The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-09
FOr,nOSa.

What is the wcrlG coming to when such
play as this Grams theatres, and * made
the subject Of controversy runnin" through
very many columns OF newspapers? More
perfect trash we never saw put upon the
stage. 1t is beneath criticism sensational
md vulgar, incongruous in is parts; mon
| Strous and abSlrdly improbable, we cannot
! see how people can sit through its repre-
scntation unless it is that they want to see
the boat-race with which it closes Were
the gross swinde Of imposing such piece
upon the public to be properly appreciated,
there would be great danger that the boat
race would be anticipated by foot-racc-
the actors flying before an cnraged audience.
Formosa is like all the progeny Of Bot
cIcArLr-scnSational, mcrcly-whiie it Is
much inferior TO any other we have from
his pen. lie is simply an adroit scene
Shiftcr. His successive sensations are suited
FOR the times. The :. boat race" hits the pop
ular excitement. and might Of itself draw Il
crowd mt time when that sort Of fun is
| the rage. 4 club breaks open Jail TO Re-
| lease one of their members, and thus gains
the victory. We may next expect that a
| baseball cluh-say 1.-The Alcrts will
| rescue a comradc from the officers Of the
| law, and thus win wager between them
selves and ''Thc Pastimes.'
! This Formosa winds up with the boat
| race (Which is the greatest humbug Of
| lln. leavin" the auditor completely IL the
| lark as to what becomes of the characters
who have been running n career Of diSsipa-
| ion, hurried, indeed. with railroad speed ;
md we suppose this gives it the name OF
| "FOrmoSa; or, the R0ilrO0d TO Ruln.''
The play is without bo@innin" or end :
without unity or morals mere display Of
very bad daily scenes in big city, badly
represented. with no apparent good intcn-
tion-indced. 40 intention whatever that
| we could perceive. save exciting the minds
IF cxcitable and inconsidcrate people with
lash scenes. flash nonsense, and general
lcpravitics. The whole thing is stage
! trick. 1t has drawn well, and money has
been made by it.
| 1t is vet not result that it is worth While
70 quarrel about. The public ar'il see
:.what's up: but, having seen it, there
| is. nevertheless, we may congratulate our
selves, recupcratiye force of good sense
which will damn AL such stuff and conSi"n
it. after time, to the grave Of rcpudlated
and irrcdcemablc things.
| We could not but feel a regret that Miss
HAWTHORNE had TO appear i'll such charac-
| ter as that of the heroine and our sympathy
was almost rs strong for Mr.. MAYO, i'll the
| part Of BuRRoUGHs-a character beneath
his capacity. They are both possessed OF
rare talents. Miss HAWTHORNE is one OF
the brightest, comeliest, and most effective
of her sex in the histrionic profession. Mr..
MAYO is a young actor of uncommon merit
and great promise. We especially desire to
commend his stage manner, which Is 50 dis
erect and so decOrouS, while his pronuncia-
| ton is clear, his meditation Of voice judi
cious, and his whole acting free from the
extravaganza and vanity which are such a
blot upon the playing Of these days.
1t is due to the company that we should
add that it is the best we have Lad in Rich.
mond for many a day.