The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-02
.,I,ost nj sem, nj the Arch.

Byron TO his assistance and in conjunction with him
brought forth vapid but startling sensation yclept
Lost at Sea- which Produced for the first time in
this country at the Arch Street Theatre last even
ing The size and the character OF the audience
which the announcement brought together afforded
abundant proof that the Arch was 'not doing snake
speare." The house was fairly iammed, more espe-
cally the gallery into which the rilrah OF the town
was packed as only the rlh-ran can Oe packed anu
survive the pressure.
Lost at Sea is as fiat, STALE and Improbable as
For,osa from an intelligent and artistic standpoint;
with no claim to originality. either in motive, treat
ment, or character. 1t does not contain solitary
sentence that has the bares sembance of originality
nor solitary role that is not copied after some other
role with which the public is already familiar. But
It affords unusual opportunity for the display OF
the skill of the stage painter and the deXterty OF the
stage carpenter, to whose necessities almost every
scene is made subservient, at the expense OF the
probable, and, at times, even of the possible. This,
of course, makes the piece taking one, and nsures
it a run such as no amount Of genuine dramatic
merit would secure, in these degenerate days when
red fire and padded legs are more seductive than
the old-tme attractions of the stage. But, although
springing in part from the brain of Bouccaut, it
possesses one positive merit. 1t is free from vul
garity The viainy with which it is so freely inter-
spersed is decent vainy although its decency has
very villainOus cast.
The plot turns upon the financial perpexities OF
'Mr. Franklin" a London banker, who has thought
lessly appropriated the money Of "Walter Coram,"
an Indian customer of unmentonabe wealth. "Nlr.
Franklin" is sorely distressed by the expected daily
arrival OF "Coram" from the East, when he is mex
| pressibly relieved by the announcement that the
vessel in which the unwelcome visitor is supposed to
have sailed has been lost at sea- "COram' is known
| to have no relatives friends in England, and
Drawings, the bankers clerk, determines to benefit
| by the circumstance. Having received consign-
ment of boxes belonging to COram,' in which are
| found all his private papers and diary, he induces
''Dr. Jessop," quack of the rankest order, to per-
| senate the defunct indian merchant But as fate
| or, rather, Bouccaut and Byron-wOuld have
! it, "Coram" is still in the nesh and
| having been confined to his bed in "Dr,
| Jessops" house by an accident, gets an nkling
| of the whole swindng scheme when his baggage Is
brought to this house as the basis of operations
From that point to the end of the piece both Of the
consplratOrs made to play directly into his hands
| Their villainy is blocked at every turn, vice is
brought to grief in very satisfactory and edfying
style, and virtue is triumphant throughout-so tri-
umphant, in fact that at the end it well afford to
| be magnamimous and bid the discounted villains
| go and sin no more,
The first effective scene is in the second act,
where ''Katey Jessop, the daughter of the quack,
makes the bitter discovery that Cravings" who
has been her devoted admirer is about to throw her
over for the purpose OF marrying Laura Franklin,
the daughter of the banker. AS 'Jim Smiley" the
quack doctors boy, expresses it, she can't stand this
her desperation at the heartlessness OF drawings,
she determines to Hop out altogether and this de-
| termination introduces a grand scenic display of
| Hungerford bridge and tAe Railroad suspen-
sion bridge, which give the carpenter and
painter of the Arch an opportunity Of which
| they have made the most 'Katey" re-
| pairs to this scene at night, intent upon
hopping overheard but is brought to her senses just
| in time to avert such catastrophe, by the appari.
ton Of slim Smiley" and 'Coram.' She reconsiders
| her determination, cOnfesses that Cravings" is a
natul abon scoundrel, burles him in her heart and
then enthrones "COram" therein, and all with such
startling rapidty that the breath of the audience is
| fairly taken away by the succession Of her ever.
| changing emotions. 1t does not matter, of course
that the whole is thing simply ridiculous, utterly de-
iaEt OF nature and possessed of not semblauCe OF
| true art. There it is, and you must make the best
| of it.
in the third act we are treated to what is intendee
to be another captivating spectace-the run OF
"Franklins" bank but the whole affair is pitched toe
high for the appliances of any stage, and just
| we'll be regarded as run on anything else. The
| fnale of this scene, however, is quite effective
where "Dr. JessOp," who has resored to forgery al
! the command OF Cravings" to give the latter Lift
| in his suit for the hand of ''Laura Franklin" is
dsconcerted by the receipt of 100000 and the pass
| age OF the fatal document into the hands OF the
only true, original, and genuine ''Coram."
| But 1t is in the fourth act that the two BIS have
| laid themselves out at full length, and achieved a
triumph that has rarely been witnessed on the Bow
cry stage in its palmest days. Mr.. Boucicault him
self, the greatest Of the two BIS, fully appreciated
the startling grandeur Of the mechanical contriv.
| ances which are introduced, even before the play
| had been given to the public on the stage OF the
| Adelpbi Theatre in London. The newspaper con.
| troversy in which he became embroiled on accoun!
| OF Forniosa proved such excellent advertising
| dodge that he was persuaded to try his hand
| at 1t again. Success had made him audacous to the
| extent Of downright impudence so, few days be-
fore the first production Of the piece he addressed
considerate note to the Prince of Wales in which
he stated that he felt he could best express his gra
| tude for the intention of her Royal Highness, the
Princess of Wales, to be present ON this occasion,
| by respectfully apprising the Prince that the new
| piece contained a scene somewhat more startling
than usual and that he should be grieved fit
cause any pain or uneasness to the Princess in her
| delicate state OF health! The audacity of the man
| was so overwhelming that the Prince OF Wales was
actually drawn into the trap and lent his aid to this
desperate advertising trick In reply kind acknow-
| edgment was conveyed to Mr. Boucicault for his
disinterested consideration, but he was informed
| that the Princess had made up her mind to be
| amused, and not to be disconnected by any OF the
frightened into staying away from the theatre, what
| a crowning glory would have been achieved
But she was not frightened into
| staying away, and she did not hopp
at the spectacle OF the burning house, and so the
| whole dodge was "a 6Zzle of the most gigantic pro-
| portions This "scene somewhat more startling
than usual is house on fire. ''Coram" having Sc
| cured all the best cards. the two heavy villains are
on their last legs, and in their desperation resolve
| to burn him up, since "water will not drown him"
| He is Gagged in "Jessops house, and preliminary
| 10 adm m