PRINCESS THEATRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11643, 29 January 1900, Page 5

PRINCESS THEATRE.

"A VILLAGE PEIEST."

Sydney Grundy's play " A Village Priest " was staged by the Broiigh Company at "the Princess Theatre on Saturday night. Tha '■ house was one of -the largest of the season. 'A Tillage Priest" is a popular piece, and, following out well-defined dramatic lines, it. afforded theatre-goers a relief from the tension of the long, drawn-out emotional displays which markedly characterise the go-called problem plays. Although some time has elapsed since ilie piece was last staged here, the story .which; is told therein will still be fresh in the minds of many. The character of the old abbe, who for 20 years was weighed down with the awful secret imparted to him under the seal of confession, is a fascinating one. He goes through' life knowing'that aa. innocent man languishes m gaol for a crime he never committed—the crime of murder,—and that the real criminal" was the judge who had pronounced sentence against him. The idea of an innocent man suffering for the crime of another has often been exploited by dramatic writers, but in this play the chief interest is attached to a man who is bound by everything that is holy, to bury deep down in his breast, and carry the burden on to the end of his days, the .dark mysteries of sin-laden penitents. No case has ever been known, it is claimed, where a priest: has broken his vow of^ecrecy, but in the piece: under consideration the old abbe is made to do i%. ■ in his cllamber. when the escaptf ol the innocent man from prison opens anew the recess m his breast, where the awful secrel was interred, he prays, in a, paroxysm of emo-i tiou, that heaven might by a miracle direct him how to act. At that moment the drifting clouds fade away from the face ot tha moon, the slanting silver rays coming through; the mulhoned windows fall across an oplu iJiWe, and suddenly a page is turned over by some invisible power. Stirred to the depths of his heart by the miracle, the abbe approaches the Bible, and in the lines which catch his eye he receives an inspiration, directing him; lo cleanse the innocent man of blood by revealing the secret. As may well be imagined there is ample opportunity afforded in such an incident for powerful, emotional acting, and xt must be conceded that Mr Carno's representation of .he abbe was one of the most artistio studies he has yet preaes+ed us with He inves ed the part with gentle dignity. His suggeshon of resigned mental suffering was vefy fine indeed, and he rose to the occasion 'in the sanctuary scene. Mr Brough acted with telling force and sustained power as the victim ot miscarried justice, and . was frequently singled out for applause. Mrs Brough acted wi.h her customary skill as the Countess, and secured a full meed of the honours of the evening; while Mr Lovell as Armand D'Arcay, Miss IMoble as Marguerite, Miss Temple as Jeanne .ca P ibY;il.STrpart, Madame ?*""* 'U The season will be brought to a close to. night, and it is satisfactory to know that, in spite of the numerous patriotic movements and unseasonable weather, it has proved, from a financial point of view, more successful than any previous season of the company here. As to its artistic success nothing need be said but playgoers generally will unite in the hope that we will have another opportunity in the future of seeing the Broughs To-nHit tho inimitable ," Jfiobe." will be the attraetfon