R530501C. Colombe’s Birthday.
Reynolds’s Newspaper, 1 May 1853, p. 2.
As reprinted in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 19, 396.
Haymarket.—The production of Mr. Browning’s five-act play, “Colombe’s Birthday,” has not been attended with the success anticipated, the beauty of its language scarcely compensating for the sad deficiency in dramatic point. The plot, as follows, may be dismissed in a few words. The Duchess of Juliers, Colombe (Miss H. Faucit), is threatened with the loss of her ducal crown, a certain Prince Berthold (Mr. Howe) having substantiated his claim to the duchy. The court butterflies are the first to desert their mistress and pay homage to the new ruler. This is shown at her birthday reception. A young barrister of Cleves, Valence (Mr. Barry Sullivan), however, remains faithful to the last, and bravely beards Berthold in the presence of the whole court. Instead of resenting such conduct, the prince admires the young man’s spirit, and after his own hand is refused by the duchess and Valence accepted, vouchsafes his tribute of admiration to her noble disinterestedness in sacrificing position and power to wed the man she loves, and who had ventured his life in her cause. Miss Faucit, by her dignified bearing, clear enunciation, and at times impassioned acting, created a sympathy for the fate of the dethroned duchess; but having said thus much of the principal character, we may dismiss the rest by observing they were completely thrown into the shade by that of Colombe, in whom the whole interest of the play centres. The language is smooth, eloquent, and at times forcible; but Mr. Browning’s style of expression is frequently so abstruse that his meaning is difficult to arrive at. At the fall of the curtain we rise with an impression that although a very beautiful poem, “Colombe’s Birthday” is a most ineffective play, and that its language would be more appreciated by reading from the book than by hearing it on the stage.
Reviewed:
Colombe’s Birthday (RB), performance, London, 25 April 1853.
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