The Christian is an 1898 play written by British author Hall Caine. It is a drama, with a prologue and four acts. Caine insisted the play was not an adaptation of his 1896 novel of the same name, but rather a new story using the same principal characters. It was more a romance than the theological drama of the novel, as an Anglican vicar of a slum parish in 1890s London tries to persuade a music hall performer to give up her career.
It was first produced by Liebler & Company, with staging by Walter Clark Bellows, sets by Louis Young, music by William Furst, and starring Viola Allen. It ran on Broadway from October 1898 through March 1899, averaging over $15,000 per weekEquivalent to well over $500,000 in 2023. at the box office.Tyler and Furnas, pp.144 Liebler & Company sent out two touring companies to play venues around the United States. The tours were very successful, netting Liebler & Company a half-million dollars over the next few years,Tyler and Furnas, pp.145 enabling it to produce plays with less commercial appeal, such as Children of the Ghetto.
Characters
Lead Glory Quayle raised on the Isle of Man by her grandfather, is a successful music hall singer. John Storm son of Lord Storm, is a pious and inflexible Anglican priest, in love with Glory Quayle. Supporting Lord Storm is John's widower father, who decries his son's turning away from the world of politics. Horatio Drake is a gentleman who produces Glory Quayle's career and wishes to marry her. Lord Robert Ure is the younger brother of a duke; he is morally bankrupt and a corrupting influence. Archdeacon Wealthy is a hypocritical cleric whose career is more financial than spiritual. Mrs. Callender is a Scottish philanthropist and social reformer, who works with John Storm. Polly Love is a nurse and Glory's friend, who has been seduced by Lord Robert. Featured Parson Quayle is Glory's grandfather, a country parson on the Isle of Man. Father Lamplough is a crusading priest, retired from preaching, an inspiration to John Storm. The Faro King is a gambler and property owner in league with Lord Robert and the Manager. The Manager is a partner with Lord Robert in running the Colosseum Music Hall. Brother Paul is a young acolyte of Father John Storm, and older brother to Polly Love. Betty is a music hall performer, and "good friend" of the Manager and Lord Robert. Nettie is another music hall performer who goes with gentlemen. Letty is Betty's sister, and of the same professions. Liza is Glory's servant, whom Father John has helped in the past. Off-stage Prime Minister is Lord Storm's elder brother and uncle to John Storm.
Synopsis Hall Caine rewrote The Christian in 1907, the only version readily available today. This synopsis of the 1898 version is based on contemporaneous newspaper reviews.
Prologue (At the ruins of Peel Castle on the Isle of Man.)The play's action indicates Lord Storm has taken up residence in one of the buildings within the ruined castle's grounds. Lord Storm has heard from his elder brother that he will welcome his nephew John at Downing Street. Archdeacon Wealthy, Parson Quayle, Father Lamplough, and Mrs. Callender all drop by, each giving a picture of their philosophy and character thru conversation. John is particularly impressed by Father Lamplough's religious fervor. Horatio Drake, Lord Robert, and Glory Quayle join the group; they are abuzz with ideas for Glory to go on the stage. At the end, John refuses his uncle's offer, in order to enter a monastery. Lord Storm then disowns his son.
Act I (The green room of the Colosseum Music Hall in Soho, two years later.) Glory Quayle has gone to London and becomes a sensation as a Music Hall singer. Horatio Drake is promoting her career in hopes of marrying her. He gives a dinner in her honor, at which are Lord Robert, the Manager, the Faro King, and "three graces": Betty, Nettie, and Letty. Meanwhile, John Storm, who has become an Anglican priest, visits the music hall, hoping to see Glory. Her dresser, Liza, whom Father John has previously helped, takes him to see her. They meet just outside the green room, wherein the others are carousing. He warns Glory that this life will turn sour on her within a few years. She is glad to see him, but isn't ready to give up her career.
Act II (The clubroom of St. Mary Magdalene Church, the next day) Father John is serving a poor parish in the slums of Soho, undertaking to fulfill both spiritual and temporal needs. Brother Paul tells Father John about his sister Polly, that Lord Robert has seduced her. Father John arranges for Polly to take rooms in the same building as Glory for their mutual protection. Lord Robert and Horatio Drake hope to buy the church in order to expand their music hall, which stands next door. Father John is unwilling to sell for such a purpose. Archdeacon Wealthy, whose district the parish falls within, chides Father John; he expects some of the purchase money might come his way. Lord Robert, Horatio Drake, the Faro King, and the Manager try to intimidate Father John, but are set upon by a mob of his devoted parishioners.
Act III (Glory's rooms at Clement's Inn) Lord Robert has stirred up public opinion against Father John by claiming he has prophesied Derby Day as Judgement Day. While trying to escape rioting slum dwellers, Father John takes refuge with Glory at her lodging. They argue, until at last, overcome with thwarted love and religious passion, he threatens to kill her, to save her from being degraded. Glory convinces him there is no danger to her soul and that she loves him. Polly enters saying Lord Robert and Horatio Drake are coming. Glory has Polly smuggle Father John to her own room in the lodging, from which Polly and he escape the building.
