December 21, 1912 Christmas Mystery Play

Earl Redman writes: 

On 21 December ‘Abdu’l-Bahá attended her play Eager Heart, which Lady Blomfield described as ‘a very interesting Christmas mystery play’.  Her daughter Mary played the part of Eager Heart before an audience of 1,200;[i] it was the first time the Master had attended a theatre. ‘In one of the scenes in which , despite all her longings and all the preparations she had made to receive the Messiah, Eager Heart failed to recognize the Infant Jesus and would not admit the Holy Family to her home, fatigued and hungry though they were, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was seen to be weeping’.[ii]

            Afterwards, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá met the actors in what Lady Blomfield described as ‘an arresting scene. In the Eastern setting the Messenger, in His Eastern robes, speaking to them in the beautiful Eastern words of the Divine significance of the events which had been portrayed’.[iii]             The Christian Commonwealth quoted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as telling the actors:

The people in the play thought they were waiting for Christ; they thought they were his intimate friends. Some there were who used to cry day and night, saying ‘O Lord, hasten the day when he will manifest himself on earth’. When he came they knew him not; they persecuted him and finally killed him, for they said, ‘This is not the true Messiah whose coming is to be under special conditions’.

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[i] Star of the West, vol. III, no. 19 (2 March 1913), p. 7.

[ii] Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 348.

[iii] Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, p. 154.

From The Chosen Highway:

At 3.30pm ‘Abdu’l-Bahá left Cadogan Gardens in Mrs Thornburgh-Cropper’s car for a performance of ‘Eager Heart’ at Church House Westminster.

Miss Alice Buckton was an earnest visitor. She had written Eager Heart, a very interesting Christmas mystery play. The performance of this mystery play at the Church House, Westminster, was honoured by the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This was a memorable occasion, as it was the first time He had ever witnessed a dramatic performance. The Master wept during the scene in which the Holy Child and His parents, overcome with fatigue, and suffering from hunger, were met by the hesitation of Eager Heart to admit them to the haven of rest which she had prepared, she, of course, failing to recognize the sacred visitors.
The Master afterwards joined the group of players.
It was an arresting scent. In the Eastern setting the Messenger, in His Eastern robes, speaking to them in the beautiful Eastern words of the Divine significance of the events which had been portrayed.

Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway pp. 154–155