A new burletta of serious interest, entitled The Daughter, was
pro.. duced at the Olympic on Thursday. Its materials are slight, and some- what improbable; but the spirit in which it is written, and the feeling with which the principal characters are acted, insured its success. The story is that of a daughter, who, baying married an old man in obedience to the wish of ber father, loses her reputation in society, and is de- serted by her husband and disowned by her father, in consequence of 21. piece of scandal that is circulated respecting her, which rests on grounds so specious, and is supported by such strong presumptive evi. dence, that, though innocent, she is unable to disprove the slander. After a time, her husband being dead, and her father havieg become blind, the daughter, yearning for home and her father's love, resolves upon'the bold experiment of procuring an engagement as companion to bum, and so winning that affection as a stranger which is denied her as a child. She succeeds ; and in the course of her duty of reading his letters, feigns to have received one from his daughter : having gained his consent to hear it read, she puts her own case in so clear a light, and urges it so pathetically, that the old man is moved to pity ; and she, forgetting her assumed character, falls at his feet and implores him to receive her. The father relents ; and his doubts being dis- pelled by his returning love for his long-lost child, lie folds her in his arms ; and presently consents to her union with the lover whose rash boldness had been the cause of her sufferings, and whose ardour had undergone no abatement by long absence in a foreign land. The acting of Mrs. HOOPER, as the Daughter, is touchingly natural; and gives such reality to the situations, that we lose sight of the im- probability of a father not recognizing the voice of his child, in the sympathy which she excites. F. Marrnaws, as the Father, displays corresponding feeling: indeed we have never seen acting more true to nature. KEELEY has the part of a foolish, fussy, selfish fellow, who expects to inherit the old man's wealth as his next of kin : but the serious scenes so absorbed our attention, that even KEELEY'S drollery wits only welcome as a relief.
HAYNES BAYLY is the adapter of this piece, from the French.
Another new burletta, in which VESTRIS and LISTON are to appear, is announced for Monday; it is said to be by Mr. LOVER.
Previous page
