The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-20 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

Last evening Mt. R. Falconer commenced an autumnal
season at this theatre, and inaugurated the occasion by
producing a new four act comely, the peice being his own
creation. To cheer the manager on his somewhat perilous
undertaking a very brilliant and crowded audience as-
sembled, and, after a very excellent overture, the curtain
rose on the attraction of the evening, which was entitled
" Woman, or Love against the World." The title, it will
at once be conceded, is a good one ; but the great danger we
apprehended was that which was likely to arise from the
circumstance that the chief incident in the play resembled
somewhat too closely the celebrated Yelverton marriage
case. However, Mr, Falconer, while availing himself of
the idea of what is termed a mixed marriage, has very
judiciously avoided the further reference to the subject.
The following brief description of the play will give a
clear notice of the manner in which the author has
worked up his subject. In the first and second acts the
action is supposed to take place at the house of Mr. D'Arcy,
near Tralee, on the south-west coast of Ireland, in the sum-
mer of 1858. Geraldine D'Arcy, niece of the owner of the
estate, saves the Hon. Mr. Arden, who is wrecked, from death,
by dragging him to the shore, and then sending her uncle's
servants to convey him to their master's home. Here, after
this romantic introduction, a feeling of love soon springs up
between the pair, although the fair one has hitherto had an
affection for her cousin, Mr. Valentine Blake, who has in
return been equally smitten. A certain Lady Wilmington
becomes possessed of a knowledge of the proceedings,
whereupon she not only prevails upon the Hon. Mr. Lum-
ley Jones to undertake a journey for the purpose of
thwarting the lovers' intention; but she herself hastens to
the spot just as the marriage ceremony has been performed.
But from the part played by the false friend in the affair
the marriage is pronounced to be illegal. At this junc-
ture the uncle prevails upon his niece to accompany him
to the Continent, and the husband on discovering their de-
parture becomes almost frantic. The opening of the third
act finds the scene in the summer of the present day at
Cloverton Park, Warwickshire, the seat of Lady Cloverton,
who, amongst a house full of guests, has staying with her
the principal personages of the drama. Many changes
have occurred in the interval of three years ; the Hon. Mr.
Arden, who has in the meantime been to India, has become
Lord Lindengrove, and Geraldine is now Lady Letitia
Mountjoy, Lady Cloverton being her aunt. Before the re-
appearance of the heroine on the scene Lady Wilmington
has almost succeeded in her endeavours to ensnare the
wavez ing hero ; but after an interview, during which curi-
ously enough, the husband did not recognise his wife, owing
to her having exchanged a wig of dark hair for flaxen ring-
lets, everything is arranged in a satisfactory manner, and
the affectionate twain agree to be happy together, utterly
repudiating such courts as those over which Sir Cresswell
Cresswell presides. Of course the Hon. Lumley Jones
then agrees to wed Lady Wilmington, who, finding that
she cannot have the hand of one complacently consents to
accept the hand of another.
With the parts of Geraldine and Arden the authot
seems to have taken much pains, and as far as the
first is concerned he has completely succeeded, but
with respect to the latter he seems to have somewhat fallen
off in his endeavours in the third act. In the first, second,
and fourth, the interest is well sustained, but in the inter-
val above mentioned the author has not given Mr. Arden,
or, rather we should say, Lord Lindengrove, that full play
which we think would have added much to the interest of
the comedy. The comic under-plot is very eleverly
arranged, and invariably affords most seasonable relief,
when the tide of true love, which, as poets say, never does
run smooth, becomes more than ordinarily affecting.
Mrs. Charles Young, as Geraldine D'Arcy, afterwards
Lady Letitia Mountjoy, acted with all that grace, pathos,
and true womanly feeling for which she is so remarkable.
Miss Murray gave a very effective embodiment to a very
disagreeable part—via., Lady Harriett Wilmington; and
Miss Lydia Thompson, as Norah, was quite bewitching.
Mr. H. Vezin's conception of the character of the
Hon. Mr. Arden, the hero of the play, was a
true and spirited one, and the development of it was
marked by good taste, true feeling, and gentlemanly bearing.
Mr. Walter Lacy adapted himself very cleverly to the part
of the Hon. Lumley Jones, and fully sustained his well
won reputation. Mr. John Robins, as Stubbs, is really an
acquisition to the London stage. His manner is rich, broad,
and humorous, and by avoiding the besetting sin of most
of our low comedians, he will obtain a position in his pro-
fession to which he will be justly entitled. Mr. Addison's
Mr. D'Arcy was an excellent performance, and Mr. Spencer,
as Valentine Blake, acquitted himself with much ability.
The success of the comedy was undoubted and indisputa-
ble. At the close of each act the principal performers
' were called for, and at the termination of the play Mr.
Falconer, the author and manager, received an ovation.
The only fault of the piece is its length, and, fortunately,
much can be omitted which will not interfere with the
development of the plot, but, on the contrary, add addi-
tional interest to it by a closer union of its most telling
parts.

The scenery is of the greatest beauty, and the appoint
ments evince great taste and refinement.
We cordially wish Mr. Falconer success in his under
taking.