The National Register. — London, England, 1808-07-31 00:00:00

492 THE THEATRE. TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER. JULY 31. himself into the hands of the executioner, and forces him to comply with his wishes. The promised reward is given to its. diboo, and stakes are prepared for So /leo and the female °fender . Meanwhile, Torribal has informed his mother of the cau s e of elico's departure, and his intention of selling his freedom. She hurries from her retreat, and whilst on the way to the camp, meets Madiboo loaded with gold, who vainly attempt, to prevent her from proceeding, and at last follows her with his brother. The stakes and piles are ready, the King ascemi, hi s throne, Seiko is chained, the female slave appears covered w ith a veil, which is snatched from 11?.r at the moment she is going to be led to the stake, and Seiko perceives Berissa aliv e , h ut 04 the point of dying in agony, and what to him is no less painful, accused of having received a man in her tent. She knows hi and declares that he is not the offender, but will not betray the lame of her nightly visitor. They are both chained, and tokens are brought to set fire to the pile, when Farttlto bursts through the crowd of guards and spectators, and proclaim, himself t,ailty of having endeavoured at night to free his daughter. The King then interrogates Setico, and learns the whole of liibt.tory ; at that moment Darina, Torribal and Narliboo arrive, and fall at toe monarch's feet. He calls for an English merchant, an:! buts 1.111 say how much he now thinks a slave like Setico ;s worth. ‘, on account of his virtue, a thousand pieces of gold would not he Eno high a price," is the answer. " Well, exclaims the give the thousand pieces of gold, not to buy, but to 'arts luitu with Berissa." Rejoicings ensue, and the play close'. Mr. Colman has acquired so much popularity and &served fame in comedy, that We are astonished his genius would de scend to the lower sphere of the melodrama. For t ,, (,rgh it hear t he pompons title ofa play, this piece is only a melons . ..ma, riot indeed like those senseless compositions, filled wi:h .. , (.1 1 )es and affected wit, with which the boards of the winter theatres were crowded ; but as it should be, teeming with interest, w ith chaste and elegant language, sometimes beautiful imagery, sen timents that spring from and speak to the heart, and adorned, not overloaded with limited pomp and magnificence. The cha racters of the three brothers are happily delineated, although they do, not possess new features. Torribal is blunt, rough, and sincere;' Madiboo, lively, hut full of sensibility; and Sclico, like most heroes of a play, tender, sentimental, courageous and resign ed. The greatest novelty (and novelty it may be called,) at least by the Sovereigns of Africa, China, the Deys, &c. who till then had been accustomed to be visited by wandering Irishmen or plodding Scotchnien alone) is the introduction of a London cockney, drawn with Mr. Coleman's Visual felicity, and admi rably performed by Liston. The King of Kasson was evidently meant to represent the Emperor of France; but we are at a loss to conceive why, after all the just abuse that has been lavished upon him during the course of the play, his character was dis played at the close in so brilliant a light. There are a few in consistencies which it is our duty to point out. At first it can not he supposed that any man in his senses would prefer the re • lebration of a brother's nuptials, to the security and the very existence of all his countrymen; and yet Madiboo, though con scions of the approach of the foes, and apprized a second time of their arrival by Augustus Mug, instead of calling the war rior to arms, conceals the information he has received, and . thus causes the destruction, murder , and captivity, of the inhab itants ofa whole town. It seems strange, also, that since 11 fig de scribes the Mandingoes as having already entered the tuna, no one but he should have known their arrival. Secondly, thom:lt Torribal, is the most manly, both in age, manners, form, and language, of the three brothers ; and describes himself as a lion, in these words— " We were two lions; " But I, the bravest—" In imitation of Cwsar's speech in Shakespeare, "We were two lions, litter'd in one day, " But 1, the eldest and more terrible." Yet he remains constantly at his mother's elbow, without enconn tering any of the dangers with w hich he is best calculated lo contend. These inconsistencies were added by Mr. Coleman, in order to improve on the French tale, which is not totally free from them. Many others might be pointed out, but spnce will not allow us to do it. The dances are too frequent, and badly executed. The music is old and one of Mr. Kelly's best seler - lions, and what won our approbation, it was openly acknoN 'edged as such. The scenery is beautiful and appropriate ; and, with a few curtailments, this piece will deserve the reception w hich it met with. Mr. Fawcett's acting was excellent, the character wins to have been drawn to suit his powers. Mr. Y wino . was very great in Selico, and now and then . reminded U 5 of Mi. livable. Mr, HA Y.