Act IV (Same as Act II) A mob stirred up by Lord Robert has chased Father John to the church, but are pacified when Glory refutes the charges against him. Horatio Drake abandons his effort to buy the church, and yields up his contract claim on Glory. Glory joins Father John Storm in his work among the poor at the parish church, with a promise of their own joining in marriage to come.
Differences with novel Hall Caine regarded the play not so much as a dramatization of the novel as a completely new story, reusing characters and events. The novel had only Lord Storm, Parson Quayle, John Storm, and Glory Quayle on the Isle of Man. Glory, a charmingly fey orphan, was leaving to become a nurse in London, while John was already in Holy Orders. Glory's career as a nurse was dropped from the drama; she went directly into being a music hall star with the Act I opening. The Prime Minister played a small but significant part in the novel; he was reduced to a few mentions in the play. Polly Love was made the sister of Brother Paul in the play. Father John in the novel was a fire and brimstone preacher who thundered about the coming Judgement Day; in the drama, he is more soft-spoken and humanitarian. In the novel, the climax is Father John Storm being set upon by ruffians and mortally beaten, marrying Glory Quayle on his deathbed.
Original production Background Hall Caine wrote the first stage version of The Christian in early 1897. To establish the English copyright, it was given a perfunctory performance on August 7, 1897, at the Grand Theatre on the Isle of Man. Admission was one pound, a colossal sum at the time, to discourage attendance.By law, handbills advertising the event had to be printed giving the correct date, time, and venue, and the performance had to be public. Caine himself played John Storm, while his wife Mary took the part of Polly Love. Their son Ralph Caine was Brother Andrew,This character was later renamed to Brother Paul. while Hall Caine's sister, Lily Hall Caine, played Glory Quayle.
Liebler & Company was a partnership between investor Theodore A. Liebler and producer-manager George C. Tyler. It was a new company, with just one prior production to its credit, though Tyler had eight years previous experience managing troupes and producing plays. Tyler persuaded Viola Allen to sign a personal management contract with his company.Tyler and Furnas, pp.141-143 She was a well-known player in America, but had yet to star in a Broadway production. It was Allen who suggested Hall Caine's dramatization of The Christian to Tyler. After reading the play, Tyler and Allen agreed she would go to the Isle of Man and persuade Caine to make some changes. Caine and Allen came to agreement over revisions to the play, and Allen invited the author to be her guest in America for the show's opening.
Rehearsals began August 22, 1898 under the direction of Walter Clark Bellows. The Lyceum Theatre stock company under Charles Frohman lent Edward J. Morgan to The Christian to play the male lead opposite Viola Allen, with the condition he would be returned in mid-November 1898. Sets were designed by Louis Young from photos and drawings brought back from Britain by Viola Allen, while William Furst composed incidental music based on Manx folk melodies she also collected.
To reassure Allen and Caine about the production's viability, Tyler asked Abe Erlanger to view one of the rehearsals. Erlanger was impressed enough that Klaw and Erlanger bought a one-third interest in the production. As independent producers, Liebler & Company were not part of the Theatrical Syndicate, so this outside investment was a form of insurance for them, guaranteeing their future bookings.
Cast + Principal cast for the tryouts in Albany and Washington, D. C., and during the original Broadway run. Role Actor Dates Notes and sourcesGlory QuayleViola AllenSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899John StormEdward J. MorganSep 23, 1898 - Nov 16, 1898Morgan, loaned from the Lyceum Theatre company, had to return to it for Trelawny of the "Wells".Joseph HaworthNov 17, 1898 - Feb 21, 1899Haworth was hired when Morgan left, but was fired during the last weeks of the Broadway run.Henry M. JewettFeb 22, 1899 - Mar 04, 1899Lord StormC. G. CraigSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Horatio DrakeJohn MasonSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Lord Robert UreJameson Lee FinneySep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Archdeacon WealthyGeorge WoodwardSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Mrs. CallenderGeorgia DicksonSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Many reviewers noted the Scottish accent of Dickson's character seemed to come and go.Polly LoveEthel MarloweSep 23, 1898 - Nov 16, 1898Marlowe collapsed and died backstage after finishing her night's performance.Catherine ReevesNov 17, 1898 - Nov 19, 1898Reeves was Marlowe's understudy, but was only temporarily used for the role of Polly.Grace FilkinsNov 21, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Parson QuayleGuy NicholsSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Father LamploughR. J. DillonSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899The Faro KingMyron CaliceSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899The ManagerEdgar NortonSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Brother PaulFrank J. KeenanSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899Keenan was also the stage manager, and directed the mob scenes.BettyCarrie MerrileesSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899NettieEdith MerrileesSep 23, 1898 - Oct 07, 1898Edith Merrilees and Perdita Hudspeth exchanged roles just before the Broadway premiere.Perdita HudspethOct 10, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899LettyBessie DunnSep 23, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899LizaPerdita HudspethSep 23, 1898 - Oct 07, 1898Edith MerrileesOct 10, 1898 - Mar 04, 1899
Tryout The play's first tryout took place at the New Empire Theatre in Albany, New York on September 23, 1898. The theatre was crowded; the author, occupying a box, was cheered by the audience after each act, with the final curtain not falling until after midnight.