Divorce

Divorce (1871), a play by Augustin Daly. [Fifth Avenue Theatre, 200 perf.] The day of the marriage of convenience of her daughter, Lu Ten Eyck ( Fanny Davenport), to the much older De Wolf De Witt ( William Davidge), Mrs. Ten Eyck ( Fanny Morant) learns that Alfred Adrianse ( D. H. Harkins) has returned from a long trip abroad. Alfred had left New York when Mrs. Ten Eyck cut short his courtship of her other daughter, Fanny ( Clara Morris), insisting Fanny was too young. Now that Fanny is older, Mrs. Ten Eyck's objections fade, so Alfred and Fanny are married along with Lu and De Wolf. Both marriages, however, quickly fall apart. Alfred becomes unjustly suspicious of Fanny, especially of her actually innocent relations with Captain Lynde ( Louis James), while Lu finds her aged mate dismayingly complacent. Fanny and Alfred's problems are more serious, and Fanny leaves, taking their young son with her. Alfred kidnaps the boy, and Fanny follows them to Florida to reclaim the child. Alfred and Lu are brought to their senses in time for a happy ending. Producer‐author Daly took his characters and incidents from Anthony Trollope's novel, He Knew He Was Right, but rearranged matters with a free hand, moving the setting to America, adding a subplot, and contriving reconciliations at the close. The Herald commented, “The subject. . . is a real live one, and certainly its treatment evinces rare delicacy and skill and a thorough knowledge of society of the present day.” The play was the reigning hit of the day, at one point playing simultaneously in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and St. Louis. Its Manhattan run was said to have been a record for a comedy at the time. It was also the first play performed in Chicago after the fire. Later critics looked less kindly on the play, but it was revived successfully in Philadelphia as late as 1892.