The Northern Guardian. — 1897-02-02 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.'  A BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE.  Not for a long time has the Alhambra. Theatre been so densely crowded—every available seat being occupied, many being content with standing room—as it was last night, when, amid inanifestatious of hearty enthusiasm and appreciation, Mr William Greet's Company of first-class London artistes gave a charming, if not brilliant, production of Mr ‘Vilson Barrett's great religious play, entitled "The Sign of the Cross "—a four. act drama which, by its strange fascination and extraordinary realism, is causing quite a furore wherever it is produced. This sublime tragedy— for such, in truth, it is—fulfils in a very marked degree every conceivable requirement of dramatic art, while, moreover, it favours with most unmistakable emphasis a close and ryinpa.thetic alliance between church and stage, coupled with a sincere desire to raise and purify the latter ; indeed, we may hazard the opinion that many people in the Hartlepoo e who are not classed as theatre-goers will hail with pleasure the opportunity of witnessing this unique and remarkable piece. As we gave a brief outline of this drama in Saturday's issue of the "Guardian," it would be unnecessary to recapitulate the nature cf the denouement; sufficient to say that the audience was last evening spell-bound by the many stirring, pathetic, and spectacular scenes which were realistically enacted in the course of the performance, and at the elese of each act the curtain rose and fell several times to the accompaniment of loud and general cheering. The piece was splendidly staged, the excellence of the scenery being much admired, particularly the grove lo the Cestian Bridge—a picturesque bit of woodland scenery in the moonlight; the village of Marcus, with its glimpse of the revellers in the supper room ; and the final scene of the spectators in the amphitheatre, when the huge prison gates roll back at the fearful trumpet call, intimating to those assembled that the Christians were being brought to the arena to be butchered. The cestumes, always bright and sparkling, were charmingly pretty. Mr Philip Cuningham, in the role of Marcus Superbue, gave a highly artistic characterisation of a very Meting part. He scured a signal success, and his exquisite acting was deservedly applauded in the various acts. His appearance in the third act, when he rejects his old lover Berenis, a Patrician, was a splendid effort, as were also his pathetic pleadings on behalf of Mercia before the monstre Nero and the unsexed Empress of Rome, and in the final scene, when, claiming the angelic Mercia as his bride, he goes forth with her to be torn to pieces by wild beasts in the amphitheatre. The Emperor of Rome—the cruel and enfeebled Nero, reeling under the paralysing lash of physical impotency, yet crying for more victims to his thirst for blood—was very faithfully portrayed by Mr Frank Vernon. Mr Edward V. Rae, as Nero's murdercus counsellor, acted his part with corn. mendable success. Favius, is Christian Patriarch, found an able exponent in Mr William Lockhart. Mr T. N. Wennian, as Glabrio, whose liachanalian propensities caused some amusement, could hardly be improved upon. Miss Gwendoline Floyd made a highly favourable impression by her excellent and pathetic impersonation of the beautiful and saintly Mercia ; in fact, throughout the piece her acting was characterised by a gentlemess of manner, yet courageous withal, that evoked the admiration of of all. Mies Lille Wilde, as Berenis, the rejected lover, was also much admired for her exquisite acting, and the same remark applies to Miss Margery Dale, who made a dignified Empress of Rome. Miss Dorothea Desmond, as the youth• ful and persecuted Stephenns, was highly successful. The following other members of the company also played their parts well : Licinius (Edile), Mr H. Ashelton Touge ; Philo. demos, Mr G. Barrington Foote ; Servilius, Mr Walter Trevor ; Strabo, Mr Gordon Starkey; Viturius, Mr Selwyn Scott ; Berenis, Miss Lillis Wilde ; Dacia, Miss Edith Schomberg ; Ancaria, Miss Vinnie Cassell ; Nero'a Attendant, Miss F. Fowler ; Daones, Miss Agnes Scott; Julia, Miss Florence Fowler; Cyrene, Miss Lena Clifford ; Edeei, Mies Stead ; Mytolene, Miss Helene Storrar ; Zona, Miss Cherry Black ; Catia, Miss Everard ; Thed, Miss Louie Godley ; Titus, Mr G. Franks; Melos, Mr Nixon. We would remind our readers that a mid-day performance will be given to-morrow at 2.30. The early doors will be open at 1.30. We are asked to state that, to avoid any inconvenience or disappointment, seats should be booked at Ramsden's, Lynn Street.  HARTLEPOOL Pc