THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2467, 21 May 1915, Page 7

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

WILSON BARRETT'S GREAT PLAY ON THE SCREEN. No play of recent years has been more widely criticised from vaiying standpoints, according to the religious belief of the individual writer, than "The Sign of the Cross." I remember, when Wilson Barrett first had the temerity, as some people said, to announce the production of a play which was frankly religions in tone, though intensely dramatic iu the telling of its story, that there were plenty of prophets who foretold its early and complete failure. It was roundly declared that the public would not tolerate an admixture of religion with the entertainment of the theatre, and critics and hyper-critics waxed eloquent or wrathful according as the idea appealed to them.

That was before the play was produced. Wilson Barrett himself, despite all the talk which his announcement had created, was never under any misapprehension in regard to the future of the play, as I have the best of reasons for knowing. He believed in its possibilities, and was convinced from the outset that the public would fully endorse his opinion when once they had seen the play. He told roe this time and again, and well do I remember on the/night of production his "What did I tell you?" to a number of friends who were congratulating him upon the ext-Taordin-arily'enthusiastic reception of the piece bv the general public. During the last two decades "The Sign of° the Cross" has been played upon well-nigh eveiy stage in this country and in climes across the seas, and always with the same success. Recently a great company had the privilege of viewing the play in another form—upon the screen—at the Shaftesbury Pavilion, anil again history repeated' itself. Following closely the story of the play, the film version of "The Sign of the Cross" made a strong appeal_ to the trade gathering, and was received throughout with the utmost enthusiasm, the applause at the close being long and sustained. First let us say that the Famous Players Company have provided us with a splendid representation of the plav. All through the acting was excellent, and at times magnificent; the settings were conceived on a lavish and most impressive scale, and some ot the backgrounds were unustiallv picturesque.—(Extract from a London

paper). "The Sign of the Cross" is to be shown on Monday, Mav 24, it tlie P.P.P., with special music by an augmented orchestra.