2 APRIL 1859, Page 19

Mrs. Charles Young, by her very spirited acting in Mr.

Edward Falconer's new play Francesca, produced on Thursday last at the Lyceum, caused us to forget for a moment our regret that such a dull and unintelligible piece of tediousness as the drama in question had been put upon the stage to consume four mortal hours of precious time. What the story was all about we cannot venture to say. It was enacted in front of some very pretty Venetian scenery by Mr. Callcott, and it treated most profusely of Venetian jealousy, Venetian vengeance, and Venetian conspirazies, with much concerning Councils and Doges, and patriots, who regretted the old times of Dandolo. Even the exact position of Francesca, the lady acted by Mrs. Charles Young, is a little beyond our reach. We are aware however, that she was bent upon saving a gallant lover from the clutches of a vindictive father, and that her display of energy gave force to the concluding scenes of a piece, the rest of which was completely effete and flat.