"A VILLAGE PRIEST."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1560, 2 October 1912, Page 10

"A VILLAGE PRIEST."

tub plisimek-dexnist6n comI'AXW ■ "A Village Priest," a plaj , iii live acli I).V fcydnoy Gnmdy. Cas.l:—. . Ahhe Dubois George S. Tftheradw Joan Torqucnic A. K. Greenawai Armand D'Areay ~. Harry Vlimmci A Captain-of Gendarmes ... Harry Sweenej (, ™icois Cyril Bcl Madame D Arcay P.eatrico I)a.\ Marguerite dc Tremelllan ... Beatrice Uehci Jeanne Torqucnio Lizttte Parltsi K}? ln<! ' - Tempo Pifeot ColK. de':"iSr~ *™ Mrs. IJobert liroug! A play that must always have a rovera place in the theatrical" memory is Svdiiey (.rundy's "A Village Priest," "reyiveil beloro an enthusiastic • audience b\ ho Plminier-Deniiiston Company at the i.iporn House last evening, and to not r few of thare present it iTcalled plpasani memories of other performances of th< sajuc play given in the palmy days oi 'he Braugh and Boucicanlt. Company with which organisation Sydney Grundy's play was always very popular, and 1101 without good- reason. The play has ar engrossing plot, thick with 'dramatic- in wrest, and an emotional appeal whicl; plucks at the heart-strings, and from botli a constructional and literary point oi V cv i 'tnttniiis a very high standard indeed. The story concerns the murder ol the Comte de Tremcillan; committed nineteen years before the- .plav commences. The Comte has been shot in hit gamekeepers cottage, mid it-is.the eumekeeper, Jean Torquenip, who is arrested and sentenced to death by Judge D'ircav who, after-, delivering 'judgment, was soi* ed with-paralysis on the Beiicl., and wlic shortly afterwards dies. Torquenic is un able- to prove his innocence. and sufferimprisonment for nineteen years, and thcil escapos. Hero the piny .really com. f"«; , lle , seeks the nid of an jt hocate to clear his name, and that m wnm I t ,Vlf f- (Wl, . h } vl W'"-.tl'e Count ii assumed to have had an intrigue), -.ant T\ M M r , '"""Armand 0 Arcay, the dead. Judge's son, and tolls his tale before he notes on. the wall cf the room the portrait of the. man,who wrongally condemned him. - Xom s WAroa? troubled with the mauls stoi-v, ro-read< the case in the "law- reports", from Hit standpoint of, the man's innocence, and realises that it was his own.-'father, not the jury who really condemned Torgaoiiie. He lakes his .-doubts to Abbe Dubois, one of the sweetest character* ever drawn .and it is subtly revealed Huit the Abb.! knows the truth of the iatal alrnir,' but is forbiddoji to reveal it as Ins knott-iodsß w.is gained under the seal cf the confession. Armand, convinced that rorauenie is innocent, delves into the cast, and lights upon a cypher in (ho second .volume of "The Vicar of AVakefield (the companion volume of which Ims a. place in his own library), which uiscloses an intrigue between two persons of high birth, and pursuing his investigations accidentally discovers that it w.as between the C'omtesse de Tremeillan and liis'on-n father. This leads to (he revelation that his own father must have committed the fell deed, and that Torqueiiie -and his wife were perfectly innocent, the.full truth of .which is revealed in a touching scene'-in which the aged Abbe, guided by hi* conscience, and a manifestation in Holy AVrit, breaks the seal cf'th'o confessional, and reveals everything. All ' save. the sightless Madame D'Arcay learn the facts, but such is the love'and respect that her sweet and gentle' disposition command that she is permitted-to retain her cherished ideals of .the guilty judge, even by Torquenie, who return's' to prison to serve nut his'seiitertcf), secure at last in'the love of his daughter an. the knowledge, that all concerned, «ivthe blind woman,'know'bin) to be innocent. As ha departs in custody Arnnv--breaks in—"But the shamo is life-long!" To which.the Abbe, with rapt expression, responds, "But.the glory is eternal!" Mr. Tithcradire presented a perfect picture as the Abbo Dubois. All the "entlcnc?s, kindliness, and benign wisdom of the ideal village priest, who keenly feels the poignant anguish of his suffering flock, was represented with that surenes's of touch and admirable finish associated with the art of this actnr. Jt is a p?r fofmance that wiU.-be difficult- to era\e from-the memory, .and- one which adds to his repute as oi'« of the finest actors this ppneralion in New Zealand has known Others in the caste are due for a I'ount.ifiir meed of praise. Mrs.' Hrou;:'.! gave another of her martrdlv convincing r>°rformnncss ,as the' Comtewe •de Trcmoillan, whose folly, bred n. veritable'whirlwind of KiilToring. Miss Rpatr ; re Dav ptliernalised the role of tlin loveabl'e Madame D .\rray, ncting with onlm repose and trace, and conveying fiithfiillv n, heart that fe"U. aiul eves'tint have lost their f use. Miss LiSHt-s Park"? acted with charmin-r natuTalu"ss ns .Teaiine lorqnenie, and Miss Beatrioe- TM,pr lent ?n n a,r .,r f refinement to Mnrcruer'te dp rreinpillon. As Armand D'Arcay, Mr Harry Plimmer denicted th« youthful n ; -irn«stness and enHiusiasm of tlie riehtthinking yonnu advocate, and his seenwith the Com terse in the third net w.is perhaps'tho liipst convincingly dramatic in the play. Mr. A. R Greemwav tovp pn excellent account of'himself ns 'Jen,, Jorriuome. and d'e>erv«e eredit. for his jestramt in- a part .which °asilv l--<nsp into the melodramntic. Miss Temp'e Pigotl. as Madeleine-(the Abbe's hoi"*, keeper), was inclined to rather strain the comedy element' over-mi.ch. The play, which will be repeated this evening, was admirably mounted.