A provocative stage note by Don Marquis, the newspaper satirist of archy & mehitabel fame. Marquis could be as sanctimonious as he could be saucy. This is from the closing Author’s Note in the published script of Marquis’ 1925 drama about the crucifixion of Christ, The Dark Hours—Five Scenes from a History.
There is certain to be in the mind of every person who has thought about Jesus some conception of how he looked when he was earth; these are ideas and ideals that would necessarily be dashed by the appearance and manner of any actor attempting to play the part. The play is built around Jesus; he is always there, his words come to the audience, and his meaning; his spirit permeates every scene; he is the play—but to show, at any time, more than a fleeting glimpse of him, to let him be seen for two hours, rising and walking and sitting and gesticulating: no. That would spoil everything; that might end in disappointing the inner vision by a parade of externalities. The mass opinion (the herd instinct we hear so much about) is right. You might show on the stage some personal conception of a Jesus who is merely a human being: but you cannot show the traditional and orthodox Jesus who is a God.