Scene from "Charles I." at the Lyceum Theatre, 1872. London stage production. 'The pathos of Mr. Wills' historical drama on the subject of Charles I. has found favour with the audience at the Lyceum...Anticipating the interview between the King and Cromwell, the Queen is represented as having arranged measures for the defence of the former, supposing that an attack should be meditated on his personal safety...Cromwell, defeated in his attempt to procure his Majesty's signature to the documents which he had prepared, and, indeed, treated with scorn,...feels the need of resorting to violence. His troops, accordingly, enter the Royal apartment...to seize the King; but at the same time the adherents of the monarch and his body-guard, at the prearranged signal of "God save the King!" uttered by her Majesty, rush in, and compel the Republicans to retire. Thus ends the second act of the tragedy. We have already commended Mr. Irving's acting in the part altogether, but he deserves especial praise for his noble bearing in the situation which we have just described. The scene may be taken as a symbolic one, intimating the conflict between the two forces, and substituting the many battles between the King and Parliament that followed'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.
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