The Corsair

Part 1

THE MINOR DRAMA.

The Acting Edition. No. CXXXI.

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THE CORSAIR;

OR, THE

LITTLE FAIRY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

A New Christmas Burlesque and Pantomime,

Founded upon the Ballet of “Le Corsaire.”

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BY WILLIAM BROUGH, ESQ.,

Author of Perdita, or the Royal Milkmaid, Prince Prettypet and the Butterfly, Trying It On, Phenomenon in a Smock-frock, A Comical Countess, &c., &c.

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TO WHICH ARE ADDED

A description of the Costume--Cast of the Characters--Entrances and Exits--Relative Positions of the Performers on the Stage, and the whole of the Stage Business.

AS PERFORMED AT THE

PRINCIPAL ENGLISH AND AMERICAN THEATRES.

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NEW YORK: SAMUEL FRENCH, 122 NASSAU STREET; (UP STAIRS.)

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Cast of Characters.--[THE CORSAIR.]

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Royal Wallack’s Lyceum, Theatre London, 1857. Dec. 26, 1856.

Conrad, the Corsair, (“a notable Pirate and Mrs. A. Mrs. John salt water Thief,” gloomy, misanthropical, Melion, Wood. ironical and Byronical,) LATE Miss Woolgar.

Birbanto, (his Lieutenant--an Officer, but not a Mr. J. L. Mr. John Gentleman,) Toole. Wood.

Seyd (or Seedy) Pasha, (a terrible Turk,) Mr. Mr. H. B. Barrett. Phillips.

Syng Smaul, (a General Officer--Major-domo, Head Mr. Mr. Cook and Bottle-washer to the Pasha,) Holston. Holmes.

Yussuf, (in his own country Joseph--or Mr. S. Mr. familiarly, Old Joe--a renegade Slave Merchant,) Calharm. Peters.

Hassan, (a Boatswain,) Miss Goward.

Part 2

Medora, (a Grecian Maiden, Niece and Ward to Mrs. C. Miss J. Yussuf--a sacred pledge intrusted to her uncle,) Dillon. Manners.

Gulnare, (the reigning Beauty of the Pasha’s Mrs. B. Mrs. Harem, his favorite, and most other people’s, White. Vernon. it is hoped--including the audience,)

Zuliema, (a “light of other days” a little Mrs. C. Mrs. Cook. “faded,”) Melville.

Submarina, (the Fairy guardian of the Deep, Miss J. Mrs. H. B. Deep Sea, Chief Inspector of the Ocean Police, Ryder. Phillips. and Deputy Ruler of the Waves,)

Serena, (the Little Fairy at the bottom of the Mrs. M. Miss Emily Sea,) Wilton. Milton.

Corsairs, Slaves, Odalisques, Almas, Water Nymphs, Fairies, Guards, Attendants, &c.

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THE CORSAIR.

SCENE I.--Marine Aquarium, or Naiad’s Coralline Temple--WATER SPIRITS discovered sleeping in shells; TRITONS come in and arouse them, by sounding their conches; SPIRITS rise and dance; a coral grotto rises, having in it SUBMARINA, CORALIA, AZURINA, TEMPESTIA, &c.

Sub. Friends, mermaids, sprites and guardians of the sea, Leave off your dancing and attend to me; This is a public meeting, not a ball; Here come, I’ll take the chair--now silence, all.

All. Hear! hear!

Sub. [C.] Do let me speak, I say, once more-- Friends, sprites and guardians,

Cor. That you said before.

Sub. Another interruption of this sort, And I’ll--

Cor. [R. C.] Well, well, go on--but cut it short;

Sub. Friends, sprites, et cetera--We’ve assembled thus, The state of our dominions to discuss; Each day we read, in the Subaqueous Times, Of murders, robberies, and other crimes, Daily committed with impunity, In open day--upon the open sea-- Till none are safe who roam the ocean o’er.

Cor. They’re just as safe as if they stayed on shore; There, too, I’m told, you’ll find on the increase-- Burglaries--robberies--but not police.

Sub. Pray, what’s the shore to you--

Cor. I but to tell ye meant.

Sub. Pooh! pooh! on land we’re quite out of our element; What we’ve to do, is to find out some plan To rid the ocean of that bad young man, Conrad the Corsair.--None can safety gain Until, like gas, he’s turned off from the main; At all attempts to do so, he has laughed, While his great cunning saves his little craft; All commerce doth he from the waters sweep-- Cleans out the simple ones and scours the deep; None cross the seas thro’ fear of this vile rover-- Their spirits fail, ere they get half seas over-- In short, unless mankind from him we save, There’ll soon be no life on the ocean wave.

Cor. What shall we do, in his career to check him--

Azurina. Hang him!

Sub. Can’t catch him.

Tempestia. Raise a storm and wreck him.

Sub. A good idea, most reckless of all men; His ship destroyed, he’ll not be wreckless then. About it straight.

Music.--SERENA rises through trap, L. C.

