"The Pearl Divers."

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 62, 10 September 1885, Page 2

"The Pearl Divers."

The Theatre Boyal was crowded to its utmost capacity last evening, the attraction boing a sensational and speotaoular dram* entitled " The Pearl Divers," though why it should havereoeived this appellation pasaeth our understanding. The drama is full of startling situations, thrilling inoidonts, and awe-inspiring sensations of the most pro* nounoed type, and on theso, aidod by tho soenio artist's brush, tho buooobb of the drama depends. The playwright's art has been entirely subordinated to tho stago mechanist and the painter, both of whom in the prodnotion of " The Pearl Divers " have suooeodod in plaoing before the andienoe a series of Wonderfully realiatio soenes. The plot consists of the occidental diaoovery of a forgery oommitted in early life by Mr. Chad* brook (Mr. H. Douglai), the proprietor of a private madhouse. Chadbrook had very indiecroetly committed the confession of hia guilt to writing, and this had by some moans fallen into the hands of Darnley (Mr. E. Vernon), who agrees to retnrn it to Chadbrook on condition that he pays him the sum of .£SOO. Darnloy starts off to get tho documents, and the arrangement being overheard by Phil Chadbrook (Mr. F. Gerald), a drunken soape* grace, tho latter disguises himself as a Frenchman, and as the train is on tho point of starting on the retnrn journey with Darnley, having in his posseßsion tho oon* fossion of the elder Chadbrook, Phil Chad* brook enters the same oompartmont with Darnloy, and on the road ho robs and half murders Darnley, and jumps out of the carriage) with his brother soon*s oon* fession in hu pooket. A masquerading costume, similar to that which was worn by Phil Chadbrook, being found amongst the effeots of Nod Gray, a pearl diver (Mr. Appleton), the hitter is denounced by Phil Chadbrook as the railway robber, and he is oast into prison, and sentenced on purely circumstantial evidence to five yoars' penal servitude. On the way to the prison in a cab a collision fortunately ooours, and Ned effeots his escape, and makes his way to London, where he meets with his sweetheart, Grace Deering (Miss Kate Douglas), who has just effected ncr eeoape from tho madhouce, where the had been plaoed by that disagree* able young person Uhadbrook, jun., who is enamoured of her. The great scene is that in which Mark Eoden (Mr. 0. Balfe) and Phil Chadbrook engage in a deadly straggle at the bottom of the sea over the missing evidence of the latter's orimo. The low oomedy business was sustained, of ooune, by Mr. Leitoh, who enaotod Thibbets, a halfwitted inmate and servant of the madhouse. Thibbets pops up everywhere and at the moßt opportune time%nd place, and was a land of genius to unprotected maidenhood and virtue in distress. The soenery was exceedingly well managed. The pieoe is very long, as tho waits both between scenes and aota were tedious, it was consequently a quarter to 12 before the ourUin was rung down. No doubt the drama will be played closer this evening, when the hitohes incidental to the production of a new pieoe will have been overcome. The management inform ns that to-night the play will be over before 11 o'olook. •