Reginald Berkeley
(1890-1935) was an Englishman of multiple talents, who served in World War One
as a Captain in the British Rifle Brigade. He was awarded the Military Cross in
1916 for his “conspicuous gallantry in action.” Berkeley was a lawyer briefly before
he was elected to serve as a Member of Parliament in 1922, where he served
until 1924. He wrote The White
Chateau to be presented on the radio by the British Broadcasting Company
(BBC). It was aired throughout England on
Armistice Night in November 1925. It is the first play in English specifically
written for radio.
The White Chateau
has a narrator, designated as THE CHRONICLER, who sets the focus for each
scene. He informs the audience that as SCENE ONE begins “This story of the
White Chateau” that was built centuries ago in Flanders plain, was burned down,
and rebuilt through succeeding years. It
would be destroyed once more and rebuilt again due to another war.
When Scene One commences, members of the Van Eysen family, who reside in the White Chateau, are having breakfast when suddenly their meal is disrupted by men in uniforms. These soldiers are not dressed in the color of their country’s military. Not only is the family’s breakfast disrupted, but the family is plunged into an immediate tragic situation with the murder of their son as World War One is sprung upon them by the invading German soldiers.
SCENE TWO:
THE CHONICLER: informs
the audience that a war is raging:
The
Grand Headquarters Over All
Is
some great Mansion—once alight
With
children’s voices, loud and small—
Now
bare and bleak, directs the fight…
The
White Chateau is serving as headquarters for Germany’s military leadership in
this area. This scene reveals the issues
that the Chief of Staff and Commander-in-Chief have with the Minister for War.
SCENE
THREE:
THE
CHRONICLER recounts the current situation at the Chateau:
An
army in long retreat,
Trudge,
trudge of tired feet, . . .
Long
since departed G.H.Q.
From the Chateau (with its whiteness faded!)
And
leaves the Chateau stark
In No-Man’s-Land.
A
division of the British army arrives at the Chateau. The surrounding grounds of
the property have been further destroyed by German troops building trenches. Some
German soldiers remain at the Chateau and as the British division attempts to
take the Chateau the final rounds of shelling demolish the west wall of the
building.
SCENE
FOUR:
THE
CHRONICLER ruminates about the normal activities for day and night, but
concludes with “The night—a nightmare from the Deeps of Hell, The Day—a worse
Damnation?”
This
scene announces the arrival at the ruined Chateau by American soldiers. They
must defeat the remaining German soldiers.
The Americans come under enemy fire and the captain of the unit is
killed. A soldier named Philip is now in command of this American unit.
SCENE
FIVE:
THE CHRONICLER laments the loss of the chateau and the land “on which no blade of grass
could grow---”
A
Casualty Clearing Station is currently operating on the property. Philip is being
taken care by an American doctor. The
nurse is Diane, the sole surviving member of the Van Eysen family, who lived in
the Chateau in Scene One. She takes care
of Philip, and a romantic relationship develops between them.
SCENE
SIX:
THE
CHRONICLER laments man’s need “to slay and slay and slay---” Philip and Diane
are married, and they are rebuilding The White Chateau. During this final scene
Diane has a dream in which “Voice” recounts to her the long history of war this
piece of land has endured, and a future filled with more wars. At the
conclusion of the play, there is hope expressed by the Voice of The Chateau for
there to be lasting world peace. Berkeley wanted the audience to realize that “Nothing
is to be gained by labouring the causes of the Great War and reviving the
animosities that it bred.”
The
White Chateau was published in 1925 as a book and again
in 1927. During these two years, six editions of the script were published. It
obviously was a popular drama to read. The Publisher was Williams and Norgate,
Ltd.
In
March 1927, The White Chateau was staged at London’s Everyman’s Theatre.
It played for thirteen performances before it closed. This production was
reworked and basically recast prior to its next opening in late April 1927 at
St. Martin’s Theatre. The second London production received excellent reviews. Henry Oscar (1891-1969) was praised for his impressive elocution as the Chronicler in The Illustrated London News on May 7, 1927. Another news paper especially
noted the trench scenes that were staged with heightened effects that made
them harrowing.
The
White Chateau had another transformation in 1938 when
it was made into a film by the BBC. It
was released in England on November 11,1938 and it starred Peter Ashmore (1916-1997),
Claude Bailey (1895-1950) and Ivor Barnard (1887-1953).
What
is unique about this play is how it relates to the effects of wars on the land
and the distinguished historic structures that help tell the story of western
civilization. It further recounts the human desire to rebuild even though “Men
have not learned the lessons of going to war.” It pleads through The Voice that
“There can be no more war. It is too wasteful, too uncivilized.”
NOTES:
1. Reginald Berkeley's photo appeared in THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS 2/2/1929.
2. INFANTRY ATTACK photo appeared in THE ILLUSTRATED SPORTING & DRAMATIC NEWS.
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