-M.4IINET. On Friday evening n new Play, in three acts, called The Africans; or, !Awe, War, and Duly, from the pen of Mr. Col an was represented at this theatre. DR-41147'1S PIIIISONA:. FarnMo (the Priest) r • ..Mr • Thompson. Torribal Madibuo Sefico Mr. Young. Demba Sego Julia ( King of Roston): Mr. Palmer,jun. Daneiri Mr. Caries. Henry Augustus Mug . Mr. Liston. - . • Feltrrwetl Mr. Grove. Marrowbone Mr. Menage. Bevixs 1 Daeina Mrs. St. Leger. Salta Mrs. Liston. This play is so exactly taken from a French Tale, written by Florian, and entitled &lice, that the English author cannot bring originality of plot among its pretensions to fame. It is an imitation as servile, hut at the same time as elegant as the A:Reid ; yet as the original was neither the Iliad nor the Odis sc.'', the beauties which it contains, do not shine with superior lustre. The following is a correct outline of the fable: 1 orribal , Madibno, and Seiko are three brothers, who by their labours support their mother Darina, an aged widow. The Foungcst, Sclicn, is ahout to be married to Berissa, the Maho tan priest Faralho's daughter. The wedding day is arrived, and preparations are made for the festival, when iladibao informs his brother nrribat that whilst hunting he has perceived a party Mandingoes lying in ambush near the town, but prevails upon him aot to rouse the warriors till the marriage rites are over. 4)n Seiko's departure for the, mosque with Madiboo, his mother ;ibes him rg mantle, which she has woven, as a present for the priest, and Tarrifinl is left to guard and defend her. The scene changes to Farailhn's house, and we are introduced to Mr. Henry Augnslms itng, ivory -turner, at N 0.25, Snow-hill, London, but now one of Farmlho's slaves, whose amour with Sulfa, a little black musical companion in captivity, gives birth to seve fat comic songs that great') enliven the play. The marriage °ceremony is on the point of being celebrated; the benevolent priest has, ;it the request of his daughter, liberated all his siavrs : the bridegroom, the bride, and all their friends are as wheo loud shriekiiihnotince the approaeh of the Man dingoes. Distracted beltfrots duty and love, Salem yields at last the representations afrlals i s kcither, and leaves his mistress to kisten to the assistance diliftiliitwaltur. The Maudingoes arrive Ind set lire to the towty,.thd`Vontiagration of which, with the shoots of the triumphant savages, forms a scene wildly grand, that closes the first act.' IFlv e days are supposed to have elapsed before the seetad rising Of Ihe curtain. Torribut, Mud/. bqo Selko, and their Mother have escaped, but as the comp of 'heir foes stood; at a short dirtancc from their retreat, they are unable to procure food, and are famished for want. Seiko leaves his mother and brothers, to seek among the dead for the corpse of ilerisso and her father, and findino• '' two headless bo dies, on e of which still bears the mantle he lead given to the priest, he suppows th.tt both have been murdered. Then after watisdering Eve days without taking any nourishment, he is met Iffadibuo, who directs him to his mother, and very oppor tunely falls in with /hurl, Augustus :)lug, who has become the couquet ing monarch's Secretary at War, and now roves around the burnt town n ith a basket of provisions. Aludifroo obtains it easily, and carries present comfort to his family. The three bro therssoon perceive that famine must ultimately destroy their mo ther as the rainy season approaches, and the enemy'scamp remains Sled in their neighbourhood, in order to sell the slaves they have made to Engl:sh merchants. Sakti proposes that his brothers should sell hew, and with the „ old support his mother. They both refuse, but he insists, and is led by Mudiboo to the camp, where Fettenocll, and other Europeans are bargaining for slaves. On account of his colour, which, they say, does nut anuounce durahic• strength, the merchants offer such a low price for him that it is not accepted. At this moment, a proclamation promising a reward of four hundred ounces of gold, to whosoever should bring before the king, the man, who dur io the night had been seen coming front the tent of his Ma je,ty':i favourite female slave, that he may he punished with tor tow and death. S./ico instantly requests his brother to denounce tO;ii tie c :'grit, threatens lu case he should refuse, to deliver lam.