was born about 1274. He gained fame as a Venetian general and naval commander,

his notable achievements including the routing of an army of 80,000 Hungarians at the siege of Zara in 1346 and later, while in command of the Venetian fleet, the capture of Capo d’'Istria. He subsequently became ambassador of the Republic of Rome and Genoa, and at the age of about 80 was elected Doge. In the following year, being angered at the light punishment inflicted by a patrician tribunai upon a young noble, Michele Steno, who had publicly insulted the Dogessa, he. hatched a diabolical plot with the plebians to assassinate the oligarchy and make himself supreme ruler of Venice. His fate forms the theme oi tragedies by Byron and Swinburne. The three-act play is constructed on the lines of descriptive narrative told simply yet vividly with passages of fine dramatic intenseness. All the roles are masculine. Listeners will first be conveyed by the imagery of the microphone to a room in Count Conaro’s palace at Venice, where Count Lioni is recounting the trial which took place before the Signory at the Council Hall of the arrogant and sarcastic of tongue, Count Steno.

The aged Doge, whose face was pale as: death with anger, had accused the handsome Steno of a list of charges including insulting himself and spreading a vile canard about his. young and beautiful wife, the Duchess — of Venice. Steno’s ready wit and contemptuous attitude lashed the prosecuting Doge into fury. The latter was filled with brooding resentment at the decision of the Signory of patricians when Steno escaped with a short term of imprisonment and a period of exile. The Doge’s cup of bitterness flowed over when he, .as the first patrician, passed sentence upon the mocking Steno. "The members of the Signory and Count Steno," recounted Lioni, "have given Venice the greatest enemy she ever had and .transformed our Doge into a potential traitor." Lioni warned Conaro that the plebians. hated the dominance of the patricians, and that only a tiny spark was needed to light up such a blaze in Venice as would never be forgotten in that world. ; Tae incensed Doge in the following scene tells his noble-minded nephew, Bertruce, of his hatred for the Signory and the patricians. "T tell you, Bertruce, that I wish that every member of the Signory and Senate and every pat~rician in Venice had but one throat amongst them all; yes, one single throat, and I would joyously slit it-now-to-night." The State, the lion of Venice declared, had its enemies,, but had none greater than Marino Faliero, Duke and Doge of Venice. Two plebian fanatics and agitators, Bert+ ruccio and Calendro, seek redress of grievances from the Doge who enlists their aid in carrying out an inhuman plot to rid Venice at a single blow of the domineering patricians. The crafty Doge plans to have the Great Bell of St. Mark’s peal its thunder, which will hasten the Senators to the Council Hall and the populace to the Piazza. The cry would shatter the dawn that the Great Fleet of Genoa was bear~ ing on Venice, and the mob, who would be armed, would slaughter the assembled Senators. "It may be," said the Doge to his arch-con« spirators, "that we meet next on the broad Piazza, standing side by side amongst, and gazing down on the grizzly things that once were men." . Meantime the scheming has been over. heard by a mercenary plebian furrier, Bert: rando,-who awakens (Concluded on page 31.4

"The Doge of Venice"

(Continued from Page 1.) Lioni in the night to tell him of the | reason afoot on condition that the | safety of he and his family is ensured. Lioni, girding on his sword belt, rush21 to the mansion of Conaro and the (wo assemble the Senators in the Convent of St. Saviour’s about two hours before dawn, The guard is called out and companies sent to the Ducal Palnce and to the Piazza. "Captain," exhorted the First Senator, "that Great Bell must not ring. Now go and make haste." The Doge is pacing his apartment waiting for the first spears of dawn. "In a few minutes more," he soliloquized, "the sun will rise upon this Venice here, The world has never yet beheld such sights as dawn will show to-day. ... Too old am I to revenge their insults? Why, even now the Reaper death is standing beside each one of them.-lIt’s growing lighter, lighter still.~ No summons from the bell; no sound in the streets." Bertruccio bursts in and tells the Doge the soldiers are in the streets and that there is no avenue of escape. An insistent knocking on the door and comes the ringing voice of the Captain of the Guard, "Open by order of the Signory. Are you Marino Faliero, the Doge of Venice?" "That is my name and that is my title," replies the Doge. "I. anv -prepared. In truth, I welcome death. It’s fated so." Bertruccio and Calendro are not proof against the tortures of the rack and confess everything in the presence of the august Giunta of Venice. The Giunta, after lengthy deliberations conducted with befitting dignity, agree that the Doge, stripped of his ducal robes, should be executed upon the Giants’ Steps where the Doges were invested. The space where his portrait hung in the hall was to be left vacant, draped in black, "The blackened space," the Giunta stated. "depicts oblivion, deep dark oblivion. and complete forgetfulness of the man who was once a Doge and who proved himself a traitor too." The majestic prisoner upon heing asked if he has any explanation to offer the Honourable Giunta replies: "T am prepared, and I have no explanation to give this Honourable Giunta-none." (A subdued tapping is heard as the curtains are draped in place.) In sonorous tone is the sentence pronounced. "Marino Faliero, it is decreed by your honourable compeers in this State that at sunrise to-morrow morning you will be led out to your Teath. You will be beheaded upon ‘he Giants’ Steps. Your fate is sad and bitterly degrading. Fiven so, we. the nobility of Venice. have -ro pity for you. We pray that Venice may forget. and quickly too, she eve" had as Doge so traitorous a friend. Commend your soul to God on high," (Siow ‘nd sedate steps recede in the distance and the tapping ceases.) A greeting from Conaro in his gon dola to Lioni is wafted through the air and heard faintly in the macabre ~ hall.