R530427A. Colombe’s Birthday.
The Morning Herald, 27 April 1853, p. 5.
As reprinted in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 19, 382–383.
Haymarket Theatre.—The play by Mr. Robert Browning, Colombe’s Birthday, just produced at this theatre, appeared some years ago in a publication bearing the fantastic title of Belles and Pomegranates, devoted to a series of what the author called “dramatical pieces,” with an avowed view to their transference to the stage. The poetical style of Mr. Browning, of which at this period he afforded numerous examples, was exposed to multifarious criticism; but, although copious and original, he never belonged to a class of writers who by any chance could become very popular. A strangeness and peculiarity, more or less artificial, pervaded all he did; and the impression left by him in the closet was favourable to the variety of his fancy, but doubtful as to the propriety of his taste. The play which has now been brought out by Mr. Buckstone is simply a piece of literary cleverness. The personages are pure abstractions, animated by little real naturalness, while their language is elaborate, analytic, and not unfrequently odd. When to these defects of writing, the stage being the vehicle, a thin and meagre plot is added, the ultimate fate of Colombe’s Birthday as an acting piece is not hard to perceive. Although the curtain fell on Monday night amid the usual demonstrations of satisfaction, and although the author was called for with considerable vigour by those who were curious to see the author of Paracelsus, the experienced habitué could not be mistaken. The play, in a word, possesses too little dramatic motive, deals but too scantily with the impulses of genuine passion, and is too metaphysical in its tone for public uses. That it contains much deep observation, and suggests repeated topics for reflection, are facts not to be denied; but these are recommendations that appertain rather to the study than the stage, and there Colombe’s Birthday will speedily return.
The heroine is Colombe of Ravenstein [sic], the Duchess of Juliers and Cleves, who, like Mary of Burgundy, reigned over the realms of which she was the ostensible mistress mainly upon the security of high personal worth. The Salique law, however, affects her position, and the throne of the duchy is claimed by Prince Berthold, who requires the duchess to resign in his favour. The official missive of the Prince arrives on “Colombe’s birthday,” and as the courtiers of the duchess recoil, in an honourable spirit of regret, from presenting the fatal paper, the task is performed by a young advocate of Cleves, who is allowed to present a petition from his fellow-citizens, on the condition that he also delivers into the hand of the duchess the document that proclaims the rights of the Prince. The duchess, “perplexed in the extreme,” meditates resistance; but the Prince, who appears to be anything but a cruel and uncivil personage, proposes, while asserting his precedency to the ducal chair, to marry the duchess, and so get over the difficulty in as accommodating and inoffensive a manner as possible. In the meanwhile, however, the duchess has not been indifferent to the personal accomplishments of the advocate; nor, we may easily suppose, has the advocate encountered her without being touched by her beauty and amiability. The prepossession, in a word, is reciprocal; and after a short mental contest, Colombe is ultimately content to sink into private life and leave the duchy of Juliers and Cleves to the stronger rule of Prince Berthold.
The production of this play was made the occasion of the rentrée of Miss Helen Faucit, who emerges from the domestic retirement into which she has of late confined herself, at the solicitation of Mr. Buckstone, to aid him in his new undertaking. The ability of this lady is as striking as it ever was; and in plays of this lofty poetical cast her services are always of the highest value. She delivered many of the speeches very finely. We may add, that the warmth of feeling manifested by the audience towards this accomplished actress at the close of the play, was a pleasing testimony of the respect and admiration with which she is still regarded. The other principal characters are sustained by Mr. Barry Sullivan, Mr. Howe, and Mr. Rogers. Mr. Buckstone, although we cannot congratulate him upon the virtual success of this production, deserves nevertheless to be applauded for the care which he has bestowed upon the mise en scene. The decision of the public as regards the play itself may be practically unfavourable, but the management has done its office handsomely and liberally in placing it on the stage, and this will be generally acknowledged.
Reviewed:
Colombe’s Birthday (RB), performance, London, 25 April 1853.
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