 "The Independent (London, England)")
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Theatre: NATHAN THE WISE Hampstead Theatre LONDON HHH.(Features)
From:
The Independent (London, England)
| Date:
September 27, 2005| Author:
| COPYRIGHT 2005 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information
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Byline: Paul Taylor
Nathan the Wise was banned by the Nazis because of its sympathetic depiction of a Jew. But the great thing about this 1779 play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing is that it would affront fanatics of all persuasions. In its plea for religious tolerance and its contention that no faith has a monopoly on the truth, it is calculated to outrage Christian, Muslim and Jewish extremists alike.
Lessing's drama is rarely encountered on stage. But, as the dangers of religious fundamentalism escalate, it has finally made the leap from cobwebbed classic to vital ...
