The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1883-10-30 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

ROYAL ALHAMBRA. TEMATRE.  On Monday evening Mr. John Douglas's Company from the Standard Theatre, London, commenced an engagement at the Alhambra, and presented a drama of a highly emotional and sensational character, entitled "The Ruling Passion." There are several novel effects introduced, principally that of a balloon ascent from the Crystal Palace and the fall of the aerial machine into the Channel. The plot may be, described as follows ; The story opens at the house of a miser, Jaspar Duorie, who has twin daughters—the one married to a worthless scamp, Gerald Swaiue ; the other, single and living with her father, the betrothed to Harry Manley. a sailor. Swathe—by no means liked by his father-inlaw, and being sick of his wife—induces a fellowscoundrel, called Nat Grey, to join him in endeavouring to secure the mis-r's gold. The miser's hatred of the world has arisen from his natural son, David Doone, having turned out a most desperate character, and the father confides the secret to his daughter Miuuie, and tells her he has made a will in her favour in case the disreputable sou should ever come to claim his father's inheritance. Swathe breaks into the house, murders the old man, and Minnie. horrified at gar: dead, falls dead from heart diseuss. The idea now crosses Swathe that he will bury the dead woman, Minnie, as his wife, r,aura Swains. and then put Laura into a madhouse as Minnie. This fiaishes the prologue. Five years have elap-ed since the events described. and Swathe, having become possessed of some of the miser's pi operty. has married a Mrs. Ashbrooke, a widow with one daughter, Diana, whom Swathe wishes to marry to his confederate they, and mak-s Grey personate the absent miser's son, David Drente. Laura Swathe, who has been confined in a private asylum under the care of a certain Dr. Divining, has escaped, and happening to be of service to Tom Coatbridge, the lover of Diana Aehbrooke, is recommended to Mrs. Aehbrooke for governess to Gerald Swaine*s little girl —here she denounces and claims her husband to save Diana being forced into a marriage with Nat Grey. She is declared mad and sent back to the asylum; here the greatest brutality is practised towards her, until rescued by Harry Manley, the sailor, who on returning and makiug enquiries conceruiug Minnie Dooue, goes to see her at the asylum ` and by that means exposes the fraud practised by Swaine, as he recognises Laura in the Minnie he expected to meet. The persecuted Laura is pursued still, and at the Crystal Palace takes refuge in the car of a balloon about to ascend, cuts the ropes, and is seen floating alone through space,—the balloon eventually falling in the channel, where the heroine is saved by a passing boat. In the end, Swaine's villany is unmasked, arid the miser's will is accidently found by Laura's child—Nat Grey being shot in an endeavour to suppress the document. The company is an excellent "all round" one, all of whom are well up in their parts. Theleading parts are all well played, Mr. George Byrne's "Gerald Swathe" is an excellent pourtrayal of a "heavy man," Mr. E. Vi ihnore as "Nut Grey" is also excellent, and the hypocritical part of "Dr. Divining" is a triumph of the profession. Miss M. Griffiths in the parts Of "Minnie 'Dom " and "Laura Swathe" won the sympathy of her audience by her clever impersonations. Miss Newton. as "Mrs. Ashbrooke," made a good impression. Of the scenic effects produced we must especially notice that in the first act where a shower of real rain is introduced. In the fourth at a real b %noon is introduced with startling effect. The applause which the produstion of each of these scenes was remarkable, a great share of the success in each scene was, however, equally shared by the performers. The piece will be played every night this week.