The Nihilists ; Or, Russia as It Is | AustLit: Discover Australian Stories

The Nihilists ; Or, Russia as It Is single work drama

Alternative title: England and Russia; Or, The White Hand

Author:agent Vagabond

Issue Details: First known date: 1880... 1880 The Nihilists ; Or, Russia as It Is

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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

The story concerns a group of Nihilists, led by the Countess Vera, who plot to free Russia by overthrowing the White Czar. A secondary storyline involves the triumph of faithful love over peril.

Notes

In his 1981 paper on the the 'Vagabond's' career as a dramatist, Eric Irvin indicates that James' second (of only two) plays, England and Russia; Or, The White Hand, was produced only in Sandhust (later Bendigo) in 1885. This work was in fact first produced as The Nihilists; Or, Russia As It Is, in 1880.

Production Details

1880: Queen's Theatre, Sydney; 29 May - 4 June
- Producer/Director Alfred Dampier.
- Cast incl. Alfred Dampier (Captain Arthur Hamerton), Mrs E. Holloway (Countess Vera), Prince Alexis (Lachlan McGowan), Edmund Holloway (Dolgorouky), Harry Leston (Nicholas Trinkoff), J. West (Ruskoff), Harry Sefton (Colonel Peterhoff), C. Brown (Count Demetri), E. Ryan (Ivan Golivin), J. Sweeney (Darby O'Connor), Mrs L. McGowan (Madam Petrelowski), Kaye Douglas (Countess Ivanoff), Alice Deorwyn (Sylvia), Constance Deorwyn (Yatka), J. H. Deorwyn (Boreski).
1885: Royal Princess Theatre, Sandhust; 15-16 April.
- Producer/Director Alfred Dampier.
- Cast incl. Alfred Dampier (Captain Arthur Hamerton), Edmund Holloway (Jacob Petrovitch), Mrs Holloway (Countess Vera), Katherine Russell (Couness Ivanoff), Lily Dampier (Kate Westbrooke), Harry Leston (Nicholas Trinkoff), Mr Stoneham (Colonel Peteroff), Mr Drayton (Count Demetri), Mr Stark (Hanry Millsom).

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

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"The Vagabond" as Playwright Eric Irvin , 1981 single work criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , March vol. 41 no. 1 1981; (p. 106-120)

'England and Russia; Or, The White Hand' 1885 single work review
— Appears in: The Bendigo Advertiser , 16 April 1885; (p. 3)
— Review of The Nihilists ; Or, Russia as It Is Vagabond , 1880 single work drama

Queen's Theatre 1880 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 29 May 1880; (p. 2)
— Review of The Nihilists ; Or, Russia as It Is Vagabond , 1880 single work drama