"The Sign of the Cross."

Manawatu Herald, 27 January 1898, Page 2

" The Sign of the Cross."

AT WELLINGTON. Visitors from these parts to Wellington will be able to witness one of the greatest treats over offered to Colonial audiences. Meesrs Williamson & Mu-grove, the celebrated amusement caterers, have been associated with many spirited ten tured daring the last \lifteen year?, and the coming produotion at . the Opera Houee, Wellington, ommencing on Thursday, January 27, and the fallowing evenings, of •The Sign of the Cross/ will add another, and we amy say the greatest to the list. .The Sign ofthe Cross' is admittedly the most remarkable play of the century. It has created world-wide sensation. It held the whole civilised world by its force, ita daring, and its earnestness. It was played for fourteen months in London, and it pursued ita triumphant way through the provinces, uniting for the first time in dramatio history, Catholic*. Protestants, Non-conformisti, and churchmen of every denomination. Everywhere it hag attracted enormous audiences, composed in a great degree ol ministers of religion and churchgoers who had never hitherto been inside a theatre. Its influences were so pronounced that all over England, and recently in Australia, where its production created a profound sensation, it was made subject of referenoe and discussion from nearly every pulpit. People flocked in thousands from all parts of the country per special excursions by train and boat, no dis. tance being too far to be present at tbe performances. When tha play was staged at Adelaide oter 600 excursionists came from Broken Hill specially to see it, being a twenty four hours' journey. The population of Melbourno in one day in* creased by over 2,000 by • The Sign of the Cross ' excursionists coming from the country district .. all tha world over have been unanimous in their enthusiastic praise of tb. play. The Bishop oi Norwioh was so impressed with the ennobling and elevating character of the play that he dispensed his congregation from their Lenten observances so far as would enable them to witness its representation; while Canon Farrar concluded an eloquent appeal to «' all those desirous of seeing the stage used as a vehicle for ihe promulgation of truly moral and Christian sentiments, to avail themselves of the opportunity of witnessiog ' The Sign ofthe Cross/ whioh, judged from a religious aspect, hat never before been seen in the memory of living man." The Christian World admitted that " it was felt and confessed that by a work of art and from the stage the true uniyersality of Christian worship was expressed with unimagined power." The whola Play abounds with pure and lofty sentiments, and is.moreover, to be highly recommended from an educational point of view. Says the Australasian Schoolmaster : « Teachers could give no better intellectual treat and moral tonio to the papile in senior classes . than by taking them to see the oon- 1 trast between the religious freedom we are privileged to enjoy now, and the persecution Christians endured under that inhuman monster. Nero, in pagan Rome." Messrs Williamson and Musgrove have spent upwards of £2.000 in staging Wilson Barrett's greatly. Magnificent stage pictures, gorgeous JL and costly costumes, expressly manu- H factored in London for the prodnc-> tion, and an excellent company of artists will combine in giving a realistic picture of tho early Christian Vf' -1 T Jf* Sign of the CroM ' will undoubtedly prove the most profoundly interesting play eter staged m New Zealand. Again we advise 1 ereryone who can to go and see it.