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London Theater Gets Threats over Controversial Play on Pope Pius Xii

Police guards were stationed last night at the stage door of the Aldwych Theater where “The Representative” is being performed. The play is the English version of “The Deputy, ” a drama charging the late Pope Pius XII with keeping silent during Hitler’s annihilation of the European Jews. Telephone threats had been made to “beat […]

October 4, 1963
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Police guards were stationed last night at the stage door of the Aldwych Theater where “The Representative” is being performed. The play is the English version of “The Deputy, ” a drama charging the late Pope Pius XII with keeping silent during Hitler’s annihilation of the European Jews.

Telephone threats had been made to “beat up” Michael Williams, the actor playing Adolf Eichmann in the production. Posters and billboards in front of the theater have been defaced with such remarks as “this play is a slander against a good man” and “the Aldwych opens its doors to Marxist, twisted propaganda. ” The last remark was aimed at the German author of the play, Rolf Hochhuth. Hundreds of written complaints against the play, mainly from Catholic sources, have been received by the Royal Shakespeare Company which is producing the drama.

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