The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-25
Formo.s, or the RAILROAD IN pu,,

"a modern drama which has excited gree
deal Of interest and comment In The newsps
per world Of New York and London. A,
the enterprising management Of the Ma.
tional have been prompt to arrange for Us
production before n Washington audience.
we have collatcd information in regard TO
the play, believing &hat II will be intercstln,
to many Of our readers. ID.
Boucicault is one Of the most successful of
dramatlsts. Within the last few years he
has produced more plays than any other liv-
ing playwright. Nearly every one Of his
productions have, for the time, attained
great celebrity. Yet he is not a man of
great genius, for we do not believe that he
can point to single piece and say that II Ia,
from beginning TO end, original In construc-
ton with himself. In every one of his
pieces are to be detected some scene or idea
original with some other author. Yet, at
the same time, the stage cannot boast of a
dramaturge so skillful, for, like the house
carpenter, he can so adroitly tongue and
groove his work together that to the unskill-
full eye II seems as fit were something not
seen before. lie is, nevertheless, one Of the
cleverest and most successful men OF the
day, and where one dramatlst can count one
success he can count six. While not one of
Boucicault's stories appears to be altogether
bis own, not one Of the characters he has
given us, clever though they may be, Is a
creation. Boucicault knows tho workings
OF tho stage probably as well as any living
author, but what he sadly wants are oharac.
terization and nobility. OF minor gifts he
has abundance, but In those to which We
refer is he so deficient that the triumphs of
his plays mark the upward march Of tai
ent marvelously appropriate to the times in
which We live, and mark also the dcca-
dence Of theatrical art. lie displays skill In
the disposition Of characters, In their intro
duction upon the stage, and a power, quite
unrlyalcd, Of leading his audience from stage
to stage In the story without once letting Ms
Interest drop.
The play Of "Formosa" is constructed
with perfect art, written with practiscd ease
and In complete familiarity with all the
moods OF the play going public, and Is rich
enough In picturesque Characterization to
remind one Of Dickens. The background of
the piece Is that seasonable excitement, the
Oxford and Cambridge boat racc-as that of
former piece by this author was the Derby.
On this Is traced the story Of "Formosa,"
the temptress against her will In sharper's
game against the hero OF the piece. Her
character in the play is heightened by the
fact that she does not act from the ordinarr'
Is In love with the man she tempts TO his
ruin, and lures him, always herself in a
supposed agony. She docs this to save her
parents the pang they would feel at knowing
her true character; for If she balks the game
of the villains In whose hands she Is they
threaten that disclosure. Here the dramatist
has put himself against the declaration OF
dramatists and poets the wide world over,
who have all held that love, the master pas
Ia Gnnnnh 10 n1ia1
in this lapse the dramatic situation here is
quite analogous to that In the opening par.
of the "Lady of Lyons" Formosa Is
used by villains TO ruin Burroughs, Just as
Melnotte is used 10 ensnarc Pauline, and the
penalty of failurc-that of disclosing the
true chAracter-is the same in both plays.
The first scene In "Formosa" represents
the Old Swan Boat-house on the banks of the
Thames, near oxford, where the crew Of the
"dark blue" arc being coached by sam
Boxer, Il retired prlzc-lghter, who IL now
have Il daughter Jenny, from whom, In the
belief that she has been living reputable
life In toNi, they have received presents
from time to time Us the fruits Of her indus
try. II soon trnnspires, however, that Jenny
Is the celebrated coui,eZan whose names
have been varlously Lady Arthur Pierrcpont
and "Formosa," and her recognition by q
polished scamp, named Compton Kerr, and
by his companion, Major Jorum, places the
repcntant bar-maid, anxious to redeem tue
errors of her carly life, In very painful
position. With the Knowledge they posses.
they eau influence Jenny Boxer TO resume
her old station, and, Influenced partly b.
Jealousy, she consents to become their ac-
complete in Turing to destruction Tom Bur-
roughs, a young man of large means and
good family, who Is an Oxford graduate,
and the "stroke' in the impending University
boat race. A young girl, named Nelly, IN
love with Tom, has been brought up by old
Doctor norsInus, follow of st. Johns Col
lege, as his daughter; but she Is claimed by
a released convict, named Bob Sanders, who
proves by written document In his posses
sion that she Is his daughter, and thus q love
affair between her and Tom Is temporarily
broken OF. In the second act the gang of
sharpers, with Formosa to assist them, arc
seen Fastening the ruin Of Tom, who now
| occupies chambers In the Albany, is iieeced
at cards by the Major and the tribe Of
crooks In his employ, and Is Gnthrallcd by
the Establishments OF the courtezan, who
occupies a magnificent villa at Fulhani.
The scene Of the residence of Formosa Is
represented with q bright moon, well laid
out garden, and an Illuminated interior.
In the third act fOrmosa shows some reluC-
lance to further the designs of the conspira.
tors, and powerful situation occurs when
she throws oil the associations of gay"
life and implOrcs her parents TO permit her
to return to the paths Of virtue. The fourth
act represents the storming OF the sponging
house, where Tom Burroughs has been in
generated for the debts he has contracted
through the rogUcry Of his Infamous plum
derers at play, and his rescue time enough
to permit his taking his place In the match
The oxford crew come in victorious, Tom
Burroughs marries Nelly, whose father shows
signs OF atonGmeBt for his past mlslCeds, and
the villains Compton and Kerr and Major
Jorum are handed over to the police to an
swer, at Bow street, for the fOrgerios they
have peTpetrnted.
"Formosa' was first produced about two
months ago at the Drury Lane theatre, Lon
don. At its first representation In that i'm
mensc edihce the house was crowded from
pit 10 dome. IL was successful at once, and
for weeks the people thronged to witness
each production. Broad as Its language Is,
and from the manner in which the plot Is
woven, 1t at once drew upon it the criticism
of tho newspapers. AL agreed that as u
play i was successful, but the cry was at
once raised that II was not Of fit character to
be witnessed by ladies and gentlemen. II
was ably defended, and for days the discus
| sion OF the play was the town talk of our
English brethren. To many of the assaults
made reply was solicited, aud forth steps
Mr.. Chattcrton, the manager OF the Old
| Drury, who summnrily disposed Of his as.
sailauts In letter published in the London
Times, and which so fully argues the case
that We present 1t entire, as an cpltomc o.
theatrical events for some time past. The
case stated by Mr.. Chatterton as occurring
| in London is but a counterpart of the state
| of affairs In the United States. The letter
Is as follows
SIR ! do not wish to utrude on the dis
| cussion concerning the moral effect Of Mr..
Boucicault's new play, Formosa.' But,
us manager Of Drury Lane theatre, ! must
be allowed TO say that, If | had perceived in
| II any such stains as some persons profess to
sec, should not have given 1t house room.
Your correspondent, can Amateur Critic,
suggests that VIC should announce In our
play bills that unmarried ladies are not TO be
admitted. The ladies, both married and un.
married, have settled that question. ! shall
gladly submit to your correspondent my box
book, crowded with the names of ladies, the
highest and most respectable in London, and
point to my boxes and stalls, where tho
| ladies are to be seen nightly in large ma
Iorlty. Surely the public is not child, and
can fudge for itself. | have no right TO OBJ
ect to the ylrtuous indignation of Your cor
respondent. give him credit for sincerely
feeling every word he writes. But do you
think this Overwhelming majority Of ladies
would he found I'm nv audience If the PLAY