3-065-771 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Scene from "Mary, Queen o' Scots," at the Princess's Theatre, 1874. London stage production of a historical drama by William Gorman Wills. 'One cause of the ultimate success achieved is that a certain amount of spectacle is permitted to assist the general action and to embellish it with pictorial groupings. Our Artist has selected one of these spectacular scenes...It represents the entry of the newly-inducted Queen into Scotland, where and when she is encountered by the famous John Knox, who, zealous for Presbyterian Christianity, is careful to oppose its Catholic form, and strongly objects to the Queen's wearing the cross. Mary is surprised by the interruption, and justly pleads that it was publicly known that she was a Catholic, and that therefore the great preacher's objection was an arbitrary insult, unsupported either by logic or true piety. The picture brings all parties into prominence. There are Mr. Rousby as John Knox; Mrs. Rousby as the indignant Mary; the favourite, Chastelard, as now represented by Mr. Forbes Robinson [sic]; and the subordinate characters completing the scene. We see at once that such a group of historical individuals in actual action on the stage must form an interesting as well as a moving picture'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.