TOLSTOI'S NEW PLAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4871, 24 January 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

TOLSTOI'S NEW PLAY.

THE STORY OE “ RESU ERECTION “Resurrection.” a drama in five acts, with a prologue drawn from Tolstoi s nove by ii. Homy Bataillo, was first produced at tiic Udooa Theatre. Pans, on -renember i i tli. It is described »•* a singuiany striking, and at times thrilling, piece. 21 Bataillo has, a.-; it were, moulded the materials of the novel into a play, borrowing from Tolstoi tne moral idea of bis work and the three or lour incidents that bring that idea most prominently into light. The young anchor has accomplished this task with great skill, though here and there some want of cohesion is apparent in his drama.

A young Russian officer, Prince Nokhidoff, Lieutenant in the Guards, who is about to set out for the Turkish v.ai, comes on Enster live to pass a low in the old ancestral manor house in tne country, and bid farewell to his elueilj aunts, " Sonia and Laure. The mansion is eu fete. Its occupants have returned from midnight Mass under the white rays o 4 the moon, {hey have exchanged Urn traditional Easter kiss with the melody of the hymn, "Christ has arisen! still in their oars, and when ail have retired Dimitri Nekhuicff still keeps vigil, thinking within himself of a delicious vision that has come before!' his eyes. A siig-it noise strikes his ear, he calls, and a young girl enters, Kathcrina or Katucha, a timid, delicate little servant gnu, an orphan, the play-fellow of his youthful days, whom his aunts have since almost adopted as their child, hascinated by her charms, Dimitri attempts to seme her; she resists, but cannot refuse the Easter kiss, and while the bells peal out “Christ lias arisen,” the poor child euccumbs as the curtain lalls. Such is the prologue, which is delicious, an exquisite idyll. Many of the scenes that succeed are described as brutally coarse, and some anarehial theories broached occasionally created .disapprobation; but the impression made by the drama was, on tne whole, very deep. Ten years having elapsed since the prologue, the assize court has to try an unfortunate girl—a common prostitute—called La Haslowa. accused of having poisoned a custom or to rob him. This prisoner is ixatueba, who. on the point of becoming a mother, had been driven from the manor. Her child did not live, and the poor girl, falling lower ami lower in misery, had ended on the street. Neklndoff, who is on the jury, recognises his victim, and iocls instructively that if she is there in the dock it is through his fault. Ho had gone away gaily from his easy Conquest, never giving it a thought, judging the adventure of no importance. And now he clearly perceives the frightful consequences ot what he formerly considered a mere peccadillo. His conscience is racked by his thought, and ho resolves to save his hapless Victim at any cost. Ho pleads jollier to his colleagues on the jury, slnvifig to prove that she cannot liave committed such a crime. But Ins efforts are vain, and by a majority of votes Ea Maslov,-a. is found guilty, but "extenuating circumstances” being allowed, she is only sentenced to twenty years* hard labour. Thenceforth N ckltuio iTs remorse redoubles until it absorbs his whom thoughts and mind, and he comes to conclusion that ho is hound to repair tne wrong he nos dene, the crime oi which he was guilty; that it is his duty to rams up tho fallen soul,-to "resuscitate u. He comes to the prison where La iiaslowa .s confined, and whoro she will he aept mill other women, until a convoy of prisoners is formed to ho sent to Siberia, this prison is a hell of suffering and abjection, A swarm of miserable women ar« luuKL.m together there, each in the lowest state of turpitude, and La Maslov,-a lower than any. The scene is powerfully tirawn, but painful. La Mnslowa has not forgotten NokhtdoiT. She often thinks of linn, as every woman, or every man, thinks _ ot their first love; hut when Dimitri .maxes himself known, she throws in his face her bitter hate as the author of-all her misfortunes. Nekludoff, paying no attention to this volley of insults, is more firmly resolved than ever to carry out his work of re onratioE. Thanks to Ins interest. La Maslowa is separated from tho other women, and attached to the infirmary, where the poor creature s hope revives a’little. Unfortunately, a brutal young man is employed there who fakis a fancy to her, and when she rejects Jus proposals, ho accuses her of making advances to him, so that she is hack to the women’s quarters, ulien J\eknidoff hears this, he is naturally disgusted; but he will continue to watch over nor. Ho follows her. therefore, to Siberia.. La ilaslowa belongs to a convoy in 'wnrjn ordinary criminals are mixed up ’wii.li ■ political convicts, and. 0110 of the latter, Simonson, falls in love with her. L.o wishes to marry her, and informs Neitiu- ' doff of his intention. The Prince cads upon the poor •woman to choose between himself and lior follow-prisoner,/or ho is too ready to make her his who. in a ' touching’ scene, the poor creature nvajrs that she loves Nekludoff, that sin- is ’ touched to the soul by his devotodness. but as she owes him her “'resurrection, 1 she will not ruin his life and prospects. . She will marry Simonson. Tho drama, ended, on its opening performance, amid ! tremendous applause.

“Tlio Times” says that the conclusion of the drama is not perhaps in conformity with the sublime morality of Christianity bnt it is acknowledged to be one of tlio loftiest of modern literary enneeptions arid tlio thrill of tlio book 33 vo pouted in the drama. Any reader who trees to seethe latter as. played at 'too Odcon will certainly be profoundly impressed. , , _ Mr Beerbohra Tree has secured the English, riehts of "Resurrection,” and Tolstoi's drama will bo produced at His Majesty's Theatre. London, on the termination of the "run” of “The Eternal City.” Mi Tree went to Pans and saw the" production at the.Odcon, judged its possibilities for staging at His Majesty's, and its dramatic opportunities; and though the version that will be played in London will have little in common with the Odcon version, the basis of the story must, be the same.