Ollaya

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

An unpleasant little play, in my opinion, its violence insufficiently excused by its interest. The scene is a little mountain inn in Castille. It seems that Olalla, a beautiful girl, is loved by Enriquez, and loves him but refuses to marry him, preferring her Godson; also that Matteo is making love to her. Enriquez appears, having murdered Matteo, with blood on his knife, and hands, with which he very disagreeably smears another man. Then Olalla comes, announcing the immediate arrival of the Police. Olalla, to give Enriquez time to disguise himself, dances and flirts with the Officer. This enables Enriquez to escape, but his jealousy is again aroused; he comes back and having seen the Officer embrace Olalla he, most ungratefully, on the theory that it is better to "pluck the peach; the flies are not to blame", murders her too. Mr. Thurston confuses violence with strength. Enriquez is not an interesting ruffian. But there is nothing more worse than blood and murder in his play and it is Recommended for Licence, (Signed) G. S. Street.