The Express.
London, England, 1857-11-24 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

OLYMPIC.
What trill they soy of Bromptoo ? is the title of
• new comedietta by Mr. Stirling Coyne, brought out at the
Olympic last night, and evidently written to afford Mr.
Robson scope fur the exhibition of his peculiar and era-
besot farcical power. The scone opens at Cosy Lodge,
Brunton, where Mr. Samuel Todd (Mr. Reboil) end Mrs.
Todd (Miss Wyndham) are on the eve of departure on a six
months' continental tour. While they are busy in packing
up—groat care being bestowed on the safe 'towage of
• certain concertina, on which Mr. Todd, by •
three months' devotion to the Meru/out, has sue-
ended la accomplishing the fleet three notes of
"My Mary Lao," but Is invariably brought up at the
fourth—Mr. Croke (Mr. O. Cooke) calls to wish them •
pleasant journey, and by stories of avalanches and brigands
IMMO Mr. Todd to such • frame of nand that, though he le
" Doti° the least frightened," he finds It necessary, after
his wife's retirement for the night, to soothe his nerves with
a cigar prepared with opium, brought from abroad by his
friend, Captain Creates. While smoking this at his desk,
where he Is adding • codicil to his will, the opium overcomes
him, his head drops, and he falls asleep, and vanishes from
the eyes of the audience, which now look upon an apartment
in a brigand's castle in Italy, with a most romantic
moonlight view through the window, at which the beigand's
niece, Marietta (Mee Manton), is awaiting the orrice other
uncle. While she le so eogaged, the first three notes of
"My Mary Ann" see heard, and Mr. Todd eaten, in
mourning fur Mrs. Todd, whom he believes to have been
drowned in the Gulf of Genoa three months ago, since which
be has been wandering about Italy, " with a broken heart
and a carcertino to match." He hen just seeped from the
beyond rude and his men, one of whom he has wounded in
the 'Wilder by the quite accidental discharge of his pistol ;
and ow leaning where he is, revels on hiseletto—with
whom obsess, notwithstanding the late Mrs. Todd, he is
mock doom—to hide him. Mrs. Todd—who is, of course,
not died, having toes saved by • brave manor—then enters.
She else his fallen in with the brigands, who, coming up at
the owertmtdogat her eaniegge, have kindly taken charge of
Iterhigpie,and dbrietsd her to the castle. The compassionate
Marietta, miter setting supper on the table, fastens a rope
ladder to the window, that her visitor may escape. The
brigands enter, sod eheconotals herself. Jamie, perceiving
the ladder, and rapper laid for two, taxes his niece with re-
ceicieg a lover. ?dentine the enamoured Mr. Todd's meant
up the ladder prepared for his wife's escape is announced by
the fire three notes of "My Mary Ann." By Jecopo's
orden Marietta entertains Mr. Todd, whom henow recognises
se the courageous traveller who so coolly brought downcast`
has band that morning. While Mr. Todd is enjoying his supper
amazingly Jacopo takes Marietta's place opposite him, sad
suddenly confronts the astonished and trembling little
man, whom spoonful of croup is suspended
at his lips end
whose fear is increased to something like delirium by the
throe of instant death by a very large pistol, if he refuses to
marry Marietta and join the band. After screwing his
courauto the sticking point by the thought of what they
would soy at Brampton, if he should sumeed in bringing
home " • live brigandesa," be feebly cements, but is directly
&tanned, thrown into a state of staggering horror by
Marietta and her lover Orimbeldi, one of the bead, assuring
him that if he doss marry her they will immediately
despatch him—the one by poison end the other by steel. The
dreaded ceremony lase no sooner taken place than Mrs.
Todd swears Ocotillos to the now distracted Todd, te rageoaeh
him with his infidelity to her memory. Amidst the coehmitm
esteem of " soldiers" Is raised, the brigand fires the este, end
every one disappears but the now frantic Todd, who can find
no way of esoape from the flames which as seen Ada(
all
round him, sod which rapidly and unsooormtably give place
to the room at Brampton, where Mr. Todd, who has been
asleep all night at his desk, is awakened by his wife from
dreams engendered by Mr. Croker's stories and " that nasty
opium cigar." It may be readily Imagined what a number of
situations are afforded by • piece like this for the display of
Mr. Reborn's unrivalled representation of uncontroUeble and
quaking fear, betraying itself beneath desperate and smiling
attempts at setfepoesealios. At the fall of the certain Mr.
Robson was loudly called for, and announced the repetition
of What wilt they say et Brewton I every evening until
farther notice.