The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1886-02-27 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

ALEXANDRA THEATRE.  Mrs. Saber has provided a splendid meals for her innumerable patrons in "Alone in London," written by Mx. Robert Buchanan. and Miss Harriet jay, the latter of whom plays the part of the heroine. The play is well written, full of lively dialogne,and rich in strong positions some of which are given very realistically, almost too much so for those of a nervous composition. The story itself is an old one in many points; a country lass, bonny but simple; a London-" swell," handsome but villainous; and his associates. An addition, however, is given by the presence in the plot of a poor street Arab, Tom, whose heart is won by the kindness which Annie Meadows, the country girl, shows to him. After accepting Radcliffe, the Londoner, as her husband, Annie has to refuse the proposal of a devoted country admirer, John Biddlecomb, the miller. The husband drags Annie down to the lowest poverty, and endeavours to train their child to walk in his own evil ways, but in this he is frustrated. The play concludes with the death of Redcliffe, who, after being foiled in his endeavour to rob the bank of Burnaby Bros., through the instrumentality of his little son, tries to shoot his wife. In this he is also unsuccessful; Tom, the street boy, being on hand, stabs him fatally. The heroine, Miss Jay acts strongly and with great force, and her touches of maternal tenderness are beautifully given. In the more tragic parts of the play she is peculiarly, successful, her denunciation of Redclifte in the third act, her scene in London with Biddlecomb, and the drowning scene being splendidly acted. Biddlecomb, as taken by Mr. Wallace Moir, is a faithful representation of the true-hearted, simple, young Miller; and Tom, the lad, is excellently presented in the person of Miss Louisa Gonrlay, who does well throughout. The acting of Mr. Herbert Standing, as Redcliffe, is certainly very fine, his ponrtrayal of the hard-hearted selfish scamp receiving hearty hisses from the audience. Mr. Percy Bell shows the disreputable Jenkinson to the life, and Charlie Johnson, the acrobat, is played with much freedom by Mr. W. IL 13enny. Little Paul is really well acted by Little Maria Bushling. The benevolent old Mr. Burnaby and his son, Walter, are both presented acceptably by Mr. Hurst and Mr. G. Aplin respectively. We must add that the mounting of the piece is perfect, the scenes of the Inventories and Westminster Bridge are remarkably fine, as is also that of the sluice gates, the rene of an almost too realistic episode in the attempted murder of Annie by her husband. "Alone in London" runs during next week, and after that the celebrated Mddle. Beatrice Company will appear.  In a tram-car the other night were seated two well-dressed men, one of them as sober as a judge, and the other showing evidence of having paid too much attention to what Dick Swiveller calls "the rosy." The latter was over-talkative, and his companion tried to stop the unmeaning flow of language. At last, growing impatient, he exclaimed peevishly, "Be quiet; you're drank!" " Whaffiam," retorted the other. " 'Smy drank. You sin' 'sponsible. Look-a-here ; Spasm it was erect thing to be drunk, and wasn't c'reeti thing to be sober—where'd you be theu--ekt. I'd be Ueda' you hornet"  ii  last, . peevishly, 'Whaffism,' -..ay drunk. You sin' --s-here ; Spose it wnz be drunk, and wasn't e'reat ~e sober—where'd you be then—eh takin' you homer 1100"