“The French Spy.”

Manawatu Herald, 25 February 1904, Page 3

“The French Spy.”

MISS FITZ MAURICE GILL. The Fitzmaurice Gill Company appeared last night at the Public Hall when they met with a hearty reception from a most appreciative audience. , The hall was well filled, and the performance as rendered by them of the i latest London success “ The French i Spy*” was all that could be wished for, ! Although the staging accommodation was limited for the production of the piece in showing off the large amount of scenic effects to advantage with which it abounds, yet we must say that every effort was made to produce the drama in ah up-to-date style. The production has its situation in the great Russian capital, and its plot is founded on Muscovite tyrrany and intrigue; and it displayed the trend of public feeling that the blacker the national villainy was depicted and the louder its denunciation, the greater became the applause, Russian element predominated, but there was also a blending of English. Irish, French and German character, all of was most judiciously [; T he knife °_ me Russian villain came freS" oently into use and It was then that ie true “right*’ of the British hero or the giant strength of Terry, the Irish Hercules brought down the hotise. Id the character of Andre de Loriac “ the French spy,” who, to save her British lover from a Siberian prison, blinds herself to make impossible the task of pointing him out, Miss Gill was seen at her best and ably sustained an intensely emotional part. Mr Charles Blake was closely associated with her as Captain Somers, and his pourtrayal of the role of hero appeared to meet with general approval. Mr Wilton capably acted the part of an intriguing Russian Count, while one of the most successful pourtrayals was that given by Miss Nellie Mylral of the part of a revengeful Russian Countess.