The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1836-12-06 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

NEW PLAY BY MR. SHERIDAN KNOWLES.  On Tuesday evening, Mr. Sheridan Knowles's play of the Wrecker's Daughter, was performed at Drury-lane theatre, to a full though not a crowded house. The piece was received throughout with the most enthusiastic applause, and the novel character of the whole composition bids fair to insure it a popularity of long duration. The following is a sketch of the plot:—Robert (Knowles,) is a wrecker on the coast of Cornwall, but who, through the softening influence of an amiable wife, has been, in some measure reclaimed from his odious pursuit, though at times his old propensities break out afresh. His daughter, Marian, (Miss Huddart,) seeks to exercise over her father the same influence as her deceased mother, but with less success. The first act shows us an approaching storm, and the preparations of the wreckers to avail themselves of the spoils of a vessel, the inevitable destruction of which their experience in these matters enables them to foresee. Norris (Mr. Wade,) or Black Norris, as he is nicknamed by his colleagues, having conceived a design on the daughter of Robert, lays a plan to drive him away from the country, that the girl may fall a defenceless prey to his machinations. He points out to the old ,man a body just washed un shore, and persuades bin to rifle it, sending, meanwhile, one of his emissaries to assemble the other wreckers and spread a report that Robert has committed violence- upon the shiiie reeked man. Robert, in the act of rifling the body, is found by his daughter, who, with some difficulty, persuades him to return home. lle promises to do so, and bids her go on before while he collects his tools. Marian lingers on an overhanging rock in expectation of her father's following her, when Norris enters, and finding Robert's knife, plunges it into the body, to confirm the suspicion of Robert's crime. While in the act, a flash of lightning illuminates the stage and Marian, believing she sees her father commit a murder, swoons away upon the rock. Robert enters immediately afterwards, and being found near the body, with his knife still in the breast of the dead man, he is carried before a justice, where, upon the direct evidence of his own child, he is committed for the murder. A highly wrought scene takes place between Norris and one of his confederates, Wolf, (Mr. Diddear,) in the course of which, it appears that the body washed on shore, was that of Norris's own father, who had lived for some time after the mortal wound had been inflicted on him by the hand of his own son. The fourth act shows us Marian at the gate of her father's prison vainly striving to obtain admission. Norris enters and confirms him of the death of her lover, Edward, (Mr. Cooper,) and promises that if she will now mart.)• him (Norris,) he will save her father's life, and prove him innocent. Sho agrees, with evident repugnance, to the sacrifice. The fifth act, 'whic.l; is decidedly inferior to the preceding ones, presents us a forced and highly improbable denouement. At the opening, we find Norris and Marian preparing for their nuptials, about a month having elapsed between the two acts. Just before the departure of the bridal party for the church, Edward,supposed to have been drowned, returns unexpectedly, ad an agonizing scene ensues. The last scene is in the church-yard, where the clergyman, the father, and the lover, vainly join in entreating Norris to release the maiden from her' entreating promise. On his refusal they are about to enter the Church, when Wolf, whom Norris had sent out of the country, suddenly appears. He bad been impelled by the agonies of remorse to return, and now reveals the crime of Norris, who now rushes furiously on him and stabs him to the heart. The convicted murderer is then dragged away, and the clergyman unites the hands of the two lovers. Such is a hasty sketch of the story. Like most of Knowles's pieces, it is full of beautiful poetry. The interest throughout the first four acts is intense; but, in the fifth, the startling improbability of the incidents greatly tends to weaken the effect of the earlier parts of the phy. The acting was excellent. Miss Hoddart's performance of Marian justifies the high opi. nine we had previeusly conceised of her talents. Knowles and Warde also dhl full justice to the piece. There was alsd aaa (he success of tine whole piece . . sa st the same time that it bids non's treasory.--Ear p;:•y,