12. The Strong Are Lonely (1970)

The conflict between conscience and authority is one of those expressions of our human predicament that presents itself in different guises to different ages. In the early Roman Empire this conflict was between the religious conscience and the secular state. During the Reformation, the authority of the church was set in opposition to the individual's desire for intellectual and spiritual freedom. A sensitive man in every age will feel a tension between what authority says he must do and what his conscience believes to be right. This is at once the pain and the glory of man. Thus Antigone was caught between her religious duty to her dead brother and her secular duty to the king: Sir Thomas More, as Chancellor of England, was deputed to advance his king's interests, while Sir Thomas More, the man of God, felt more powerfully constrained by the claims of the Kingdom of Heaven. In both "The Antigone" of Sophocles and "A Man for all Seasons" by Robert Bolt, an Individual was torn apart by conflicting authorities, the authority of Heaven enshrined in the conscience and the authority of the secular state. The Strong are Lonely by the German dramatist Fritz Hochwalder and performed by the School an 12th, 13th, 16th March is in the same tradition, but with the addition of a significant complication.

The play is set in the college of the Jesuit Fathers in Buenos Aires in the middle of the eighteenth century. The Father Provincial of Paraguay, Alfonso Fernandez, played by Jeremy Haselock, has established a Jesuit state in order to offer protection to countless Indians who were being exploited by Spanish settlers and traders. The Christian witness of the Spanish community was a scandal that Fr. Fernandez could not endure, entrusted as he was with the spread of the Faith in those parts. For the Indian, this Jesuit state, based on principles of equality and freedom, was an obvious attraction when compared with the degradations he suffered under his Spanish masters. Consequently, the Indian population forsook their masters in droves and applied for baptism and membership of the Jesuit state.

Naturally this affront to Spanish power was unacceptable to the planters and traders and quite false rumours about Fr. Fernandez actions and intentions began to reach Spain. A commission of enquiry was sent by the king and conducted by his deputy, Don Pedro de Miura, played by Antony Watkins. Depositions were taken down by a Captain Villano played by Derek Warby and evidence given against the Fathers by three unprepossessing Spanish settlers, José Bustillos played by Stephen Boitoull, Garcia Quesada by Alan Singer and Alvaro Catalde by Nigel Few. The Church also played its part in these corrupt proceedings in the person of the jealous and twisted old Bishop of Buenos Aires, played by John Evans, who affected to see a logical connection between the Kingdom of Heaven and the maintenance of Spanish interests, but whose thinly-veiled motivation was the parochial clergy's suspicion of the more successful and dynamic Jesuit movement. Captain Arago, played by David Harrod, a member of the king's commission, strained every nerve to secure a conviction, but Don Pedro soon saw that all the charges were false. Tension is momentarily relaxed until he insists that the Jesuit state be abolished by Fr. Fernandez himself, inasmuch as it constitutes a threat to Spanish sovereignty. Fr. Fernandez refuses in the name of mercy, it would mean returning the newly-freed Indians to their resentful and oppressive mesters: he puts Don Pedro and his commission under arrest.

Thus far we have the classical ingredients of authority versus conscience, with conscience turning the tables for once: but it is here that the complication mentioned earlier arises. For Lorenzo Querini played by Richard King, who has hitherto seemed to be an unimportant quest in the Jesuit house, now assumes a formidable position in the conscience of Fr. Fernandez. He reveals that he comes from Jesuit headquarters with orders to close down the Jesuit state in Paraguay. He maintains that Fr. Fernandez has violated to gospel by directing the minds at the Indians to the good things of this life instead of the next. The order to close down the state must came from Fr. Fernandez; he must obey in accordance with his vow at obedience. The tension is now unbearable. He could refuse the orders of the king of Spain because of the greater weight his conscience attaches to the law of God, but when the order comes from his superior, then the very roots of his conscience are attacked and in great turbulence of spirit and a fair conviction that he is mistaken he gives way. His fellow fathers, notably Fr. Liebermann played by Gordon Cochran and Fr. Orós by Anthony Silver cannot understand his decision any more than Dan Pedro: Fr. Oros disobeys the order the Indians attack the Spanish soldiers, Fr. Fernandez is mortally wounded by a stray bullet. Fr. Oros is led out to execution and as the Ave Maria is chanted Don Pedro permits himself the final hypocrisy "For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world — and lose his own soul".

The part of Fr. Fernandez makes great demands on the actor. From incisive authority and confidence through the first twinges of anxiety to the breaking of his resolve, and his realisation in death that all he has stood for is in ruins. the part calls for considerable versatility and sustained concentration. Jeremy Haselock's portrayal was an unqualified success. Not once betraying his youthfulness he beautifully and movingly deployed the full range of required moods. As he dominated the stage, we felt not so much spectators of a play as onlookers privileged to witness the tortured conscience of a great man.

To introduce a more objective voice into this essentially introspective drama, the author employs the character of a Dutch merchant Andre Cornelis, played by Simon Dennis. Protestant, patriot and man of simple conscience he offers relief from the dramatic tension and refreshingly different approach from the complicated convolutions of the Jesuit mind especially when it is overlaid with political sympathies towards Spain. When Vineri Cornelis comes onto the stage we are meant to breathe the spirit of a different culture and Dennis's portrayal of the part did full justice to the author's intentions. This was a small part, but it produced some excellent acting.

Antony Watkins as Don Pedro gave a fine display of arrogance, ruthlessness and casuistry the equal of any Jesuit, blended with the distant charm associated with court diplomacy. Unmoved by conscience, anxious only to execute his sovereign's wishes he provided an excellent dramatic foil to the self-questioning of the Father Provincial.

The part of Lorenzo Querini calls for an authoritative air, an absolute dedication to the required objective and utter lack of finer feelings. Very little movement is appropriate thus there can be no reliance on strong dramatic gestures. Everything depends on face and voice. It was a measure of Richard King's ability that he was able to cope with these demands and give us a convincing interpretation of the character.

The parts of the various members of the Jesuit community were well performed by Gordon Cochran, Graham Eldred, Martin Francis, Timothy Faithfull, Steven Bryant and Jonathan Woolf. Worthy of particular mention however was the acting of Anthony Silver as Fr. Oros. To the end, Oros represented the voice of conscience untrammelled by the demands of an authority he considered unjust. Silver brought great power and dignity to the part and succeeded in enlightening our sympathies for his defiance ol Spain and his superiors in the Order

Of the other minor characters, John Evåns gave an excellent account of the snarling, power conscious prelate, the bishop of Buenos Aires: Stephen Boitoult, Alan Singer and Nigel Few made very good down-at-heel unsavoury Spanish settlers: David Harrod and Derek Warby performed creditably as discreditable instruments or blind power. An assorted and colourful company of Indians were realised by Alan Bishop, Martin Bottoms, Malcolm Newing. Michael Ramseyer, Howard Ravari, Desmond Beatty. Andrew Szelewski and Timothy Bond while Vincent Probert. David Lonsdale and David Reynolds provided the required contribution of armed might. As usual a veritable cohort of workers was efficiently engaged behind the scenes, supporting the efforts of the actors,

In reviews of school plays the skill of the producer is often tacitly assumed. presumably on the grounds that whatever credit is going should be used in encouraging the youthful actors. Few people however can act well by nature. Thus the uniformly high standard this year, in a play that presupposed for its success a deep experience of the angst that lies at the heart of our human condition, reflects most favourably on the hard work, patience and skill of Mr. Tisdall, the producer and it is to him finally as director of a fine cast that our thanks and congratulations are owed for another excellent production.

D. DIXON.