The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-02 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

The Streets of London,
Last evening Mr Yining produced, at this theatre, 3.lr*
Boucicault's adaptation of French drama, "Les Firovres
do Paris," under the title of " The Streets of London-
The piece, as most play-goers are aware, has been Ore
by title
of which places it has been arranged so as to apply'
at all events, to the streets of the particular locality
but although the success of the piece, wherever it vise
, 80,1 at all
sented in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, &0.
performed, was a complete success, its representation
in the metropolis has been deferred until the present Wee
sion. The drama has been well written up, and Iletwitil.
standing that Mr Stirling Coyne furnished one adaptation
of the piece to the managers of the Surrey Theatre,
was produced in 'b7, entitled, "Fraud and its Victims,
where it
that Mr B. Barnett had also grounded a coraediettay
" Old
" Pride and Poverty," produced at the Strand Theatre
some time since on the same subject, it " went" last overt'
ing at the Princess's as well as the most sanguine manager
could desire. " The Streets of Linden" is in three acts,
with a prologue., The curtain rises and discovers the
offices of " Crawley and C 0.," bankers, Moorgst3"
City, where we become at once acquainted With the pest'
Lion of the firm. Crawley has ruined himself by ever-
speculation in the railway market, and, as recovery seems
‘
wit
hopeless, he is preparing to abscond to Americasuch moneys as he can possibly collect together. lie
imagines the state of his affairs is known only to himself,but in this he is deceived, for his book—keeper, Badger'
has long been a keen observer of his actions, and knew°
exactly how matters stand. He refuses to allow Crawleyto escape without he is " squared," and whilst the rogues all
arranging matters, Capt. Fairweather enters and leaves in tb e
street,
hands of Crawley £O,OOO, the result of a life-long struggle,
for investment for the benefit of his two children. The
seaman receives a receipt for the money and departs, but
in a few minutes he returns, having in the interim beard
rumours of the insolvency of 14 the house." He is all 0-
citement, and demands the return of his money, but while
it is being handed over to him he is seized with apoplelif
and expires. Crawley now determines to appropriate the
pt
he
es
ne d
Bt oa participatedger
arrangiene t
thhea
tf r, e,,
ohdeygoi
fv
£20,000 to himself, and finding Badger is not at all iecils"
tshheimcalp2ta,Oinoo,o:lo:idi
be quietly conveyed into a court at the back of the office, in
order that it may be imagined that the unfortunate marl
had suddenly died in the street. This is done. All sus-
picion is removed. Crawley gives up his idea of flight, but
Badger, not wishing to give a chance away, departs
for California, having taken care to secure the receipt
Crawley had given to the captain as an 80'111-
ledgment for the money. A period of fifteen years h 5
supposed to elapse between the prologue, and the drams
commences. The story of this part' of the piece is seen
told. Crawley succeeds in his speculations, and bees°
possessed of an immense fortune, whilst the two children
of the captain became famished and almost houseless
wanderers in the streets of London. Badger returns from
California penniless, but, hearing or the success of CraveleY,
he obtains an interview with him, and then, to the sorrow
of the banker, he learns that he is in the power of
Badger as long as he keeps possession of the fatal bit
of paper. The banker tries various stratagems to Or
tain the receipt, but all his efforts fail, and he at lost
Comes to the determination of purchasing the house in
which Badger lodges, and, having done so he sets fire t°
the building, hoping by that means to destroy the daninii3g
proof of his guilt. This act also fails, and then comes the
climax. Through the instrumentality of Badger the chit.
dren of the captain are discovered ; they, of course, becotes
rich, and the banker ruined and disgraced, with the sad!'
et
tion of something still more terrible, viz., a callous, ui,geti
ful, and revengeful daughter. The drama, it well be se
once admitted, belongs to that class so popular " t'etl/e:
side o' the water ;" but though some years ago the produel-
tion of such a piece at the aristocratic Princess's wool
have been looked upon as an error of management, yet °,O
live in an age of surprises and change, and hundreds I'o
would have then condemned the play at the period Wa.
mention will now assuredly be found among its most e
thusiastic admirers, because it possesses within it e xes
and genuine sensation. The great tableau of the dratetto
occurs in the last act. The vivid portrayal of t,_
horrors of a conflagration in one of tho close and thick
peopled courts of London, with the excitement con'Sequent upon its discovery, the bursting of the
flore.,esir
through the windows, the awakening of the sleeping ue
hours, their efforts to save their household tdreaLuerer:ici
gathering of a great and tumultuous cw
reeular
arrival of the brigade with th. eir engine
ltor•
built " Merryweather." drawn by real horses), the e
die
skelter to get the machine to work, and, finally, the
charge of the combating element upon the burning 0.
• rafters, has been reserved for Mr Vining and
blazing seen
es
band of clever coadjutors, and never has a mimic sce
tot
closely resemtled the terrible reality. Fear to some extent
took possession of the audience ; and it was not untii:r
Vining led forth the artist, Mr Lloyd, that all could
cause
make themselves satisfied that there was no real oo.uad it
alarm. The applause was so immense, that ,v,,
been possible we think that the audience wou;:t'ller
demanded a second sight of "the great effect." .015,
of the scenic illustrations, " Charing-cross on 'woo,
night," deserves the highest commendation. It ata
derfully true representation, something superior
.9 any,
night,"
thing that has yet been seen even on the beards
metropolitan theatre. Having already more then occur
be
• d the space allotted to this notice we luge lute
pie
brief in our remarks on the acting of the plaY•
or
the
Vining as Badger, the clerk, the returned adventurve s
street seller of cigar-lights and bills of the plsY, resyss the
series of the most finished representations. Thero sd tee
true artiste unmistakeably stamped in each) ellability
audience were not slow in recognising his greatdoca,
Mr. Ray, as the banker, played, as he alwaYs,oo3io;ele
markably well, and Mr. David Fisher and gr. Pt r eve
Murray each represented to the lie the charatc :f 53101,
trusted to them. Mr. John Nelson's ernbodiroeuard, and
Livingston was but tolerable. It was cold, 1'
genuine
unimpassioned. Mrs Marston's Mrs Puffy was
:,:de her
bit of nature; and Miss Fanny GveYreue, who
Pre"'
e„iso of
first appoa:ance as Lucy Fairweather, gave
being possessed of more than ordinary talent.
of the porter v 0
Everybody was called for at the close
st
applo
and, amongst those who received the enthusia
ctieait,
was
of the audience, the talented adapter, Mr Bon u
not forgotten.inootlVe'
The house was crowded, we might almost sear
uiently so, for a hot summer's evening,