The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-05-04 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Last night, after the performance of Vanbrugh's Lovers'
Quarrels, was produced, for the first time at this theatre,
a new petite comedy, in two acts, entitled Tribulation ; or,
rawekome Visitor". The plot of the piece, which is
sufficiently intricate. and constitutes its principal merit, may be
collected from the following detail :—Mr. Darr:nem' (Dorton), a
Bristol merchant, having retired from trade, and, like moat retired
nadirs, finding time hang somewhat heavy on his hands, comes up
to London with the double view. poor parser les temps, and to get
himself made a Knight or a Commissioner, as the Fates and his
wife should determine. Now though the latter thought Lady Doe.
fiercis an exceedingly genteel appellation, yet as it had pleased
the formes that Mr. Dorrieroose's Christian name should happen
to be Jeremiah, and that savoured too much of the ludicrous
w harrreviise well with the knightly style and dignity, it is deter-
mined that in lieu of Sir Jerry and Lady Dorrington, it shall be
and Mrs. Commissioner D. This important point being
,ranged, land matters put in train for its completion, the Commis-
stoner is posse feels strongly disposed " to makes night of it," and
Jaskol by Forrester (Mr. Raymond) to the house of Mrs. Dash-
more (Mrs. (Hoven, a fashionable demirep, celebrated for high
Davison),
and good suppers. In the mean time Mrs. Dorrington (Mrs.
Davison), taking advantage of her husband's absence from home,
introduced at the same house, without being aware of its
character. There she becomes a witness of Dors-in:hoes flir-
tations with a certain ;Panic Ogle, to whom he loses his heart
and ten pounds, and she herself is in .turn addressed by
Sir George FadJ!e (Vining), who is exerting himself to the
utmost to make the husband a Conimissioner ; and—we leave
it to the reader to fill up the hiatus. The husband very
goodnaturedly volunteers his advice to the Ilaronet on the eon.
Juet of the amour, unconscious that his own wife is concerned, who
is finally relieved from the addresses of the gallant Sir Georg:, and
extricated from her present difficulties, by the intervention of her
ousin Forrester, who carries her off' in safety. The next'mdming,
shat the author facetiously denominates the tribulation of theist.-
fair, commences with the successive and unwelcome visits of Sir
George and Afrs. Dashmort, and the humour of the piece consists
in the cross purposes and embarrassments which ensue from the
n tout' endeavours of :ID. at d Mrs. Dorringion to conceal from
the othee the part which each has been arting on the preceding
evening. After a good deal of pleasant confusion and mutual mis-
takes, Mr. Harriers:ton is made a Commissioner, and the piece
terminates with a satisfactory explanation ; the author first send-
ing Sir George Fading to the country in his tilbury, and
Mrs. Dashnsore about her business with a sentiment.
Is thus telling the story of this little piece, we have put for-
ward the best claims it possessed on the success which attended
its 'ep esentatian. The reader will see that the intricacies of the
plot aged sufficient scope for what are now considered the chief
and indispensable ingredients in modern comedy, namely, intrigue
anti eouivocal situations. These are good things in their way, and
se feel no disposition to quarrel with them, nntwithstandirg our
thine! nation to receive them as satisfactory substitutes for the
bn honey of dialogue and truth of character exhibited in our good
old comedy. We repeat that due advantage has been taken of
the eqiiiooque in the present piece. but as for the dialogue, it
it as dry as "a remainder biscuit," after the circumnavigation
of the globe. One spec:rom of the jokes, " original and adapted."
as th • musicians say, will prove this. People of a certain
sractar, whose reputations have been touched, and who, to use
tl e wordier our author, •` are too bail for good society, aid too
{{sod tor bad society," are compared, ered;h: youtcri ! to " 31a-
I ones coffin, suspended between the floor and the ceiling." It,
as we strongly suspect, this little comedy is a translation firm
the French, that will at once account for the absence of any
characteristic traits in the personage: of the drama; and *Uplifting
the adapter to have adhered closely to his vriginal, the same t ie um.
ranee may explain the peculiar poverty of the dialogue. However,
es it was too short to be tedious, well provided with the quilifica.
tions to which we have already alluded, and admirably acted
throughout. it was most favourably received by the audience, and
is likely enough to grow into a stock piece on those boards. Dowten
was, as usual, at borne in theretired merchant. but it is painful to
we this otherwise excellent and natural actor giving way to grime e,
as he occasionally does. We entreat him to discontinue the prac-
tice. He can affirrd to do without the laughter of the galletii a.
Mr. Vining, as Sir George Foddk, put us (as usual) very much
in it .n 1 of Jones. and the 1.. d.es were adequately represented by
Hest a nee Gloves and Davison.