Here and There

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 30, 16 July 1924, Page 37

Here and There

I Abbey Dramatist’s New Comedy. The London correspondent of the Dublin Freeman’s'Journal writes: —Abbey Theatre enthusiasts will learn with interest ' that .Mr. W,v.. ■F.; Casey, Jyhe' .no play since hi§ f Man AV% | Missed the iTifte?’ *ahd VThe Suburban 1 Groovd,”: «iaHe|Ws , 'fi reputation as a dramatist in Dublin, is notv about to Appear.-.-as-/ the author of' a comedy on the London stage. Mr. Casey tells me that as soon as Mr. Allan Monkhouse’s new war play, “The Conquering Hero,” finishes its run at] St. Martin’s Theatre, his new comedy, called , “Confession, ” will take its place. Mr. Casey wrote a number of -, social comedies after he left Dublin and came to London as] secretary to the Editor of the Times. But this new play has been entirely written since the war. Miss Fay Compton is to take the leading part, and the play is to; be produced by Mr, Basil Dean. Abbey Theatre-goers who come to London should also take an opportunity to go to the Court Theatre in Sloane Square, where the Abbey , Players have often been acclaimed with enthusiasm ,ori ; their visits here. At the present time the Court Theatre is producing a Devonshire peasant play called “The Farmer’s Wife” by Mr. Eden Philpotts which is one of the most amusing plays in -London at the moment. The Birmingham Repertory Theatre are playing it and their acting, as well as the curious resemblances and differences between this English peasant play, and similar Irish plays at the Abbey Theatre, make it a very interesting performance for Irish theatre-goers. • . * ft ft f Katherine Tynan’s Recollections.—Katherine> Tynan’s new volume of Memories was published \ lately.: , It is composed on a different method to her previous- "volumes of recollections, and each chapter in this, new; book is devoted to some one person whom she remembers personally. All'of them are now dead.. Some of therm, ■ like- Alice-v; Meynell, or Dora Sigerson, or Barry O’Brien, or Dr. Tobih y she knew very well indeed. Others, like Parnell, or- Lord'Russell of Killowen, or John Redmond she only met occas ion ally, or even once or twice. But she has a wonderful gift for conveying a clear personal impression of .- anyone who'was worth remembering. The affectionate picture .of her father is one of the best personal descriptions she has ever written. ft * ft ■*. Stephen Gwynne’s New Book on Ireland. Messrs. Ernest Benn, Ltd;, who have in recent years shown great enterprise as publishers, announce the immediate publication of a new book on Ireland by Mr. Stephen Gwynn. It is the first of a series of volumes on the modern world, under the general editorship of Mr. H. A. L. Fisher, M.P. Other volumes in preparation include one on China by Sir Wellington Koo, one on Germany, by Dr. P. G. Gooch, tine on Riissia by Mr. Valentine O’Hara, and various others. We understand that Mr. Gwynn’s - book is a close study,; of present conditions in Ireland, which he regards as being largely characterised by a diseased psychology, produced by three centuries of bad government. His, chief concern for the future is to establish and consolidate the essential Unity of all parts of Ireland. Nothing that is not Irish, he declares, stands in the way of its accomplishment, and . if it cannot be accomplished by Irishmen no outside power can convert our national aspiration into a reality. i x • • V . V'\ f .. .. : : Farnborough’s New , Coadjutor Abbot;— Bernard du Boisrouvray, "Prior of Farnborough, who has just been elected coadjutor with the right of succession, is a, religious who saw life from interesting angles before taking the habit of St. Benedict. The new election, which took place under- the presidency of the Abbot of Solesmes, is at the wish iff Abbot Cabrol, who asked the Holy See to relieve him.of] some of his. more pressing duties. AbboH du Bois- ? touvray is a Breton by -birth. He began his career in the French Army, and entered the military school at St*. pyr -to train as an officer.; ,After., three years he gav,e this, ,up, and taking up finance, entered the Bank; q/ ,France;

For Bin©- years he applied himself to', banking, filling lip his spare time with the study of law, and in 1909 he decided to enter the Benedictine Order, and was received - at - the Abbey ,of Farnborough, in England, which was founded, by « the Empress Eugenie. "When the great plainchant expert, , Dom Gatard, who ; was of Farnborough* died a 1 couple-of Dom? du? ppisrouyray f y|as jphosen to ‘ succeed‘.him, air, office'die until This |eleeticfe as Co- | adjutdr "iAbbot. \ . '• ♦ y-, ' ■ : ’* '' ? m m m ’ / ■, ; • J Anglican Ordination Candidates Decline.—Anglicans of the Northern Province, meeting for York Convocation, - placed on record their complete agreement as to the serious falling-off in the number of candidates for their ministry. They tried to cover up the bareness of the land by dedaring’ that the same shortage is being experienced by j the Catholics, the Jews, and the learned and military professions (says Catholic News Service, London). But whilst \ this may be true of the Jewish ministry, it certainly is \ not the case so far as the Catholic ministry is concerned. ] The Catholics are experiencing their difficulties; but’they < are not those of wondering where the ordination candidates i are to. come, from, but how to find accommodation for the f large numbers who have presented themselves for training i for the priesthood. From all accounts the Catholic semin- I aries are full; full as they have never been before. In v more than one instance aspirants have ■ had to be put off j ..until extensions could be mad©' to, accommodate new 1 students. ■■■. i ' P ' - : * * * The Catholic Church at Wembley. —Up- to the present ; the biggest thing in the British 'Empire- the Catholic Church with its 15,000,000 adherents, ; hast been left out* of the scheme of things at Wembley. This defect is going * to be made good by the Association for the Propagation { of the Faith, and under the direction of Mgr. Canon Ross, i ,it , will not be long before there fis ierected an oratory • dedicated to St, Peter and St. Paul, in which the Blessed ; will, be reserved. The A.P.F. has received ; every., consideration from the Administrative Board at i.Wembley, and it is merely a question:of raising the funds] for building - the oratory and other ■ structures. The idea i will be to give, some impression of the Church in.its work ■ throughout the Empire, and accordingly an appeal is being made to Catholics throughout the Empire to enable the. project to be realised at the earliest opportunity. In I addition to the little church, provision is-to be made for; the distribution of literature and other information •to ! the mqny millions visiting Wembley, who have little or no idea that there is not a corner of the British Empire! into which the Catholic Church has not penetrated. 1 ** * ' Papal Delegate in Lithuania. —Mgr. Zecchini, who has] been sent by the Holy See on special mission to Lithuania,] in the capacity of Apostolic Delegate, has acquainted the] , Lithuanian Government with the fact that he has been? .charged to represent, the Vatican in the preparatory con-i versations respecting the conclusion of a Concordat be-i tween the Holy See and Lithuania. - ;