New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-18
NALLACK'S THEATER.
THE OVERLAND ROUTE.

erary field but the public not prepared to
nounced to the world as co-laborer with him in the
construction of The Overland Route" the name Of
Miss Laura Koene The partnership unexpected, but
the handiworA of the firm commends itself to the
favorable attention of the theatergong world The play
was acted on Tuesday night, for the first time in
America, at Wallack's Theater. Tho audience was
large, and the new drama was received with much
hearty qualification.
The plot 30 far departs from tacty sanctioned con
ventional mannerisms, and s independent of trad
6onal nonsense that it deserves elaborate de-
scripton than is ordinarily accorded to new-hedged
dramas. The thing about it to be much regretted
is that Mr.. Tom Taylor and his American assistant,
Miss Keene, who by doing 30 WELL have proved that
in this particular instance they could have done much
better did not choose to bestow their work the adj
dtional patient elaboration which would have made
the play thoroughly acceptable in point Of Ian
guage and situation than it now is. There certain
loose ends Of construction in the matters of dialogue
and incident that might have been taken up by the
thors with credit TO themselves and with advantage to
the play.
However, the story Of the drama, as now presented
is interesting and will bear detailing at some length.
The authors have, in point of position of their charac-
ters placed very limited bounds of circumscription
about them, the first two acts giving them wider
range than the cabin and quarterback of the Simeon,
an English steamer, homeward bound from India;
while the third and last act confines them TO desolae
reef in the Red Sea- until the final scene them in
joyous preparation for speedy return to homeward
shores by the favorng grace of of her Majestys
steamers, which opportunely strays to their aid.
The leading character is a certain Mr.. =" Tom Dex-
ter, person of varied accomplishments and slender
purse and whose social position is analogous to that of
" Dazzle" in a comedy with which most of us are
familar-that is to say sort of well-behaved adyen-
turer, achieving, by means of good address, certain
ephemeral position in the world which he desires to
turn to the best account before the world gives him
an unmistakable cold shoulder. Upon the ready
courage and facie manliness with which he adapts
himself to adverse circumstances aud yields noble aid
TO all his felow-suferers during the trying scenes Of
the wreck turns the whole interest of the play. Toms
sojourn in India though lengthy has not been remune-
rative and spite of his many accomplishments he is
only able TO secure homeward passage in the Storage
Tie occult mysteries of medicine being, however,
among his requirements, the captain Of the Simeon
induces him to act assistant to the regular surgeon
of the ship which at once gives Mr. Tom social sta
tus on level with the cabin passengers, of which po
siton he does fail to make all fair He recog-
nizes among the passengers Mrs. Searbright, the
wife of an old friend of his, who formerly Of the
Indian Army and who observes that she is managing
to carry on double-headed Irritation at the time
with two old gentlemen passengers on the ship named
respectively Sir Solomon Fraser-who has occasion to
resort to multtudinous cosmetic articles to simulate
the youthful bloom with which he desires to capvate
the dashing Mrs Searbright-and a Mr.. Colepepper,
lately a civil officer of some Indian note.
These antique lovers have somehow taken 1t for
granted that the object of their aspirations IL widow
in which fiction she INDUCES them without contra
dieting word and the gifts OF the two fascinated
ancients endow the supposed bereaved one with CASH
mere shaws and jewery without stint. Tom, now
ever nterferes the wife OF his old friend from
seriously compromising herself with either sexagena-
rian But Tom also recognizes the fair face of " Mss
Colepepper," whose life he had once saved and though
he discovers to his discontinue that she is the aanced
bride of certain Captain Clayerng," he cannot but
regret that melancholy fact and wish that TON Dex-
ter" had been the happy man instead and as no hap
pens to be coizant Of divers swindng practices OF
the gallant Captain he takes occasion to put the lady
on her guard against him as a cheat and swindler,
which efiectually finishes the Captain.
There is also on board another woman OF the genus
frt species grass widow, Mrs. Lovibond,' whose
husband had left her years before being driven
to that desperate step by the unbearable temper OF MS
spouse and which husband is supposed to have died.
This lady is receiving Celtic consolation IN the shape
of significant galantres offered by clustering Irish
man. Major Hector McTurk." BY strange fate, 1t
happens that the evanshed LOvbond is not deceased,
but has made fortune and is returning home in the
identical ship the Simeon. His presence as Lovbond
is unknown be having purchased the berth of pas
senger named Downey, who had given 1t up Tor
premium, and Loyibond, not thinking it worth while
70 alter the ships register had continued to pass under
the name Of DOwney.
But another passenger chances to be detective
officer who has warrant for the real Downey, for
certain forgeres and who on Lovbonds irst appear
anNe seizes and handouts him as the criminal. Low
bond in the agony of his despair at being claimed az
criminal resorts to the horrible alternative OF
making himself known to his wife, and calling on her
10 establish his Identify but the oyershrewd detective
will not admit the proof Lovbond is retained IN rons
while the other passengers dspor themselves IN the
festive dance In the hight of the revel, the ship
strikes on reef and the scene is changed from mIrh
70 despair The whole Of the ships company and
crew are safely landed the reef chiefly through the
pluoky beroisIn Of Tom Dexter. During the trying
SCENES on the reef which develop cowardy qualities in
q few. bat true nobility in most, Tom Dexter is ever
foreoo-, IA man-of-all-work undertaking and nchiev
inc ,bousand acts of quiet heroism, and his gallant
tao,ino finally wins from Mr.. Coepepper his consent
=, ,ba marriage Of Tom and his daughter The whole
ov are much improved by their temporary adversely
IL, los, q steamer takes them from their Island
home. and makes all happy 49,
twill be observed that the construction % t'7 P3
4 la slff