Word: conventional
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...health of the natives gives The Nun's Story the warm glow of Albert Schweitzer's "reverence for life," and probably brought Gabrielle close to peace of mind. But once, when she learned that three men were caught in quicksand and rushed out of the convent in a vain at tempt at rescue, she was rewarded with a dressing-down that probed deep into the difference between religious vocation and mere doing good. "Not only did you leave the convent without permission," said Mother Mathilde, "but . . . you failed also in charity . . . I might have wished . . . to assign Sister...
...grant reduced fares to clergymen on a "space available" basis, i.e., without advance reservations. ¶ The Vatican's Sacred Congregation of the Religious has relaxed the rigors of "enclosure" to which contemplative orders of nuns are subject. Contemplatives are now divided into two classes: "major," permitted outside their convents for such reasons as an air raid, requisition of convent property, voting, surgery, or visits to medical specialists; "minor," permitted outside for these reasons, and also to educate the young. ¶ After eight months of collective bargaining, some 105 Jain priests from 21 temples in Ahmedabad. India won most...
With all these delicate shades of meaning, and with all the latent pathos of young girls confined to a convent, Cradle Song can be a wonderfully touching piece of theater. Its off-Broadway performances last winter at New York's Circle-in-the-Square brought handkerchiefs to the eyes of virtually the whole audience, male as well as female. But since the play is intimate and fragile, its emotional effect depends heavily on the skill and subtlety with which it is acted and directed. In this respect the current production at Tufts is only a partial success...
Although the Tufts cast was young and relatively inexperienced, several of the actresses gave admirable performances. Judith LaFrance, as the Prioress of the Convent, was an impressive combination of patience, understanding, and mild authority. Margaret Smith as the crotchety but good-hearted Mistress of Novices rendered the part excellently--quite as well, I thought, as it was done in New York. And Carol Ganem, as "Sister Crucifixion," captured that character's holier-than-thou attitude very well. In the second act, however, she failed to demonstrate the latent love and sympathy that should surge up when she says farewell...
...other roles were less successful. Jacquelyn Zollo was disappointing as Teresa. She lacked the spontaneous, gay, zestful spirit that the young girl should bring into the convent to contrast with the cool resignation of the nuns. In her interpretation of the role, lines and actions that should have seemed perfectly natural appeared as blatant overacting. No one, for example, could envision her climbing a tree, as Teresa is supposed to have done. Miss Zollo's uninteresting performance unfortunately made the second act much less successful than the first--made it, in fact, quite dull in spots...