Serena. One moment hear me, pray.

Sub. A motion, an arrest of judgment, eh!

Part 3

Serena. Not only that, but one for a new trial.

Sub. Nay--his guilt’s plain.

Serena. Too plain for my denial. But ’stead of punishing, could we reclaim him--

Sub. Can you reclaim a tiger?

Serena. You can tame him! Let me attempt the task.

Cor. Nay, have a care, We don’t want Conrad made a tame affair.

Sub. Say by what potent magic will you try?

Serena. One which the rudest breast can purify-- Lifting the soul all meaner thoughts above-- The magic influence of woman’s love.

Cor. Ho! ho! I see--the Corsair’s handsome face And figure, eh?

Azurina. A most decided case.

Cor. You’re smitten, miss.

Serena. I scorn the imputation; I am a fairy, and I know my station!

Sub. No quarreling--I own your plan seems strange; Think you that love can work this mighty change?

Serena. Madam, I’ve heard of fast young men on town, Desperate dogs, by marriage settled down-- Men, who for years would not go home till morning, Found the domestic tea-table adorning; Smokers, I’ve heard, have put their pipes out--nay I’ve even heard of latch-keys thrown away. Can love do this, and yet be unavailing, To cure a paltry pirate’s little failing? Let Conrad only get a loving wife, And, on my word, he’ll lead another life.

Sub. Enough--we’ll try your plan.

Serena. I ask no more, Than leave of absence for a month on shore-- If, ere that time be passed, I don’t succeed, Then wreck him, or whate’er you please--

Sub. Agreed!

SCENE II.--Market Place in Stamboul, and Oriental Slave Bazaar.

Cheering outside.--Enter CORSAIRS, L.

1st Cors. Come lads, our Captain’s given us a holiday On shore to-day, and so let’s have a jolly day-- We’ve been of late so close to business sticking, We want some change.

2d Cors. Let’s try some pocket-picking--

1st Cors. You’d find small change in that--

2d Cors. Yes, ’twould be strange, In people’s pockets not to find small change.

3d Cors. But see, our noble Captain comes this way--

1st Cors. Three cheers for Conrad--Hip, hip, hip, hurray!

Enter CONRAD, L.

Conrad. There, that’ll do--Hip, hip, indeed--what stuff-- As if I’m not already hipped enough. [Crosses R.

1st Cors. Cheer up, my hearty--

Part 4

Conrad. Man! I’m not your hearty, And to cheer up, I’m not at all the party.

1st Cors. Why is great Conrad ever sad?

Conrad. Ah, why? Who can explain this secret grief; not I-- That secret kept so dark, none e’er saw through it-- I don’t believe that even Byron knew it. [Crosses, L.

Go, go, poor giddy things, employ your leisure, In seeking what the thoughtless world calls pleasure.

1st Cors. Say, is there aught you’d like, that we can bring, To soothe your grief--

Conrad. [L.] I don’t like anything; The gloomy spirit in this aching breast, Despises most things, and can’t bear the rest; Deems happiness an empty sound, no more; The world a humbug--life itself a bore-- There’s nothing in it! Leave me. [They are going. Tell me, though, Hast seen Birbanto our lieutenant?

1st Cors. No. [Exeunt, R.

Enter BIRBANTO, L.

Birb. Behold him, here! What would great Conrad--Eh? Anything wanted in my little way? [Drawing his dagger.

If so, just give your orders and it’s done-- From pitch and toss to manslaughter, all’s one.

Conrad. Thou art the best o’ the cut-throats--

Birb. I’m no bragger, But, I must say, I’m not bad at a dagger, I’ve one to serve you with in any way, [Aside.] And serve you out with, too, I hope, some day.

Conrad. You’re very kind.

Birb. But pardon the suggestion-- My dagger’s point was not the point in question. You asked for me--

Conrad. I might have done. Heigho!

Birb. Pooh! try some drink--you’re several cups too low.

Conrad. Nay, I have tried--I drained a flask this minute----

Birb. Well, when you’d drained it?

Conrad. There was nothing in it. All things I’ve tried, but they bring no relief To the used-up, bored, blase pirate chief. Travel I’ve tried, from place to place still dodging, You’ll find me bored where’er you find me lodging. The stormy waves no change to me afford, For if I’m shipwrecked, still I’m overboard; I’ve sought excitement east, west, north, and south, In battle-strife--e’en at the cannon’s mouth, But all in vain: amid the battle’s roar, I found the cannon’s mouth was but a bore! Enough of this.

Birb. [Aside.] Too much for me to stand; A pretty fellow to command our band. Oh, I should like to---- [Raises dagger; CONRAD turns round; BIRBANTO bows after the approved style of melodrama.

Conrad. Where’s my galley?

Birb. [Pointing off R.] Sir, The galley’s there--that buoy’s attached to her.

Conrad. Keep her in readiness to sail to-night, In case of accidents. D’ye hear? [Same business with the dagger.

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